INTEGRATED PARTITION WALL ARRANGEMENT HAVING A CABIN ATTENDANT SEAT, CARRIER STRUCTURE AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING AND DESIGNING A CARRIER STRUCTURE OR A PARTITION WALL ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A partition wall arrangement for a cabin of a passenger aircraft includes a partition wall, a seat arrangement secured to the partition wall in an assembled state and containing a carrier structure, and at least one cabin attendant seat. The carrier structure contains a mechanically load-bearing wall structure for the partition wall, a mechanically load-bearing seat structure for the seat arrangement, and at least one fastening device in order to secure the wall structure and the seat structure to each other in the assembled state. In a method for producing the carrier structure or the partition wall arrangement, the wall structure or at least a main component thereof is produced as a milled component by milling out a solid material plate. In a design method, the entire carrier structure is subjected in the assembled state to a load path optimization.

Claims

1. In a partition wall arrangement for a cabin of a passenger aircraft including a partition wall, a seat arrangement secured to the partition wall in an assembled state and at least one cabin attendant seat, a carrier structure for the partition wall arrangement, comprising: a mechanically load-bearing wall structure for the partition wall; a mechanically load-bearing seat structure for the seat arrangement; and at least one conventional fastening device configured to secure said wall structure and said seat structure to each other in a conventional manner in the assembled state.

2. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein said wall structure, said seat structure and said at least one fastening device are configured to be synergistically mutually complementary in the assembled state with regard to a common technical flight strength consideration.

3. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein said wall structure contains ribs and a wall face extending along an extent plane of the partition wall, said ribs extending transversely relative to and in a direction away from said extent plane and being securely connected to said wall face.

4. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall structure or said seat structure is configured in one piece.

5. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said wall structure is configured in one piece with at least a portion of said seat structure.

6. The carrier structure according to claim 5, wherein the carrier structure is configured entirely in one piece.

7. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall structure or said seat structure is a metal component or contains a metal component at least as a main component.

8. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said wall structure or said seat structure is a milled component or contains a milled component at least as a main component.

9. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein said seat structure includes at least one component being commercially available mass-produced goods or contains at least one component being commercially available mass-produced goods at least as a main component.

10. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein said at least one fastening device includers at least twenty fastening devices being individual devices.

11. The carrier structure according to claim 1, wherein said seat structure is a basic structure of the seat arrangement constructed only to receive at least one additional component of the seat arrangement.

12. A partition wall arrangement for a cabin of a passenger aircraft, the partition wall arrangement comprising: a carrier structure according to claim 1; the partition wall containing said wall structure; the seat arrangement secured to said partition wall, the seat arrangement containing said seat structure; the at least one cabin attendant seat; and said at least one fastening device securing the seat structure to said wall structure.

13. A method for producing a carrier structure, the method comprising: producing the carrier structure according to claim 1 by producing at least one of the wall structure or said seat structure or at least a main component of the wall structure or said seat structure as a milled component by milling out a solid material plate.

14. A method for producing a partition wall arrangement, the method comprising: producing the partition wall arrangement according to claim 12 by producing at least one of the wall structure or said seat structure or at least a main component of the wall structure or said seat structure as a milled component by milling out a solid material plate.

15. The method according to claim 13, which further comprises configuring at least a portion of said wall structure together with at least a portion of said seat structure integrally with each other, by producing at least a portion of said wall structure and at least a portion of said seat structure as an integral milled component by milling out the solid material plate.

16. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises configuring at least a portion of said wall structure together with at least a portion of said seat structure integrally with each other, by producing at least a portion of said wall structure and at least a portion of said seat structure as an integral milled component by milling out the solid material plate.

17. A design method for a carrier structure, the design method comprising: producing the carrier structure according to claim 1 by entirely subjecting the carrier structure in an assembled state to a load path optimization.

