Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Passenger or crew accommodation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-21
2001-01-16
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Passenger or crew accommodation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173921
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to apparatus for providing privacy and support for passengers in the cabin of a commercial airplane.
BACKGROUND
In commercial airplanes, passengers often use the seat backs to support themselves when walking about the airplane cabin. Government regulations require that if passenger seat backs do not provide a firm handhold, then there must be a handhold grip or rail along each cabin aisle to enable passengers to steady themselves while walking in the aisles.
To provide this support, the Federal Aviation Administration has required that the seat backs be located behind each other no more than a distance of sixty inches when in the fully upright position. However, for some of their larger commercial airplanes, the airlines have requested the capability to increase the fore-to-aft distance between seats (particularly in the first class section of the airplane) so that the seat backs are spaced apart a distance greater than sixty inches when in the fully upright position. In addition, some airlines have requested the capability to allow the seats to fully recline. However, when the seats are in the fully reclined position, the seat backs are not available for use by the passengers to steady themselves when walking about the cabin. In order to satisfy the government regulations in these cases, it is necessary to provide a handhold grip or the like.
A number of possible approaches have been proposed to meet the requirement of providing a “handhold grip” or “rail”. One such proposal was to provide a handhold grip or a rail that was attached to the overhead stowage bins. Unfortunately, this proposal was unacceptable because placement of the grip or rail would be at this height would render it unreachable by certain shorter members of the flying public.
Another possible approach would have been to provide a rail that was attached to the cabin floor and that extended along the cabin aisle. However, this approach also would have been unacceptable because it not only would have been aesthetically displeasing, in addition it would have added additional weight and cost to the airplane without providing any benefit other than compliance with the government regulations.
A number of approaches to dividing the passenger cabin of an airplane were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,013 by Schneider et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,358 by Franke.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that satisfies the government regulations for passenger support in the absence of seat backs, that is aesthetically pleasing, and provides additional benefits beyond simply meeting the government regulations.
SUMMARY
The present invention pertains to a privacy and support apparatus for the passengers of a commercial airplane. The airplane includes a cabin aisle and a seat located adjacent to the aisle and having a back that is movable between an upright position and a reclined position. In a first embodiment, the privacy and support apparatus includes a pedestal fastened to a floor of the airplane at a location behind the seat. In addition there is a side wall that is connected to the pedestal and that (i) extends in a rearward direction adjacent to the aisle a sufficient distance that when the seat back is in the reclined position, a rearward edge of the side wall extends further rearward than the top edge of the seat back so as to provide privacy for a passenger reclining in the seat. Also, the side wall extends upward a sufficient distance so that a top edge of the side wall is generally at least the same height as the top edge of the seat back, when the seat back is in the upright position, so as to provide support for passengers moving about the cabin.
In a second embodiment, the privacy and support apparatus also includes a rear wall portion that is connected to the side wall portion and that extends behind the seat generally perpendicular to the aisle. The rear side wall portion is located further rearward than a top edge of the seat back portion so as to provide privacy for a passenger reclining in the seat.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2092655 (1937-09-01), Page
patent: 2608366 (1952-08-01), Jergenson
patent: 2808787 (1957-08-01), Murphy
patent: 3898704 (1975-08-01), Gallaher et al.
patent: 5129597 (1992-07-01), Manthey et al.
patent: 5393013 (1995-02-01), Schneider et al.
patent: 5425516 (1995-06-01), Daines
patent: 5577358 (1996-11-01), Franke
patent: 5687929 (1997-11-01), Hart
patent: 5716026 (1998-02-01), Pascasio et al.
patent: 5740989 (1998-04-01), Daines
patent: 5857745 (1999-01-01), Matsumiya
patent: 5992798 (1999-11-01), Ferry
Neumann Yvette J.
Quan William C.
Nelson Lawrence W.
Palo Francis T.
Poon Peter M.
Sproule Robert H.
The Boeing Company
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