SEAT RAIL MOUNTING MEMBER

Abstract

An aircraft assembly with first and second seat rails for interlocking with an aircraft seat, and a systems component mounting member interlocked with those seat rails. The mounting member has a first anchor member interlocked with the first seat rail and a second anchor member interlocked with the second seat rail. The assembly includes an aircraft systems component mounted on the mounting member. Existing seat rails or tracks of the aircraft can be used for attachment of support brackets for aircraft systems components. A novel way of using existing seat rails to provide anchorage points for systems brackets for systems components is disclosed.

Claims

1. An aircraft assembly comprising: a first seat rail and a second seat rail arranged to interlock with an aircraft seat; a mounting member having a first anchor member interlocked with the first seat rail and a second anchor member interlocked with the second seat rail, the mounting member having a first direction extending from the first anchor member to the second anchor member; and an aircraft systems component mounted on the mounting member.

2. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, comprising a second mounting member having a first anchor member interlocked with the first seat rail at a distance from the first anchor member of the mounting member, and a second anchor member interlocked with the second seat rail at a corresponding distance from the second anchor member of the mounting member, the aircraft systems component being mounted on the second mounting member to extend between the mounting member and the second mounting member.

3. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft systems component comprises a pipe or conduit.

4. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the aircraft systems component comprises a fuel pipe or fuel vent pipe of an aircraft fuel system.

5. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member is arranged such that movement of the first anchor member is substantially independent of movement of the second anchor member in at least one direction.

6. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member is arranged to permit substantially independent relative movement between the first anchor member and the second anchor member in the first direction, a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.

7. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first anchor member comprises a first joint arranged to prevent transmission of one or more moments from the mounting member to the first seat rail, the moments comprising: moments about the first direction, moments about a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and moments about a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.

8. The aircraft assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first joint is arranged to prevent transmission of moments about the first direction, moments about the second direction, and moments about the third direction from the mounting member to the first seat rail.

9. The aircraft assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first joint comprises a spherical bearing.

10. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second anchor member comprises a second joint arranged to prevent transmission of one or more moments from the mounting member to the second seat rail, the moments comprising: moments about the first direction, moments about a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and moments about a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.

11. The aircraft assembly according to claim 10, wherein the second joint is arranged to prevent transmission of moments about the second direction and moments about the third direction from the mounting member to the second seat rail.

12. The aircraft assembly according to claim 11, wherein the second joint comprises a spherical bearing.

13. The aircraft assembly according to claim 10, wherein the second joint is arranged to prevent transmission of direct loads from the mounting member to the second seat rail in the first direction.

14. The aircraft assembly according to claim 13, wherein the second joint is arranged to permit sliding in the first direction of the mounting member relative to the second seat rail.

15. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member comprises a third anchor member interlocked with the first seat rail or the second seat rail, the third anchor member being arranged to transmit moments about the first direction from the mounting member to the first or second seat rail, respectively.

16. The aircraft assembly according to claim 1, comprising a third seat rail arranged to interlock with an aircraft seat, wherein the mounting member comprises a third anchor member interlocked with the third seat rail, the third anchor member being arranged to transmit moments about the first direction from the mounting member to the third seat rail.

17. A mounting member for supporting an aircraft systems component and for interlocking with first and second aircraft seat rails, the mounting member comprising: a first anchor member configured to interlock with the first seat rail and a second anchor member configured to interlock with the second seat rail, wherein the mounting member has a first direction extending from the first anchor member to the second anchor member; and a systems connection portion configured to support an aircraft systems component mounted on the mounting member.

18. The mounting member according to claim 17, wherein movement of the first anchor member is substantially independent of movement of the second anchor member in at least one direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Embodiments of the disclosure herein will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a fuel system assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure herein;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of a systems mounting member suitable for the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIGS. 3 and 4 show detail views of FIG. 2;

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the systems mounting member of FIG. 2;

[0033] FIG. 6 shows a detail view of the first anchor member of FIG. 5;

[0034] FIG. 7 shows a detail side view (on arrow A) of the second and third anchor members of FIG. 5;

[0035] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a plan view and side view, respectively, of another systems mounting member suitable for the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the third anchor member omitted for clarity;

[0036] FIGS. 10 and 11 show detail sectional views of the joints indicated by the section lines B-B and C-C, respectively, in FIGS. 8 and 9; and

[0037] FIGS. 12A and 12B show isometric views of a standard seat rail and seat rail fitting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIGS. 1 through 11 illustrate embodiments of a mounting member 100 according to the disclosure herein both interlocked with (FIGS. 1 through 7), and not interlocked with (FIGS. 8 through 11) first 210 and second 220 seat rails. The mounting member 100 is arranged to enable direct forces (i.e. direct loads, without a moment component) to be transmitted from the mounting member 100 to the first 210 or second 220 seat rails, without constraining the first and second seat rails. That is, the mounting member 100 is arranged to prevent the transmission of any direct forces or moments (torques) from the first seat rail 210 to the second seat rail 220, or vice versa.