18. A design method for a partition wall arrangement, the design method comprising: producing the partition wall arrangement according to claim 12 by entirely subjecting the carrier structure in an assembled state to a load path optimization.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0094] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, partially-sectional, side-elevational view of a partition wall arrangement which is definitively mounted in a cabin of a passenger aircraft;

[0095] FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the partition wall arrangement of FIG. 1 according to a concept A;

[0096] FIG. 3 is a perspective view according to an alternative concept A;

[0097] FIG. 4 is a perspective view according to an alternative concept B;

[0098] FIG. 5 is a perspective view according to an alternative concept C;

[0099] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a seat structure in the form of a CAS frame with additional components according to concept A;

[0100] FIG. 7 is a perspective view according to concept B;

[0101] FIG. 8 is a perspective view according to concept C; and

[0102] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative wall structure with a wall face and ribs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0103] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a cut-out of a passenger aircraft 2, that is to say, a cut-out from a cabin 4 thereof. During flight, the aircraft moves in a flight direction 6. The cabin 4 has a floor 5 and a ceiling 7. A rear portion (AFT) of the aircraft 2 and consequently also a rear end of a passenger region 8 of the cabin 4 with a backwardly adjacent crew region 10 for cabin crew 12, in this instance a rear exit region with galley and lavatory, are illustrated. The passenger region 8 and crew region 10 are separated from each other by a partition wall 14. The partition wall 14 at the left aircraft side (LH) is illustrated in section in FIG. 1. A seat arrangement 16, in this instance in an assembled state M, is secured to the partition wall 14. The seat arrangement 16 includes in this instance two cabin crew seats 18a, b of which only the seat 18a can be seen in FIG. 1. The seat arrangement 16 and partition wall 14 together form a partition wall arrangement 20.

[0104] The partition wall 14 includes a mechanically load-bearing wall structure 22 which is illustrated with hatching in FIG. 1. The seat arrangement 16 includes a seat structure 24 which supports it mechanically. Fastening devices 26, in this instance screws, of which only four are illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1, are provided and configured and, in the example, also actually used in the assembled state M to secure the wall structure 22 and seat structure 24 to each other. All the remaining elements of the partition wall 14 are secured to the wall structure 22 and all the remaining elements of the seat arrangement 16 are secured to the seat structure 24. Therefore, the fastening devices 26 also serve to secure the entire seat arrangement 16 and the entire partition wall 14 to each other in the assembled state M and consequently to provide the entire partition wall arrangement 20 as a mechanically secure unit.

[0105] The partition wall 14 extends in the passenger aircraft 2 in a planar manner in an extent plane 30 transversely relative to the flight direction 6 thereof. The extent plane 30 is located in FIG. 1 perpendicularly to the paper plane. The wall structure 22 contains a wall face 32 which extends along this extent plane 30 and ribs 34 which extend transversely relative to the extent plane 30 away from the wall face 32 and which are securely connected to the wall face 32. The ribs 34 provide the entire wall structure 22 with mechanical stability by extending along required load paths. In FIG. 1, the wall face 32 and ribs 34 are illustrated with different hatching. In fact, both elements are in the form of an integral wall structure 22. The ribs 34 thus have a load-path optimized extent taking into account the entire carrier structure 28. The wall structure 22 itself is thus configured in an integral manner. On the whole, the carrier structure includes in this instance 59 fastening devices 26 in the form of individual devices 36, that is to say, securing screws. The carrier structure 28 is surrounded schematically in FIG. 1 by a broken line.

[0106] The seat structure 24 is in this instance a basic structure 38 of the seat arrangement 16, in this instance a carrier frame for further components 40 of the seat arrangement 16. In this instance, a folding seat which is indicated as a rectangle and which includes an articulated folding bearing (indicated as a circle), a backrest and a headrest are provided as additional components 40. All the components 40 are in this instance secured exclusively to the basic structure 38 and consequently fitted only indirectly through them to the wall structure 22 and consequently the partition wall 14.

[0107] The partition wall arrangement 20 extends between the floor 5 and the ceiling 7 of the cabin 4. A trim 42 is a component of the partition wall 14 but does not contribute to the mechanical stability thereof and acts only as a visual trim so that the view of the ribs 34 from the passenger region 8 is concealed and a smooth visually appealing surface of the partition wall 14 towards the passenger region 8 is produced. The partition in the form of the partition wall 14 includes in this instance a thick milled plate in the form of the wall structure 22 and a metal sheet in the form of the trim 42, and both are bonded together and screwed.

[0108] In FIG. 1, the seat 18a is in use since a person (cabin attendant 12) is sitting on it.

