Securing system, retaining device and portable mounting adapter for passenger appliances in an aircraft

Abstract

The invention concerns a securing system for passenger appliances in an aircraft, the securing system comprising a retaining device which can be mounted on or in an aircraft seat. The retaining device comprises a connection device, the connection device being displaceable between a park position and a use position. The securing system has a portable mounting adapter, the mounting adapter having a connection arrangement, and the connection device and the connection arrangement being detachably and mechanically connectable to each other in load-bearing manner. The mounting adapter is arranged to be connected to the passenger appliance in load-bearing manner.

Claims

1. A fastening system for passenger devices in an airplane, comprising: a holding apparatus, wherein the holding apparatus is configured to be mounted in or on an airplane seat, and wherein the holding apparatus comprises: a connecting apparatus, wherein the connecting apparatus is displaceable between a park position and a use position; a portable carrier adapter, wherein the portable carrier adapter has a connecting device, wherein when the connecting apparatus is in the use position, the connecting apparatus and the connecting device are releasably connectable to one another in a mechanically load-bearing manner, wherein when the connecting apparatus is in the park position, the connecting apparatus and the connecting device are not connectable, wherein the portable carrier adapter is equipped to be connected to a passenger device in a mechanically load-bearing manner; and an NFC reader; and a releasable locking device, wherein the releasable locking device releasably locks the connecting apparatus and the connecting device together.

2. The fastening system according to claim 1, wherein when the holding apparatus is mounted in or on the airplane seat and the connecting apparatus is in the park position, the connecting apparatus is recessed in the airplane seat.

3. The fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the carrier adapter is: (i) rotatable with respect to the holding apparatus about a first axis, (ii) tiltable about a second axis, or (iii) rotatable with respect to the holding apparatus about the first axis and tiltable about the second axis, when the connecting apparatus and the connecting device are connected to one another in the mechanically load-bearing manner in the use position.

4. The fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the releasable locking device locks the connecting apparatus and the connecting device together via a mechanical connection between the connecting device and the connecting apparatus, and wherein the releasable locking device releases exclusively by an extraction tool.

5. The fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the holding apparatus further comprises: an RFID reader.

6. The fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the holding apparatus is configured to be arranged on an armrest of the airplane seat, wherein the fastening system comprises a holding arm, and wherein the holding arm is connected at one end to the airplane seat and on whose other end the holding apparatus is mounted.

7. The fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the releasable locking device locks the connecting apparatus and the connecting device together via a mechanical connection between the connecting device and the connecting apparatus, and wherein the releasable locking device releases in an electronically controlled manner.

8. The fastening system according to claim 7, wherein the holding apparatus further comprises an RFID reader, and wherein the mechanical connection between the connecting device and the connecting apparatus releases in an electronically controlled manner by way of: (i) the RFID reader, (ii) the NFC reader, or (iii) the RFID reader and the NFC reader.

9. A holding apparatus for a passenger device in an airplane, wherein the holding apparatus is configured to be mounted in or on an airplane seat, and wherein the holding apparatus comprises: a connecting apparatus, wherein the connecting apparatus is displaceable between a park position and a use position, wherein when the connecting apparatus is in the use position, the connecting apparatus is configured to releasably connect to a connecting device of a portable carrier adapter such that the connecting apparatus and the connecting device releasably connect to one another in a mechanically load-bearing manner, wherein when the connecting apparatus is in the park position, the connecting apparatus and the connecting device are not connectable, and wherein the portable carrier adapter is equipped to be connected to the passenger device in a load-bearing manner; an NFC reader; and a releasable locking device, wherein the releasable locking device releasably locks the connecting apparatus and the connecting device together.

10. The holding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the connecting apparatus is in the park position, the connecting apparatus is recessed.

11. The holding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the connecting apparatus has a protrusion on one end.

12. The holding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the holding apparatus is configured to be arranged on an armrest of the airplane seat.

13. The holding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the holding apparatus is configured to be arranged on a rear side of an airplane seat.