[0039] The mounting member 100 includes a rigid elongate beam 110 which extends between the first 210 and second 220 seat rails in the z-direction that is substantially transverse to those seat rails (the first direction). The beam 110 comprises systems connection portions 120, each of which has fastener holes 122 through which a fuel systems bracket 310 is bolted (see FIG. 1). The fuel systems brackets 310 extend around a fuel pipe 320 so as to secure the fuel pipe 320 to the mounting member 100. Thus, a plurality of mounting members 100 arranged at spaced locations along the first 210 and second 220 seat rails together support the fuel pipe 320 (as shown in FIG. 1) so that direct loads and moments are exerted by the fuel pipe 320 on to the mounting members 110. The transmission of such direct loads and moments from the mounting members 110 to the first 210 and second 220 seat rails is controlled by the arrangement of the mounting member 100, as discussed below.

[0040] The mounting member 100 has a first anchor member 130 which is connected to a first end of the beam 110 and interlocked with the first seat rail 210, and a second anchor member 140 which is connected to a second end of the beam 110 and interlocked with the second seat rail 220. The mechanism for interlocking with the seat rails is in accordance with a standard connection principle, which will be described below.

[0041] The connection between the first anchor member 130 and the beam 110 is via a spherical bearing 132 (best seen in FIGS. 6 and 11). In the illustrated embodiments the spherical bearing 132 comprises a pin 133 supported between a pair of lugs 134 of the first anchor member 130. The pin 133 has a central spherical (crowned, toroidal, or otherwise curved) portion which extends through a cylindrical aperture 135 of the first end of the beam 110. To achieve rotation about the x-direction, the contacting faces of the cylindrical aperture 135 and pin 133 slide against one another. To achieve rotation (or pivoting) about the y- or z-directions, the contacting faces move relative to one another via a rolling contact. In this way, the beam 110 is able to pivot to a limited degree relative to the first anchor member 130 about the x-direction, y-direction and z-direction.

[0042] The spherical bearing 132 thus permits direct forces in any direction to be transmitted from the fuel pipe 320 to the first seat rail 210, via the beam 110, but prevents the transmission of moments from the fuel pipe 320 to the first seat rail 210. The spherical bearing 132 may be replaced by any joint which achieves this function, or which at least prevents the transmission of all or some moments.

[0043] In other embodiments the spherical bearing 132 may have any other suitable arrangement, such as one in which the aperture 135 has a spherical (crowned, toroidal, or otherwise curved) profile and the pin 133 is cylindrical, or one in which both surfaces are spherical (crowned, toroidal, or otherwise curved) and are able to slide against one another in all three directions.

[0044] The connection between the second anchor member 140 and the second seat rail 220 is via a sliding spherical bearing 142 (best seen in FIG. 10). The second anchor member 140 comprises a cylindrical aperture 144 through which extends an inner ring 146 which has a spherical (crowned, toroidal, or otherwise curved) outer face 147 and a cylindrical inner face that forms a bore hole 148. The inner ring 146 is retained within the aperture 144 in the z-direction (first direction). A cylindrical pin 149 extends from the second end of the beam 110 in the z-direction, the pin 149 passing through the bore hole 148 of the second anchor member 140 so that the pin is able to slide in the z-direction within the bore hole 148. To achieve rotation about the z-direction, the contacting faces of the bore hole 144 and pin 149 slide against one another. To achieve rotation (or pivoting) about the x- or y-directions, the contacting faces move relative to one another via a rolling contact. In this way, the beam 110 is able to pivot to a limited degree relative to the second anchor member 140 about the x-direction, y-direction and z-direction.

[0045] Thus, the slidable pin 149 of the sliding spherical bearing 142 prevents direct forces in the z-direction (first direction) from being transmitted from the fuel pipe 320 to the second seat rail 220, via the beam 110. The sliding spherical bearing 142 also prevents the transmission of moments from the fuel pipe 320 to the second seat rail, but permits the transmission of direct forces in the x-direction (second direction) and y-direction (third direction).

[0046] The sliding spherical bearing 142 may be replaced by any joint which achieves these functions, or which at least prevents the transmission of all moments or moments about the x- and y-directions. In other embodiments the sliding pin 149 may be replaced by any other joint in the second anchor member 140, first anchor member 130, or beam 110 that permits relative sliding in the z-direction between the first 130 and second 140 anchor members.

[0047] The mounting member 100 also includes a third anchor member 150 which interconnects the second seat rail 220 with the beam 110 via a tie rod 152. The third anchor member 150 is interlocked with the second seat rail 220 in accordance with a standard connection principle, as described below. The tie rod 152 comprises an elongate tension rod, one end of which is connected to a grow-out portion 112 that projects in the y-direction (third direction) from the second end of the beam 110 by a first pin joint 153. The other end of the tie rod 152 is connected to the third anchor member 150 by a second pin joint 154.