[0109] FIG. 2 shows a perspective, oblique view of the partition wall arrangement 20 of FIG. 1 from the crew region 10, in this instance an alternative variant in greater detail than in FIG. 1. It is further possible to see in this instance an upper fastening 44 which in a manner not explained in greater detail serves to secure the wall structure 22 and consequently the partition wall 14 to the primary structure (not illustrated) of the passenger aircraft 2. Other such fastenings 44 are provided at the bottom on the wall structure 22 (not visible in FIG. 2). The wall structure 22 is in this instance produced as a monolithic aluminum metal construction type. The partition wall 14 contains a wall portion 46 which can be removed, a so-called “stretcher flap” which serves in a passage region between the passenger region 8 and crew region 10 to increase a free space in the region of the partition wall 14, for example, in order to provide space for a stretcher which is intended to be transported in the flight direction 6 in the cabin 4.

[0110] In FIG. 2, both cabin crew seats 18a, b can now be seen, wherein the component 40 in the form of the seat face or the folding seat of the seat 18a is folded down, but the component of the seat 18b is folded up. The seats 18a, b are consequently in each case single CA seats. The component 40 in the form of the headrest of the seat 18a in the example is removed in order to be able to remove the wall portion 46. The headrests are in this instance in the form of head elements with a storage compartment. The components 40 in the form of the backrests constitute back elements. Below the seat faces are storage compartments which are not described in greater detail and which in this instance contain payload in the form of emergency equipment, for example, a fire extinguisher.

[0111] There are provided on the partition wall 14, in FIG. 2, further fastenings/brackets 48 for equipment (additional payload such as lifejackets, megaphone) which in this instance are not intended to be explained in greater detail. On the folding seats/seat faces of the seats 18a 18b, bumper bars 50 are provided externally at the bottom or in the folded up state.

[0112] FIG. 3 shows the arrangement from FIG. 2 as an exploded view and with the wall portion 46 inserted. FIGS. 2 and 3 shows the concept A of the carrier structure 28 as mentioned above.

[0113] The ribs 34 which are actually located at the side of the wall face 32 facing away from the viewer in FIG. 3 (hence the reference numeral in parentheses) are indicated in FIG. 3 with respect to their extent. The load-path-optimized extent of the ribs 34 can be seen. It can be seen in FIG. 3 much more clearly than in FIG. 2 how the headrests are configured with a cushion and integrated storage compartment. It can accordingly be seen that a pivot apparatus 52 for both folding seats is fitted in each case directly to the basic structure 38 in the form of the seat structure 24. The seat structure 24 is in this instance in the form of a milled aluminum component in the form of a CAS frame with reinforcements. The reinforcements are in this instance produced by corresponding milling of solid material. It can also be seen how the storage compartment which is disposed below the folding seats is composed of respective profiles and covering flaps. The back and seat cushion with a seat face which can be folded in are also illustrated as components 40 of the seat arrangement 16. The folding apparatus or bearing 52 is thus secured directly only to the basic structure 38 and only by means thereof and consequently indirectly to the wall structure 22. The seat structure 24 and the wall structure 22 are in this instance in the form of a metal component. The wall structure 22 is in this instance a single integral milled component, the seat structure 24 is constructed from respective connected individual milled components.

[0114] All the components of the carrier structure 28, that is to say, wall structure 22, seat structure 24 and fastening device 26 (not illustrated) in the assembled state M are in this instance configured in a synergistically complementary manner with regard to a common technical flight strength consideration. In other words, the load-path-optimized extent of all the ribs 34 cooperate synergistically with the geometric structure of the seat structure 24 and the structural configuration thereof, in particular with regard to reinforcement regions and the securing locations therefor and the fastening device 26 used at that location in order to achieve the desired mechanical strength of the carrier structure 28.

