Fixture device

Details Fixture device Fixture device

2002-04-22

2004-11-02

Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)

Supports

Brackets

Specially mounted or attached

C248S917000, C296S037700, C348S837000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06811129

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fixture device for fixing a display apparatus on the ceiling portion of a vehicle, such as an aircraft, and to a fixture apparatus for fixing a display section to the display apparatus.
2. Background Technology
In recent years, entertainment systems for providing music, video images, etc. to passengers are provided in the cabin of a vehicle, such as a passenger aircraft; for this purpose, a display apparatus for displaying video images are installed. In particular, a display apparatus for the entertainment system of an aircraft is herein taken as an example to describe.
FIGS.
14
(
a
) and (
b
) are perspective views showing a display apparatus body
4
having a display section
6
, such as an LCD display apparatus, installed in the ceiling portion and the lower portion of a baggage rack
5
in the cabin of a passenger aircraft. FIG.
14
(
a
) shows the retracted state (the state of nonuse) of the display section
6
of the display apparatus body
4
, and (
b
) of the same figure shows the state of use. In FIGS.
14
(
a
) and (
b
), the display apparatus body
4
is arranged at the lower portion of the baggage rack
5
of the passenger aircraft, and comprises the display section
6
and an open/close operation portion
7
. The display section
6
has a display member
8
, such as an LCD flat panel. The display member
8
is held by the open/close operation portion
7
so as to keep the most suitable angle to a passenger. The opening in the display apparatus body
4
is covered with a cover
9
to prevent dirt and dust from entering during the use of the display section
6
.
The display apparatus body
4
is fixed to the inside of a ceiling portion
3
at the lower portion of the baggage rack
5
by a fixture device that will be described below.
FIG. 15
is a sectional view showing the baggage rack
5
and the ceiling portion
3
below the lower portion thereof perpendicular to the direction from the rear to the nose of the aircraft (hereafter referred to as “nose direction”). In
FIG. 15
, the nose direction is a direction which is perpendicular to the face of the paper. Two rail installation stands
12
and
13
being parallel in the nose direction are fixed on the ceiling face
3
A of the ceiling portion
3
. A rail
14
is fixed to the lower face of the rail installation stand
12
, and a rail
15
is fixed to the lower face of the rail installation stand
13
. A left block
16
is attached to the rail
14
, and a right block
17
is attached to the rail
15
. As shown in
FIG. 19
, the left end portion
4
A of the display apparatus body
4
is supported by the rail
14
(not shown) via the two left blocks
16
installed with a predetermined distance therebetween in the nose direction indicated by an arrow
68
. In a similar way, the right end portion
4
B of the display apparatus body
4
is supported by the rail
15
(not shown) via the two right blocks
17
installed with a predetermined distance therebetween in the nose direction. In other words, the display apparatus body
4
is installed on the ceiling face
3
A via the two left blocks
16
and the two right blocks
17
. The fixture device that will be described below comprises the left blocks
16
, the right blocks
17
and a fixture block
25
that will be described later.
The display apparatus body
4
is required to be installable and removable on and from the rails
14
and
15
by simple operation so as to be replaced promptly at the time of a breakdown or the like. FIGS.
16
(
a
), (
b
) and (
c
) are perspective views showing the conventional left block
16
configured so as to be installable and removable easily. FIGS.
16
(
a
) to (
c
) show steps of installing the left block
16
on the rail
14
shown partially cut away. In FIG.
16
(
a
), the left block
16
is inserted into the rail
14
from the opening
14
A of the rail
4
. Next, as shown in FIG.
16
(
b
), a bar wrench
20
having a hexagonal cross-section is inserted into the hexagonal hole in a hexagonal socket head bolt
18
in the left block
16
, and turned about 90° in a direction indicated by an arrow
29
A as shown in (
c
) of the same figure. As a result, a nut plate
22
fixed to the tip of the hexagonal socket head bolt
18
is turned about 90°, whereby both the tip portions
22
A thereof engage the bent portions
14
B of the rail
14
. One left block
16
has two hexagonal socket head bolts
18
; hence, by turning four hexagonal socket head bolts
18
in total for the two left blocks
16
about 90°, the two left blocks
16
are installed on the rail
14
. In this state, the left blocks
16
can be moved along the rail
14
.
As shown in FIGS.
17
(
a
) and (
b
), the fixture block
25
to be connected to the left block
16
is provided on the left end portion
4
A of the display apparatus body
4
. FIG.
17
(
a
) is a perspective view showing a state before the fixture block
25
is connected to an attachment window
24
formed in the left block
16
. The fixture block
25
has an arm
28
rotatably supported by a shaft
27
on a base plate
26
. The arm
28
is thinned like the shape of a comb to reduce its weight. A projection plate
29
is provided at the end of the arm
28
. The base plate
26
is fixed to the left end portion
4
A of the display apparatus body
4
by three sets of bolts and nuts
30
. The fixture blocks
25
, two in number, as many as the left blocks
16
, are fixed to the left end portion
4
A. FIG.
17
(
b
) shows a state wherein the projection plate
29
is inserted into the attachment window
24
of the left block
16
as will be described later in detail.
Next, description is made as to the right blocks
17
for supporting the right end portion
4
B of the display apparatus body
4
shown in FIG.
15
. As shown in
FIG. 19
, the two right blocks
17
are fixed in advance with the predetermined distance therebetween on the right end portion
4
B of the display apparatus body
4
.
FIGS.
18
(
a
) to (
c
) show steps of attaching the right block
17
of the display apparatus body
4
to the right rail
15
. Before these steps, at least two workers lift the display apparatus body
4
, and insert the projection plate
29
of the arm
28
of the fixture block
25
into the installation window
24
as shown in FIG.
17
(
a
). While one of the workers holds the display apparatus body
4
so that the projection plate
29
does not come out from the installation window
24
, the other worker connects the connector (not shown) of a connection cable, which supplies electrical power and signals to the display apparatus body
4
, to the display apparatus body
4
by using both hands. Subsequently, the right block
17
fixed to the right end portion
4
B of the display apparatus body
4
is inserted into the inside of the rail
15
from the opening
15
A of the rail
15
as shown in FIG.
18
(
a
). At the time of the insertion, a triangular guide plate
33
of the right block
17
facilitates the insertion of the right block
17
into the opening
15
A. The distance between the left and right rails
14
and
15
is not always constant but varies at various portions of the aircraft body. However, the projection plate
29
of the arm
28
shown in FIG.
18
(
a
) moves in and out from the insertion window
24
depending on the variation, whereby the installation of the right block
17
is done without causing problems in spite of some variations.
Next, as shown in FIG.
18
(
b
), a hexagonal socket head bolt
18
is turned by about 90° by using the wrench
20
in the direction indicated by an arrow
20
A as shown in (
c
) of the same figure. As a result, a nut plate
22
fixed to the tip of the hexagonal socket head bolt
18
is turned about 90°, whereby both the tip portions
22
A thereof engage the bent portions
15
B of the rail
15
. Two nut plates
22
are provided for one right block
17
; hence, by turning four hexagonal socket head bolts
18
in total for the two right blocks
17
about 90°, the two right blocks
17
are attached to the rail

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