HK1082483A - Module for placement in a passenger cabin of a means of transport, more particularly an airplane - Google Patents

Description

Module for placement in a passenger cabin of a vehicle, in particular an aircraft

The invention relates to a module for placement in a passenger cabin of a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, which passenger cabin is provided with seats in transverse and longitudinal rows, wherein at least one aisle cuts through the transverse rows in a longitudinal direction, which module is provided with walls extending upwards from the bottom of the passenger cabin and with an entrance in the form of a closable door connected to the aisle, wherein the module is provided with at least two transverse walls connected in an upward direction to the ceiling of the passenger cabin and can be connected transversely to the longitudinal rows by means of suitable connecting means.

Such A module is known from US-A-4,185,799. Here, the transverse wall is provided with a connecting system having locking means cooperating with the rails on which the passenger seat is fixed. The fixing structure is designed so that deformation of the aircraft does not cause the door to be stuck. Thereby seamless connection that the outward appearance is beautiful can be realized in the bottom in passenger cabin. The connection of the lateral and top portions of the transverse wall can obviously be achieved by adjusting the shape of the transverse wall to the design of the passenger cabin.

Furthermore, A module known from US-A-5,024,398 has the form of A unit configured as A personal office space provided with A table top, A seat, A telephone, A computer connection or the like. The unit is provided with walls connected to the floor, which walls are kept detached from the ceiling at their top, while a wall or part of a wall is omitted to form an entrance that can be closed by e.g. a curtain. The space required for the elbows and legs when the passenger sits at the table is taken into account because of the limited space in the aircraft, so that the unit is designed to occupy as little floor surface as possible. For this purpose, the cells have a cross-section of, for example, hexagonal design. By omitting the seats normally present there in the longitudinal direction, a row of such units can be arranged in succession in the centre of the passenger cabin. Since each cell must be individually accessible, it is not possible to arrange more than two cells next to each other. This limits the optimal layout, i.e. the most efficient use of the possible surfaces, especially for wide-body aircraft. Furthermore, the unit can only be used for specific purposes, namely office space; in other words, when the office facility is not used, there is only one seat that occupies a relatively large space.

Furthermore, ｃA module is known from EP- ｃA-00355955 in the form of ｃA container which can be slid into the hold of an aircraft and which is arranged as ｃA sleeping compartment. The object is that the container is arranged in connection with the passenger cabin and that the container is accessible from the passenger cabin. The container can be used, for example, when less cargo needs to be transported than the space allows for, because passengers using the sleeping facility sit in the seats of the passenger cabin at least during take-off and landing, the container taking up additional space. A similar unit is known from US-A-4,458,864, in which the unit is arranged as an ambulatory medical room which can be provided with A ceiling movable in the height direction for easy access to and from the freight compartment of the aircraft. Such units must be able to be used both inside and outside the freight compartment of the aircraft, which sets structural requirements on both the ceiling and the bottom of the unit, which in turn have a significant effect on the weight of the entire unit. This weight is not of great importance when the unit is placed in a freight compartment, but becomes a significant disadvantage when the unit is designed to be placed in a passenger cabin, wherein the weight of the unit should preferably not exceed the weight of the seats removed for allowing the unit to be placed therein.

The invention relates to a module of the type described in the opening paragraph, which forms an enclosed space, which can be configured as a play and/or sleep compartment, which optimally utilizes the limited floor space and is relatively light.

This is achieved according to the invention when the walls are provided with deformable means for connection with the ceiling and/or the side walls and the at least two transverse walls can be arranged at a mutual distance which substantially corresponds to the dimension taken up in the longitudinal row direction by the seats to be removed for placing the module in the passenger cabin. The resulting play and/or sleep compartment, which is isolated from the rest of the passenger cabin, is thus of minimal construction and has a lighter design, the floor surface of which can be maximized by connecting the transverse walls as tightly as possible to other elements present in the passenger cabin, such as seats, and the maximized floor surface detached from the seats can be optimally utilized because the module is room-like. By means of the deformable means, the space bounded by the walls can be sealingly connected to the side walls and the ceiling quickly and easily without difficulty. But also provides a sound dampening effect so that noise from and into the module is reduced when deployed as a play and/or sleep compartment. Thanks to these deformable means, a module thus designed has the further advantage that it can be used for some types of aircraft that are not exactly equal in size to each other.

Preferably, the deformable means are housed in a groove provided in the top or side edge of the respective wall. The deformable means are preferably elastic, for example the option to be considered is to include a deformable means of an inflatable hose.