[0048] In this way, the tie rod 152 acts to prevent rotation of the beam 110 about the z-direction (first direction), by transmitting moments about the z-direction from the fuel pipe 320 to the second seat rail 220, via the beam 110 and the third anchor member 150.

[0049] In alternative embodiments the third anchor member 150 may be omitted, and rotation of the beam 110 about the z-direction may be prevented by a keyed, or splined, connection between the pin 149 and the bore hole 148 of the second anchor member 140, or by any other mechanism for preventing rotation of the pin 149 within the bore hole 148. Alternatively, the joint between the first and of the beam 110 and the first anchor member 130 may be modified to prevent pivoting of the beam 110 about the z-axis relative to the first anchor member 130. In a yet further embodiment, the third anchor member 150 may interlock with a third seat rail 230 (see FIG. 5). In such embodiments the tie rod 152 may be omitted, and the third anchor member 150 may be directly connected to the beam 110.

[0050] The above-described arrangement for the mounting member 100 avoids any constraint between the first 210 and second 220 seat rails. That is, movement of the first seat rail 210 relative to the second seat rail 220 cannot cause forces to be transmitted to the second seat rail 220 via the mounting member 110, and vice versa. The seat rails are constantly moving relative to one another during flight, as a result of changes in fuselage shape caused by aerodynamic loads amongst other things, and it is important to avoid preventing or restricting such relative movement in order to avoid inputting unwanted additional loads into the fuselage.

[0051] In detail, loads cannot be transmitted between the first 210 and second 220 seat rails for the following reasons: [0052] Direct forces in the z-direction (first direction) cannot be transmitted because of the sliding spherical bearing 142 in which the pin 149 slides within the bore hole 148 of the second anchor member 140 in the z-direction. [0053] Direct forces in the x- and y-directions (second and third directions, respectively) cannot be transmitted because of the spherical bearing 132 and sliding spherical bearing 142. For example, a direct force in the x-direction applied by the first seat rail 210 to the first anchor member 130 will result in a moment about the y-direction at the second anchor member 140, and the sliding spherical bearing 142 will prevent transmittal of that moment to the second seat rail 220. Similarly, a direct force in the y-direction applied by the second seat rail 210 to the second anchor member 140 will result in a moment about the x-direction at the first anchor member 130, and the spherical bearing 132 will prevent transmittal of that moment to the first seat rail. [0054] Moments about the x- and y-directions (second and third directions, respectively) cannot be transmitted because the spherical bearing 132 and sliding spherical bearing 142 each prevent transmittal of such moments from the first 130 or second 140 anchor member, respectively, to the beam 110. [0055] Moments about the z-direction (first direction) cannot be transmitted because the spherical bearing 132 prevents transmittal of such moments to the beam 110 from the first seat rail 210, via the first anchor member 130, or transmittal of such moments to the first anchor member 130 from the second seat rail 220, via the second anchor member 140 and beam 110.

[0056] In this way, the spherical bearing 132 and sliding spherical bearing 142 together prevent transmittal of direct forces and moments between the first 210 and second 22 seat rails.

[0057] As discussed above, the interlocking between the first 130, second 140 and third 150 anchor members and the first 210 or second 220 seat rails, respectively, is in accordance with a standard connection principle. The standard connection principle is controlled by universal standard AS33601, which controls the profile of seat rails used on aircraft, and standard ABS1262, which controls the profile of the interlocking parts. As shown in FIG. 12A, the first 210 and second 220 seat rails (made in accordance with AS33601) each comprise an elongate channel with opposing overhang portions, the overhang portions having mirrored profiles such that between them they define a repeating sequence of circular apertures 230 connected by narrower straight-sided apertures 240. Typically, the circular apertures 230 have a diameter of 19.94 mm and are spaced at a pitch of 25.4 mm between centers, while the straights-sided apertures 240 have a width of 11 mm.

[0058] Standard seat rail fittings 250 (made in accordance with ABS1262) interlock with the first 210 and second 220 seat rails, as shown in FIGS. 12A and B. The fittings 250 each include a pair of anchor feet 252 which each comprise a truncated disc-shaped portion sized to be capable of passing through the circular aperture 230 of the rail, but not the straight-side aperture 240. The pair of feet 252 are spaced apart from one another by the same pitch as the circular apertures, so that the fitting 250 can be interlocked with the rail by insertion of the feet 252 into the channel via a neighboring pair of circular apertures 230 and subsequent translation within the channel to a position in which removal of the feet 252 is prevented by the straight-sided apertures 240. The right hand portion of FIG. 12A shows the fitting 250 during insertion, and the left hand portion shows the interlocked fitting 250 after insertion and translation.

[0059] Each fitting 250 has a fastening portion 254 to which the first 130, second 140 or third 150 anchor member is fastened in order to achieve interlocking between the respective anchor member and seat rail. A spacer 260 (see FIG. 12A) may be provided between the fastening portion 254 and the anchor member 130, 140, 150 in order to provide a clearance between the anchor member and the seat rail 210, 220.

[0060] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a”, “an” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.