14. A portable carrier adapter for a passenger device in an airplane, comprising: a connecting device, wherein the portable carrier adapter is equipped to be connected to a passenger device in a mechanically load-bearing manner, wherein the connecting device is configured to releasably connect to a connecting apparatus of a holding apparatus such that the connecting device and the connecting apparatus releasably connect to one another in a mechanically load-bearing manner, when the connecting apparatus is in a use position, wherein the holding apparatus is equipped for connection in or on an airplane seat, and wherein the holding device comprises an NFC reader, wherein the connecting apparatus is displaceable between a park position and the use position, wherein when the connecting apparatus is in the park position, the connecting apparatus and the connecting device are not connectable; and wherein the holding device comprises a releasable locking device, wherein the releasable locking device releasably locks the connecting apparatus and the connecting device together.

15. The portable carrier adapter according to claim 14, further comprising: an adhesive, wherein the adhesive is configured to connect to one side of a mobile passenger device.

16. The portable carrier adapter according to claim 14, further comprising: a connecting element, wherein the connecting element is configured to connect to a housing shell for a mobile passenger device.

17. The portable carrier adapter according to claim 14, further comprising: a shell, wherein the shell is configured to accommodate a mobile passenger device in the shell.

18. The portable carrier adapter according to claim 14, wherein the portable carrier adapter comprises a roll-up area for at least one cable.

Description

(1) The invention will now be explained below on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a holding apparatus having a connecting apparatus;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a holding apparatus in a park position;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a holding apparatus with a tilted connecting apparatus;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a carrier adapter;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a carrier adapter having a roll-up area for a cable;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a small carrier adapter;

(8) FIG. 7 shows parts of a fastening system;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a fastening system on the rear side of an airplane seat;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a rear side of an airplane seat with a holding apparatus;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a housing shell and a clipable carrier adapter;

(12) FIG. 11 shows various arrangements of a tablet PC on an airplane seat;

(13) FIG. 12 shows two tilt positions between the holding apparatus and the carrier adapter with a passenger device;

(14) FIG. 13 shows a holding apparatus on a holding arm;

(15) FIG. 14 shows a rotatable holding apparatus on a holding arm;

(16) FIG. 15 shows a passenger device on a bag on an airplane seat;

(17) FIG. 16 shows a locking device with an extraction tool;

(18) FIG. 17 shows a locking device without an extraction tool;

(19) FIG. 18 shows a locking device with a clip mechanism;

(20) FIG. 19 shows a carrier adapter for a passenger device on a locking lever; and

(21) FIG. 20 shows a carrier adapter with an elastic ring.

(22) FIG. 1 shows a holding apparatus 4 with a connecting apparatus 5 of a fastening system 1. The holding apparatus 4 can, for example, be arranged in an airplane seat 3. The fastening system 1 and the airplane seat 3 are shown in FIG. 8, for example. The connecting apparatus 5 is in a use position in FIG. 1. The connecting apparatus 5 can be moved, for example, by being pushed in by the passenger, into a park position into the holding apparatus 4, where the connecting apparatus 5 is advantageously locked.

(23) FIG. 2 shows the same holding apparatus 4, but in this diagram, the connecting apparatus 5 has been moved from the use position in FIG. 1 into a park position. The connecting apparatus 5 is thus recessed in the holding apparatus 4 or in the airplane seat 3 on which the holding apparatus 4 is preferably arranged. The park position in this embodiment can be released by manually pushing on the surface of the connecting apparatus 5, so that the connecting apparatus 5 is or can be moved out of the surface of the holding apparatus 4 and/or moved out manually. In the park position, a uniform surface is encountered in impact of a body, in particular the head, of a passenger in a possible accident, so that injuries due to excessive point loads can be prevented.