The desired closed room is here obtained when the transverse walls are connected on both sides with one side wall of the passenger cabin, respectively, and at least one transverse wall comprises a door connected with an aisle. Thus, these transverse walls extend over the entire cross-section of the passenger cabin, and the door provides access to the closable module. The floor surface in the module, which is thus available, thus partially occupies the surface of the aisle or aisles. Depending on the type of aircraft, this may not be desirable, for example, when it is desired to maintain space behind an accessible module, since a washroom or pantry is located there. Although a passage can indeed be created through the second door, this is not desirable when the module is designed as a play and/or sleeping compartment. In these cases, according to a further embodiment of the invention, the transverse wall is preferably connected on one side with a side wall of the passenger cabin and on the other side with a longitudinal wall adjacent to the aisle and extending from the floor to the ceiling of the passenger cabin. In this embodiment, the crew and passengers in the passenger cabin may utilize the entire aisle. For a wide-body aircraft with two aisles, this requirement can be fulfilled, if it is required that the module can be passed through the two aisles without access to the module, according to a further embodiment of the invention, when the transverse wall is connected on both sides thereof with one longitudinal wall, respectively, which is adjacent to the aisle and extends from the bottom to the ceiling of the passenger cabin. When a longitudinal wall extending parallel to and adjacent to the aisle is employed, a door may be present in the longitudinal wall to provide access to the module. If there are two aisles, one of which ends in the module, a door is preferably provided there, since this can then be arranged to open inwards into the passenger cabin without inconvenience. Preferably, the doors arranged parallel to and adjacent to the aisle are designed as sliding doors or swing-out panelled doors.

The depth dimension of the module can be varied simply by placing the transverse walls further apart or, conversely, more closely together, when the transverse walls extend over the entire cross section of the passenger cabin. To obtain the same flexibility as a module with longitudinal walls, the longitudinal walls may in this embodiment preferably be assembled from at least two elements, each element having a width corresponding to the dimension occupied in the direction of the longitudinal row by one or more seats in the part of the passenger cabin where the module is to be placed.

A module designed for a particular type of aircraft may also be placed acceptably in different types of aircraft. In this different type of aircraft, the size occupied by the seat or seats in the direction of the longitudinal row may differ from the type of aircraft previously mentioned. This may result in wasted or lost space. To prevent this, according to a further embodiment of the invention it is proposed that the longitudinal wall is assembled from at least two elements, at least one of which has a dimension that can be set and adjusted in the width direction.

In order to be able to install the module according to the invention in a passenger cabin in a quick and easy manner, the transverse wall should further preferably be assembled from at least two elements.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, in order to be able to equip the module for a specific use in a convenient and fast manner, it may be provided that at least one wall of the module is provided with support and carrying facilities for leisure facilities such as foldable sofa beds, table tops, consoles, hand basins, pole climbers, storage facilities, play structures and the like. Furthermore, a module of this design can be designed in a relatively simple manner to meet the requirement that no loose objects or elements occur, at least during take-off and landing.

In particular, when the module is used as a play room for children, it is preferred that the walls and/or doors are provided with windows so that parents travelling with the children can observe them without having to enter the module. When the module compartment is used in this way, it is also preferred that the door is provided with a child-proof latch and/or that the floor is provided with a non-slip covering.

Since the aircraft may move suddenly, it is further preferred that at least one transverse and/or longitudinal wall is at least partially provided with a resilient wall and/or a sound-insulating wall or a covering material on the mutually facing wall sides.

It is well known that playing children generate a lot of noise which can be quite annoying to adult travelers. According to a further embodiment of the invention, a module designed as a separate play compartment solves this problem, in particular when at least one transverse and/or longitudinal wall has a sandwich structure with a sound-insulating inner layer. Incidentally, this embodiment is also advantageous when the module is used as a sleeping accommodation.

The module according to the invention, although exclusive by way of non-limiting example, will now be further elucidated with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a plan view of the first embodiment.

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the embodiment according to fig. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the second embodiment; and also

Fig. 4 shows a front view of the embodiment according to fig. 3.

In fig. 1, a partial plan view of an aircraft passenger cabin 1 is shown, in which seats 2 placed in transverse and longitudinal rows form the seats, while between the transverse rows there are aisles 3 in the direction of the longitudinal rows. There are further a number of lavatories 4. The module 5 is placed in connection with the toilet 4. In order to be able to place the module 5, some transverse rows of seats 2 are removed. The transverse walls 6 and 7 form the module 5, each provided with two sliding doors 7 at the location where the aisle 3 extends through the module. The transverse walls 6 and 7 extend from the floor 8 of the passenger compartment 1 to the ceiling 9 of the passenger compartment 1. The transverse walls 6 and 7 are provided with a recess at the connection to the ceiling 9, in which recess an inflatable hose 10 is arranged. Which is sealingly fixed to the floor 8 of the aircraft and thus to the ceiling 9 and/or the wall 11 of the aircraft. An inflatable hose 10, which may further extend between the transverse walls 6 and 7 and the aircraft wall 11, ensures a mating connection and sealing of the module with respect to the passenger cabin 1.

