Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Load accommodation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-10
2001-08-14
Barefoot, Galen L. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Load accommodation
C244S118500, C244S129100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273365
ABSTRACT:
PRIORITY CLAIM
This application is based on and claims the priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Application 199 10 779.3, filed on Mar. 11, 1999, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a storage compartment and venting channel combination arranged in an aircraft cabin between a passenger seat and a side wall of the aircraft in the vicinity of the cabin floor.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
It is generally known to arrange storage compartments on the floor of an aircraft cabin next to passenger seats. Such compartments are provided, for example, on the upper deck of the Boeing passenger aircraft B 747.
It is also generally known to provide ventilation air channels in aircraft cabins for supplying fresh air or venting exhaust air, through air vents or openings on each deck. The cross-sectional flow area of these openings is too small, however, to provide an adequate pressure equalization in the case of an explosive pressure drop or decompression. For this reason, dado panels with decompression flaps are arranged in almost all aircraft that have pressurized cabins. These panels provide with their normally covered openings or air vents a larger cross-sectional flow area between the decks of an aircraft in case of an explosive decompression, thereby ensuring a rapid pressure equalization between the decks.
U. S. Pat. 4,383,666 (Allerding et al.) discloses a safety mechanism for aircraft having separate cabins on separate decks separated by an intermediate cabin floor. The cabins are pressurized during flight at high altitudes. Air passages that allow air flow between the upper and lower cabins are arranged in peripheral areas in the upper cabin floor. These air passages are enclosed on the upper floor with panels or covers provided with air vents. The panels are fixed in their respective positions by a self-actuating locking mechanism. Each of the panels comprises two pivotable or tiltable flaps with a space between the flaps. The flaps are movable relative to each other. The outer flap faces the air passage in the cabin floor and the inner flap faces the upper cabin. The outer flap is constructed as a self-actuating releasable rigid locking mechanism for releasing the inner flap from its locked position during a suddenly occurring pressure drop, allowing both flaps of a panel to fold back toward the outer wall of the aircraft, thereby allowing free passage of air between the upper and the lower cabins. There is room for improvement because conventional structures do not efficiently use the available space near the cabin floor especially next to the curved cabin wall.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing it is the aim of the invention to achieve the following objects singly or in combination:
to provide storage compartments in an aircraft cabin next to a passenger's seat so that the compartments are easily accessible for a seated passenger;
to position such storage compartments within an air flow channel between a passenger seat and the cabin side wall on the cabin floor for a more efficient space utilization;
to ensure a proper ventilation of upper and lower aircraft cabins and a rapid pressure equalization between the cabins in response to a decompression in any one of the cabins; and
to position the storage compartment in the air flow in such a way that an unacceptable air flow restriction is avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objects have been achieved by arranging a storage compartment within an air channel that runs along the cabin floor in the longitudinal direction of an aircraft. The air channel is bounded on its outer side away from a seat by an aircraft cabin wall, on the bottom by the cabin floor, on the inner side facing a seat by one or more dado panels having flow openings or air vents, and on the upper side by an upper cover panel or molding. One or more decompression flaps are arranged in the cabin floor within the area covered by the air channel. These flaps normally close air flow passages. The air vents are preferably positioned in the lower portion of the dado panels. At least one air filter element is arranged in the side wall of the aircraft within the area of the air channel which communicates through the filter with an air duct in the cabin wall, or the airflow through the filter element is driven by a pressure difference independently of an outer air duct.
During normal ventilation, fresh air flows into the cabin through the air filter element, through air vents in the dado panels of the air channel and, if desired also through air vent holes in the storage compartment. Exhaust or used air flows out of the cabin by reversing the direction of air flow. During an explosive pressure drop in one of the cabins, it is important to equalize the pressure in the upper and lower cabins as rapidly as possible. In such a case, the decompression flaps in the cabin floor open, providing a larger flow cross-sectional area through air flow passages in the floor than is provided by the smaller air vents in the dado panels. The decompression flaps open to the pressure drop side and air flows directly from the high-pressure cabin through the air channel and through the air flow passages in the floor to the low-pressure cabin without flowing through the air filter element. This feature ensures rapid equalization of the pressure between the upper and lower cabins by bypassing the filter elements.
An essential advantage of the invention lies in the fact that air flows through the air filter elements during normal ventilation of the cabin, but bypasses the air filter elements and flows through the air flow passages in the floor and past the now open decompression flaps in response to an explosive decompression. A further advantage is that the air filter elements are easily accessible through the maintenance flaps provided in the storage compartment according to the invention. In the embodiment with compartments constructed as inserts, these inserts are easily removed from the air channel for servicing the filter element. In both instances maintenance is simple, requires a minimum of time, and allows the air filter elements to be replaced quickly. Further advantages of the invention are the ability to store and secure passenger articles in a readily and comfortably accessible space that is otherwise wasted and in that a compartment cover provides a tray for small articles.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4033247 (1977-07-01), Murphy
patent: 4383666 (1983-05-01), Allerding et al.
patent: 5118053 (1992-06-01), Singh et al.
patent: 6129312 (2000-10-01), Weber
Duering Joern
Hiesener Stefan
Kasch Dieter
Barefoot Galen L.
DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus GmbH
Fasse W. F.
Fasse W. G.
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