(24) FIG. 3 shows, in a possible embodiment, in the use position a mobility of the connecting apparatus 5, to which a carrier adapter 6 can be connected in a mechanically load-bearing manner (see FIGS. 4, 5 and 6). The connecting apparatus 5 thus allows rotation of a connected carrier adapter 6. The rotation may be a rotation about an axis A by 90 or by 180. In addition, the carrier adapter 6 can be tilted by rotation about the axis B. The rotational mechanism in the embodiment of FIG. 3 is integrated into the connecting apparatus 5.

(25) FIG. 4 shows the rear side of a carrier adapter 6 with a connecting device 7. The carrier adapter 6 can be connected to a passenger device 2 in a load-bearing manner so that fastening of the passenger device 2 is possible by means of the carrier adapter 6. In this embodiment, the carrier adapter 6 has a shell 17, which surrounds the passenger device 2 on several sides, not recognizable in this diagram.

(26) In advantageous embodiments, the holding apparatus 4 has a locking device, so that the connection between the connecting apparatus 5 and the connecting device 7 can be released. This release can take place, for example, with the help of a pushbutton 27 (see FIG. 19).

(27) The carrier adapter 6 from FIG. 4 is supplemented in the diagram in FIG. 5 by a roll-up area 18 with which a cable 19, for example, a USB cable, can be rolled up. The cable 19 can thus be connected to the passenger device 2 on one side and on the second side, it can be plugged into a corresponding socket 20, for example, on a holding apparatus 4 (see FIG. 1, 2 or 3) in order to permit a power connection and/or data link for the passenger device. Alternatively, the first side of the cable 19 may have a plug which is integrated into the carrier adapter 6 so that a plug of the cable 19 is inserted into the passenger device 2 in the case of a mechanical connection to the carrier adapter 6.

(28) The diagram in FIG. 6 shows a carrier adapter 6 with a connecting device 7 for mechanical connection or for fastening to the connecting apparatus 5 of the holding apparatus 4. In this embodiment, the carrier adapter 6 may be designed much smaller than a possible passenger device 2. The mechanically load-bearing connection between the carrier adapter 6 and a passenger device 2 (not shown here), for example, a smartphone, can be accomplished by means of an adhesive. The adhesive may first be provided as an adhesive strip on the rear side of the carrier adapter 6 and glued to the rear side of a passenger device 2 as needed after pulling off a protective film.

(29) FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a fastening system 1 with a passenger device 2 which can be connected to the carrier adapter 6 provided for a certain model of the passenger device 2 in the stamping of a shell 17. The carrier adapter 6 can be connected, together with the passenger device 2, to the connecting apparatus 5 of the holding apparatus 4 (not shown here) by means of the connecting device 7. The connection may initially be accomplished by suspending the suitably shaped connecting device 7 in the connecting apparatus 5. A locking device to prevent unintentional release of the mechanical connection may also be provided but is not shown in this embodiment. In addition, FIG. 7 shows a protrusion 9 at one end of the connecting apparatus 5. This protrusion may be circumferential in the form of a round plate, as in this embodiment.

(30) Removal of the passenger device 2 for hand-guided use or stowage in the baggage is preferably accomplished by releasing the mechanical connection between the connecting apparatus 5 and the connecting device 7, so that the connection between the carrier adapter 6 and the passenger device 2 is preferably maintained. The carrier adapter 6 can function as a protective sleeve for the passenger device 2 in this period of time.

(31) FIG. 8 shows the fastening system 1 described in FIG. 7 on the backrest of an airplane seat 3. The passenger device 2 is connected to the carrier adapter 6 which is in turn connected mechanically to the connecting apparatus 5 which is in the use position. The holding apparatus 4 is integrated into the backrest of the airplane seat 3. The carrier adapter 6 is tilted slightly together with the passenger device 2 so that a good angle of observation of the passenger device 2 can be obtained for the passenger. In addition, a cable 19 establishes a power connection and/or a data link to a socket 20, which is arranged in the holding apparatus 4 in this embodiment. In addition to the fastening system 1, FIG. 8 shows a permanently installed display screen 21 of an on-board entertainment system.