[0115] FIG. 4 shows an alternative carrier structure 28 according to concept B. In contrast to FIG. 3, in this instance the seat structure 24 is constructed from components in the form of commercially available mass-produced goods 56, that is to say, so-called standard profiles which are connected to each other by using additional mass-produced goods 58 in the form of connecting angled members. As a result of the different mechanical properties of the seat structure 24 with respect to FIG. 3, therefore, the extent of the ribs 34 with regard to the above-mentioned common technical flight strength consideration is changed with respect to FIG. 4 so that the wall structure 22 and seat structure 24 and fastening devices 26 cooperating synergistically again comply with corresponding strength requirements of the carrier structure 28 and consequently the partition wall arrangement 20. The folding bearing 52 is in this instance secured to the seat structure 24 by using an additional bracket 60. Components 40 in the form of profiles for forming the storage compartments are present again, the headrests, folding seats and seat cushions, etcetera, are configured according to FIG. 3.

[0116] FIG. 5 shows another alternative embodiment of a partition wall arrangement 20. In this instance, not only the wall structure 22 but also the seat structure 24 are configured in an integral manner. Furthermore, the wall structure 22 and seat structure 24 are also configured integrally with each other, the entire carrier structure 28 thus forms a single integral milled component made of aluminum. Fastening devices 26 are in this instance contained implicitly or without a specific type (hence reference numeral in parentheses) in the form of the generic (milling out from a common base plate) materially engaging connection of the wall structure 22 and seat structure 24. According to FIG. 5, therefore, the aluminum CAS frame in the form of the basic structure 38 or seat structure 24 is produced as an aluminum milled component together with the entire wall structure 22. Also in this instance, as according to FIG. 3, the folding bearing 52 is secured directly to the basic structure 38. Otherwise there are no significant differences with regard to the concepts A and B.

[0117] Therefore, while with all three concepts A to C the wall structure 22 is produced as a milled component by milling out a solid material plate 62, in the concept C the seat structure 24 and consequently the entire carrier structure 28 is produced as an integral milled component by milling out a solid material plate 62. The solid material plate 62 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 5 with dashed lines.

[0118] In all the concepts A to C, the entire carrier structure 28 is subjected in the assembled state M to a load path optimization. This is carried out virtually by modelling the seat structure 24, wall structure 22 and fastening device 26 and corresponding CAD strength considerations, which are not explained in greater detail herein, by using iterative reconstruction of the individual components.

[0119] FIG. 6 shows again the seat structure 24 according to concept A, including individual aluminum milled components, in detail, and in addition (partially) the headrests which do not belong to the seat structure 24 and other components 40 in the form of the storage compartment frame which are located below the folding seats in the assembled state.

[0120] FIG. 7 shows the seat structure 24 according to concept B composed of the mass-produced goods 56 (standard profiles) and 58 (connecting angled members) 58 and corresponding components 40 according to FIG. 6.

[0121] FIG. 8 also shows for concept C the seat structure 24 as part of the integrally milled solid material plate 62, but for the sake of clarity without the wall structure 22 which is configured integrally therewith. Other components 40, such as headrests and storage compartments, are also illustrated accordingly in this instance.

[0122] FIG. 9 shows a view of the wall structure 22 from the passenger region 8. The trim 42 is omitted in this instance. It is possible to see the fastenings 44 for the primary structure of the passenger aircraft 2, the wall face 32 and ribs 34 which are formed integrally thereon and components of the brackets 48 from FIG. 2 which extend through the wall face 32 in the direction towards the passenger region 8.

[0123] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention,

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0124] 2 Passenger aircraft [0125] 4 Cabin [0126] 5 Floor [0127] 6 Flight direction [0128] 7 Ceiling [0129] 8 Passenger region [0130] 10 Crew region [0131] 12 Cabin crew [0132] 14 Partition wall [0133] 16 Seat arrangement [0134] 18a,b Seat (cabin crew) [0135] 20 Partition wall arrangement [0136] 22 Wall structure [0137] 24 Seat structure [0138] 26 Fastening device [0139] 28 Carrier structure [0140] 30 Extent plane [0141] 32 Wall face [0142] 34 Ribs [0143] 36 Individual device (fastening device) [0144] 38 Basic structure [0145] 40 Component (seat arrangement) [0146] 42 Trim (partition wall) [0147] 44 Fastening [0148] 46 Wall portion (partition wall) [0149] 48 Bracket [0150] 50 Bumper bar [0151] 52 Folding bearing [0152] 56 Mass-produced goods (standard profile) [0153] 58 Mass-produced goods (connecting angled member) [0154] 60 Bracket [0155] 62 Solid material plate [0156] M Assembled state