Two aisles 3 intersect a module 5 designed primarily as a child play and sleeping room. Crew members and passengers walking through the aisles may become distracting. For which reason the module 5 is subdivided. A section 5a can thus be distinguished in which seats and play areas are arranged for children that are large, i.e. do not need constant attention. These children can be seen directly by pulling the sliding door 7 at the position of the portion 5 a. There is furthermore a section 5b which can be configured for accommodating and caring for a child, in which a child's toilet can also be provided. The section 5c occupying the largest part of the module 5 is isolated from the aisle 3 by means of longitudinal walls 12 and 13, whereas an entrance is provided in the longitudinal wall 13 in the form of a sliding door 14.

In the portion 5c, children's play facilities such as tables, sofas, poles, drinking fountains, toy cabinets and the like can be accommodated. The seat portion of the sofa may also be used as a bed. By making the back of the sofa foldable, these sofas can also be used as beds, and more facilities can be present on them that can be folded down to form a bed, as schematically shown at 16 ', 16 "and 16'" in fig. 4. It should be noted that these bed facilities can also be used for adult passengers to make efficient use of the module as a play facility, if desired, e.g. when there are no or few children on board.

Fig. 3 shows a partial plan view of the passenger cabin 11, wherein the module 15 is placed only in the section between the aisles 13, so that the seats 12 or the lavatories 14 can be present next to the module 15.

It goes without saying that further modifications and variants are possible within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. When the module is located at and ends at one end of the passenger cabin, for example in a closed transverse compartment, then the sliding door can be omitted in each transverse wall, or even the entire transverse wall can be omitted. The module may also extend over the central part, one aisle and side parts of the passenger cabin, without the longitudinal walls along the aisle not covered by the module need to have doors, but the transverse walls are provided with one door at the location where the other aisle ends at the transverse wall. Furthermore, for aircraft with a wide middle section, the module may be smaller than the middle section, the seats being placed in direct connection with the longitudinal walls of the module.

Claims (14)

1. A module for placement in a passenger cabin of a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, which passenger cabin is provided with seats in transverse and longitudinal rows, wherein at least one aisle cuts through the transverse rows in the longitudinal direction, which module is provided with walls extending upwards from the bottom of the passenger cabin and with an entrance in the form of a closable door connected to the aisle, wherein the module is provided with at least two transverse walls which are connected in an upward direction to the ceiling of the passenger cabin and which can be connected transversely to the longitudinal rows by means of suitable connecting means, the module is characterized in that the walls are provided with deformable means for connection with the ceiling and/or the side walls, and that the at least two transverse walls can be arranged at a mutual distance, this mutual distance corresponds approximately to the dimension in the longitudinal row direction occupied by the seats removed for placing the module in the passenger cabin.

2. A module according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable means are accommodated in a recess provided in the top or side edge of the respective wall.

3. A module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the deformable means are elastic.

4. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deformable means comprise an inflatable hose.

5. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two transverse walls are connected on one side to a side wall of the passenger cabin and on the other side to a longitudinal wall adjacent to the aisle and extending from the bottom to the ceiling of the passenger cabin.

6. A module according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transverse wall is connected on both sides with one longitudinal wall, respectively, which is adjacent to the aisle and extends from the bottom to the ceiling of the passenger cabin.

7. A module according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the longitudinal wall is assembled from at least two elements, each element having a width corresponding to the dimension taken up in the longitudinal row direction by one or more seats in the part of the passenger cabin in which the module is to be placed.

8. A module according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the longitudinal wall is assembled from at least two elements, at least one of which has a size that can be set and adjusted at least in the width direction.

9. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one wall of the module is provided with support and carrying facilities for leisure facilities such as foldable sofa beds, table tops, consoles, wash basins, pole climbers, storage facilities, play structures and the like.

10. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the walls and/or the door is provided with a window.

11. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each door is provided with a child-proof latch.

12. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floor is provided with an anti-slip covering.

13. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the transverse and/or longitudinal walls is at least partly provided with a resilient wall and/or a sound-insulating wall or a covering material on the mutually facing wall sides.

14. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the transverse and/or longitudinal walls has a sandwich structure with a sound-insulating inner layer.