(32) FIG. 9 shows the backrest of an airplane seat 3 with a holding apparatus 4, wherein there is no connection to a passenger device 2 and the park position of the connecting apparatus 5 known from FIG. 2 is established. Such a park position may be assumed, for example, when the airplane is in a critical flight phase so that there is no additional risk of injury due to the holding apparatus 4 in the event of an accident. In addition, the park position can be utilized if the passenger does not carry a passenger device 2 with him or at least would not like to use it temporarily. The holding apparatus 4 from the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 also has a display 22 and operating elements 23 which can be used for various entries by the passenger into on-board systems or for output of information to the passenger.

(33) In addition, the holding apparatus 4 may have a reader which is equipped for wireless communication or wireless readout of RFID tags or RFID transponders and/or passive and/or active transponders for a near field communication (NFC).

(34) FIG. 10 shows a carrier adapter 6, which has a connecting element 15, namely a clip in this case, which can be released by means of a pushbutton 24. The carrier adapter 6 may be fastened to or securely clipped on various connecting points 25 of a housing shell 16 according to the different possible fastening positions of the carrier adapter 6 on the housing shell 16. The housing shell 16 serves to receive and fasten a passenger device 2, wherein the passenger device in this embodiment is preferably a tablet computer. The various connecting points permit individual positioning of the passenger device using the fastening system 1.

(35) The housing shell 16 and the shell 17 of a carrier adapter 6 may be shaped in a comparable way, but an indirect mechanical connection between a passenger device 2 and the carrier adapter 6 is established by means of the housing shell 16. The housing shell may therefore be a mediating part.

(36) FIG. 11 shows two possible arrangements for a passenger device 2 of the tablet PC type that can be achieved by means of the connecting element 15 on the carrier adapter 6 and the housing shell 16.

(37) FIG. 12 shows two tilt positions between a holding apparatus 4 and a carrier adapter 6 with passenger device 2, wherein the passenger device 2 is shown with dotted lines in a tilted position. The tilted position can be locked in place with a ball catch in several tilt positions, for example. The lockable tilt positions may be provided, for example, at 0 and/or 20, as in this advantageous embodiment. It may be advantageous to make an adjustment to the adjustability of the backrest of an airplane seat 3.

(38) An alternative installation site for the holding apparatus 4 is shown in FIG. 13, where the holding apparatus 4 is arranged on an armrest 25 of an airplane seat 3. This is advantageous if an installation of the holding apparatus on a backrest of a front seat is impossible or is not appropriate, for example, because of the distance.

(39) In this embodiment, the holding apparatus 4 is arranged on a holding arm 11 which establishes the connection to the airplane seat 3. The holding arm 11 is advantageously foldable, so that it can be moved into various positions. These positions may differ in their usability and safety in the event of an accident. The holding arm 11 can be extracted out of the airplane seat 3 and/or extended. In a possible embodiment, the holding arm 11 may have at least one rotatable part. Furthermore, the position or arrangement of the holding arm 11 or of the holding apparatus 4 can be selected in advantageous embodiments in such a way that, when there is a change in the backrest position of the front seat, no contact can occur between the front seat and the holding arm 11, the holding apparatus 4, the carrier adapter 6 and/or the passenger device 2.

(40) In a possible embodiment, FIG. 14 shows a foldable holding arm 11, wherein the holding apparatus 4 is rotated laterally by 90 in this embodiment. The holding apparatus 4 can be locked in this rotated position. Due to the rotation of the holding apparatus 4, which may also be implemented by the folding arm 11 in an alternative embodiment, an arrangement of larger passenger devices 2 on the holding apparatus 4 can be made possible. This is advantageous in particular when the airplane seat 3 is a seat by a wall 30, for example, a curved cabin wall.

(41) FIG. 15 shows another possible use of the connecting apparatus 5, wherein a passenger device 2 is held by means of a bag 26 with a corresponding loop. In this possible use, the passenger device 2 can be used by the passenger only to a limited extent due to the bag 26, but it can be charged by means of the cable 19, for example, and/or used for listening to music. In addition, it can be stored near the passenger within reach, independently of a table.

