Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Passenger or crew accommodation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-11
2003-07-01
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Passenger or crew accommodation
C244S119000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06585189
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to an under floor air cooled housing system, for aircraft electrical devices for passenger use such as passenger seat electronics units (SEU) or digital system entertainment boxes, in particular a housing system for retrofit relocation of existing devices from under passenger seats to an air cooled protective under floor housing for improved duty life and easy access for servicing with floor mounted cables relocated in raceways within the floor panels or under the floor boards.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
The passenger cabins of aircraft are intended to provide maximum safety and comfort for passengers. An increasingly important component is the provision of passenger entertainment systems, mobile telephone services, laptop power and computer communications connectivity. Passengers are normally required to remain seated for extended periods and for optimum safety, the passengers should remain seated with safety belt fastened during a flight. To improve service, airlines plan to provide audio and video entertainment, telephone, intercom, television, video games, internet, email and electrical power supply for laptop computers, especially in business class and first class areas to permit passengers to work during the flight, communicate or seek entertainment.
The airlines have responded to passenger's expectations and attempted to improve passenger service by providing such entertainment and communication services in existing aircraft and in new aircraft as they are purchased. Due to the confines of existing aircraft cabins and seating arrangements, it has been considered necessary to fit passenger seat units with entertainment and communication system electrical boxes or other passenger systems electrical boxes that are currently mounted to the seat legs under the seat. A conventional aircraft passenger seat is supported in single, two to five multiple seat units on a metal frame with legs that are secured within a seat track that can be adjusted for different seating pitch dimensions. Beneath the passenger seat, the area provided for carry on luggage has been reduced by the installation of passenger entertainment and communication system electrical boxes and other system's boxes. Conventional system electrical boxes are approximately the size of a shoe box and can usually serve up to three separate passenger seats from a single unit located under one of the seats within the area originally provided for carry-on hand luggage.
The conventional location of these bulky digital system electrical boxes or other system's boxes in the under seat hand luggage area has several disadvantages. Apart from reducing the area within the passenger cabin for hand luggage and the passenger's feet, the installation of electrical equipment near passengers subjects the passenger to a risk of injury and potential electrical shock, as well as exposing the electrical equipment to potential accidental impact damage, vandalism, foreign matter ingestion into cooling fans and spilled beverages served within the passenger cabin. Since many such boxes are powered by 115 volt power, the risk of electrical shock or fire is significant. The electrical boxes interfere with cleaning of the passenger cabin and electronic units are exposed to potential damage from vacuum cleaners and cleaning solvents used during the cleaning of carpets and passenger seats.
The conventional location under the passenger seats also prevents the reduction in the quantity of such boxes that are required per aircraft. The location limits the size of boxes and routing of cables to multiple seats from a single box. In practical terms, conventional placement of boxes under passenger seats has limited the number of seats that can be served by a single box to three since a larger boxes would be needed for serving four or more seats.
The conventional under seat location also makes maintenance and inspection very difficult. For example, replacing an under seat system electrical box takes approximately one hour due to its inconvenient location. All electrical equipment generates heat and in order to extend the duty service life of electrical equipment, temperature control and air cooling is generally preferred. However, when electrical equipment is located under the seat of a passenger cabin, use of cooling fans is disadvantageous due to the noise level generated and risk of accidental contact. In addition, close proximity to a floor in a high traffic area with carpets and upholstery generates significant amounts of lint and dust that is sucked into air cooled electrical equipment by fans thereby requiring frequent cleaning. Often, cleaning does not occur and the electrical units become clogged with dirt and lint, overheat and fail. Despite the risks and added noise, typically small cooling fans are provided but under seat electrical components remain inadequately protected from damage and are poorly cooled with dusty air resulting in a significantly decreased service life.
Reduction in the exposure to potential damage, provision of adequate cooling and reduction of the number of boxes can result in significant savings for airline operators. For example, since many electronic entertainment unit boxes can cost up to $10,000 US each, and wide bodied aircraft may require over 100 units, the potential for savings in reducing the number purchased and improved maintenance are obvious.
Therefore, at best the current configuration of system electrical boxes in aircraft passenger cabins is a make shift attempt to provide an increased level of passenger services at minimum cost and minimal disruption to the passenger cabin environment. However, as a long-term solution, the provision of relatively large electrical boxes under the seats of passenger cabins suffers from several disadvantages. As demand for increased passenger entertainment, communication and work related services appears inevitable, the number and complexity of such passenger service electronics boxes will increase dramatically.
It is an object of the present invention to rationalize the configuration of passenger service electronics within the passenger cabin and stow such electrical components safely in an isolated environment away from all accidental and intentional interference from the passenger, carry-on luggage, as well as food and beverages served within the cabin.
It is a further object of the invention to provide adequate temperate control and cooling for the passenger seat electronic boxes within a clean controlled environment to extend the duty service life of electrical components.
It is a further object of the invention to minimize the expense and down time required to modify existing aircraft equipment by retrofitting existing airlines cabins and relocating existing passenger electronic components without requiring extensive modification to the aircraft or requiring the aircraft to be out of service for extended periods of time.
It is a further object of the invention to provide temperature control and monitoring for passenger seat electronic boxes utilising the existing passenger cabin air circulation and air conditioning system without requiring the expense and added weight of a separate dedicated cooling system.
It is a further object of the invention to enable use of larger electrical service boxes capable of serving a higher number of passenger seats, thus reducing the quantity of boxes needed per aircraft and reducing the total electrical power draw.
It is a further object of the invention to integrate power cables, and other cables into hidden raceways within floor panels or suspended under the removable floor panels of the passenger cabin floor.
Further objects of the invention will be apparent from review of the disclosure, drawings and description of the invention below.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an under floor housing system for a passenger seat electronic units within an aircraft, where the aircraft typically includes a passenger cabin with a floor supporting the passenger seats and inc
Field Paul J.
Holzen Stephen A
Inflight Canada Inc.
Jordan Charles T.
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