Translating equipment rack system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725153-B2
Application number	US-201514661872-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2015
Priority date	Jan 5, 2011
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus and method comprising a rack and a translation mechanism. The rack may be configured to hold components. The rack may comprise movable rack segments that are movable independently of each other. The translation mechanism may be configured to move a portion of the movable rack segments relative to another portion of the movable rack segments inside a platform such that internal access to at least a portion of the components is provided inside the platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for accessing components inside a compartment of an aircraft, the method comprising:
identifying a portion of the components for which internal access is desired in which a rack is configured to hold the components and comprises movable rack segments that are movable independently of each other in the rack; and
using a translation mechanism, moving a portion of the movable rack segments relative to another portion of the moveable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft such that the internal access to at least the portion of the components identified is provided inside the compartment of the aircraft;
wherein the rack and the translation mechanism are located inside an equipment bay in the compartment of the aircraft; and
wherein movement of the portion of the moveable rack segments relative to the another portion of the movable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft moves the portion of the moveable rack segments into another area inside the compartment of the aircraft other than the equipment bay.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the translation mechanism comprises at least one of wheels, rollers, sliders, tracks, arms, and rails associated with the rack.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of moving the portion of the movable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft such that the internal access to the at least the portion of the components identified is provided inside the compartment of the aircraft comprises:
moving a portion of a number of movement devices connected to the movable rack segments to cause movement of the portion of the movable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft such that the movable rack segments move independently of each other and such that the internal access to the at least the portion of the components identified is provided inside the compartment of the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the movable rack segments is moved such that external access to the at least the portion of the components is provided outside of the compartment of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of moving the portion of the movable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft such that the internal access to the at least the portion of the components identified is provided inside the compartment of the aircraft comprises:
moving the portion of the movable rack segments from an equipment bay in the compartment of the aircraft in which the rack is located into another area inside the compartment of the aircraft other than the equipment bay such that the internal access to the at least the portion of the components identified is provided in the another area inside the compartment of the aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a structure associated with the rack is configured to separate an equipment bay in which the rack is located from another area in the compartment of the aircraft and provides a barrier configured to prevent cargo in the another area from moving into the equipment bay.

7. A method for accessing components inside a compartment of an aircraft, the method comprising:
identifying a portion of the components for which internal access is desired in which a rack located in an equipment bay in the aircraft is configured to hold the components and comprises movable rack segments that are movable independently of each other in the rack and in which a structure associated with the rack is configured to separate the equipment bay in which the rack is located from another area in the compartment of the aircraft and provide a barrier configured to prevent cargo in the another area from moving into the equipment bay; and
using a translation mechanism, moving a portion of the movable rack segments relative to another portion of the moveable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft from the equipment bay into the another area inside the aircraft other than the equipment bay such that the internal access to at least the portion of the components identified is provided in the another area inside the compartment of the aircraft;
wherein the rack and the translation mechanism are located inside the equipment bay in the compartment of the aircraft; and
wherein movement of the portion of the moveable rack segments relative to the another portion of the movable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft moves the portion of the moveable rack segments into the another area inside the compartment other than the equipment bay.

8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein a connector system attached to the movable rack segments remains connected to the movable rack segments when the portion of the movable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft is moved such that the internal access to the at least the portion of the components is provided inside the compartment of the aircraft.

9. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the connector system comprises a rack attachment cable to transport one or more of data, electricity, and cooling.

10. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein the rack attachment cable comprises a flexible cable or a semi-flexible cable.

11. The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the rack comprises a rack segment that comprises a frame configured to hold one or more of the components.

12. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the frame comprises a core that is a metallic core.

13. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein the core is hollow to allow the rack attachment cable to be installed within the core.

14. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein a connector system attached to the movable rack segments remains connected to the movable rack segments when the portion of the movable rack segments inside the compartment of the aircraft is moved such that the internal access to the at least the portion of the components is provided inside the compartment of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the connector system comprises a rack attachment cable to transport one or more of data, electricity, and cooling.

16. The method of claim 15 ,
wherein the rack attachment cable comprises a flexible cable or a semi-flexible cable.

17. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the rack comprises a rack segment that comprises a frame configured to hold one or more of the components.

18. The method of claim 17 ,
wherein the frame comprises a core that is a metallic core; and
wherein the core is hollow to allow the rack attachment cable to be installed within the core.

19. The method of claim 9 , wherein the rack attachment cable comprises a rigid cable.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the rack attachment cable comprises a rigid cable.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bayliss Andrew John
• Brown Stephen T
• Rea Perry Nicholas
• Retz Kevin Matthew

Classifications

• B64C3/141

  Circulation Control Airfoils · CPC title

• Y10T292/0807

  Sliding and hooked end · CPC title

• B64D43/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• B64C1/22 Primary

  Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading {, e.g. cargo bays, cranes} · CPC title

• Y10T292/0802

  Sliding and rotary · CPC title