(42) FIG. 16 shows a releasable locking device arranged on the connecting device 7, permitting a releasable mechanical connection between the connecting device 7 and a connecting apparatus 5. The locking may be accomplished, for example, with a displaceable blocking element 28. Such a blocking element 28 can be moved by means of a pushbutton 27 (see FIG. 19), for example. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the blocking element 28 of the locking device can be released only by using an extraction tool 8, so that mainly only the service personnel of the airline company that have this tool at their disposal can release the connection between the connecting device 7 and the connecting apparatus 5. In this embodiment, the connection typically cannot be released by the passenger.

(43) In alternative embodiments, the locking device can be released in an electronically controlled manner, for example, by a corresponding servo-mechanical control. A corresponding control signal can be sent centrally in the airplane over a corresponding data network or by identification of a certain RFID identifier on the holding apparatus 4 by means of the reader. Again in these embodiments, the releasing operation of the mechanical connection can preferably be triggered only by the service personnel using a suitable transponder so that in the event of possible issuance of electronic devices in the cabin by the airline company, these devices cannot be removed from their installation site without hindrance.

(44) In another possible embodiment, the connecting apparatus 5 can be locked electronically in the park position in the holding apparatus 4, so that a locking and/or unlocking controlled centrally in the airplane can take place. In this way, use of the fastening system 1 can be prevented for the passengers until reaching a safe flying altitude after takeoff, so that suppression of use in this critical phase of flight would be easy to implement. In another possible embodiment, there may be a clear message when, of all the holding apparatuses 4 installed in the airplane, the connecting apparatuses 5 are in a park position.

(45) FIG. 17 shows another embodiment of a locking device, wherein the locking apparatus has a spring-mounted ball 31 on the connecting apparatus 5 and has a corresponding depression 32 on the respective connecting device 7 of a carrier adapter 6. When connected, the ball 31 and the depression 32 engage with one another in a form-fitting manner, so that the connection between the connecting device 7 and the connecting apparatus 5 cannot be released unintentionally, for example, during turbulence during a flight or when rotating the carrier adapter 6.

(46) Such a locking device may be, for example, a ball bearing locking mechanism, i.e., for example, a spring-mounted and/or rotatably mounted ball, or a mechanical locking mechanism, having a spring-mounted locking part in particular. One part of the locking device, for example, the spring-mounted and/or rotatable ball may be arranged in the connecting apparatus. A corresponding part of the locking device may be provided as a counterpart, for example, in the form of a depression, in which the connecting device of the carrier adapter is provided.

(47) FIG. 18 shows an advantageous locking device having a clip mechanism, which causes a releasable connection between the connecting apparatus 5 and the connecting device 7. The connecting device 7 of the carrier adapter 6 has a catch 33 or a spring clamp or a clip. In this embodiment, the connecting apparatus 5 has a corresponding depression 32 with a corresponding shape for engagement. In an alternative embodiment, the catch 33 may also be assigned to the connecting apparatus 5, and the depression 32 may be assigned to the connecting device 7.

(48) FIG. 19 shows a carrier adapter 6 with a passenger device 2 held in it. The carrier adapter 6 and the passenger device 2 are shown in this diagram in a view from the rear. In this embodiment, the carrier adapter 6 is provided for being fastened to a locking lever 13 of a folding table 14 on the rear side of an airplane seat 3. The airplane seat 3 is not shown in this embodiment.

(49) In addition, FIG. 20 shows a carrier adapter, which has an elastic ring made of silicone, for example. The passenger device 2 can be inserted into the elastic ring, wherein the passenger device can be secured due to the elastic property of the elastic ring and/or it has tension means in the elastic ring, so that the passenger device can be clamped securely in the elastic ring. In a possible embodiment, the carrier adapter 6 may have a built-in plug-in location 29, which is equipped to establish a plug connection to a connecting port of a passenger device 2 on receiving a passenger device 2 by the carrier adapter 6.