Patent Application
20250162703
This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application Number 23211492.6 filed on Nov. 22, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by way of reference.
The present invention refers to an alternative aircraft interior lining arrangement, to an installation method for an interior lining arrangement, to a decorative cover for an aircraft interior lining arrangement, to a jig for manufacturing such decorative cover and to a manufacturing method for manufacturing such decorative cover.
An aircraft interior lining arrangement of an aircraft cabin comprises a plurality of individual interior panels, such as side panels, ceiling panels or dado panels. The arrangement forms a cabin-side boundary of a space present between the interior lining arrangement and an aircraft structure. The space is used as an installation space for a large number of components, such as thermal insulation, electrical lines, air or water-conducting lines or other components of the aircraft. Furthermore, the arrangement serves for a visual design of the aircraft cabin.
Due to installation reasons, a longitudinal gap is formed between mutually adjacent interior panels. As the gap extends from the cabin interior to the installation space, a gap cover is provided adapted to close the gap. According to a known solution, a strip is provided in guiding means on the backside of the panels. During installation, the strip is pushed over its entire length in the guiding means. Finally, the gap is closed, but still visible from the cabin-side. However, pushing the strip forward in guiding means on the backside of the panels is difficult from an installation point of view and time consuming. Further on, in order to create a uniform visual design, the gaps need to be adjusted to a single width.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative aircraft interior lining arrangement, enabling a simplified installation and a compensation in minor faults in alignments. It is a further object of the invention to provide a simplified installation method for an interior lining arrangement and a decorative cover which is easy to install.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a jig for manufacturing a decorative cover for an aircraft interior lining arrangement, and to provide a manufacturing method for manufacturing a decorative cover of an aircraft lining arrangement.
According to the invention, an aircraft interior lining arrangement comprises at least one interior panel lining an interior of an aircraft, wherein a front face facing towards the interior is covered by a decorative cover which is stretched over the front face. According to the invention, the cover is only fixed at some regions (locally) at the interior panel. The cover maintains its flexibility between the fixation points, thus enabling relative movements between the cover and the at least one interior panel. Preferably, the cover is fixed at least at edge regions of the interior lining.
Preferably, the cover is stretchable (elastically, flexible). During the tensioning and stretching, the cover is deformed elastically. However, this elastic deformation occurs in such a slight manner that compared to an uninstalled cover the elastic deformation (stretching) over the front face is visibly not detectable. Due to the tensioning, the cover can show a different route than the curvature of the at least one interior panel. For instance, if the interior panel has concave front face, the installed cover will show a straight, plane shape, without any bending, curve and the like. Due to this, there will be areas between the front face and the cover without any direct contact between them, such that cavities are created. If the cover is touched in such area, based on its flexibility and tensioning force, it would yield (move locally backwards) in this area.
Every cover can be adapted to an individual extension (number, length and height) of the arranged interior panels in advance, then stored or transported in folded or rolled up manner until it is time for installation in the aircraft.
Exemplary kinds of fixation methods are clamping or bonding. An exemplary cover is a textile such as a polyester-based textile. Basically, the cover is not limited to a specific material. The main characteristics are flexibility such as a fabric and that it fulfils fire protection and other safety driven aviation requirements. Preferably, it is a knitted fabric. The tension is applied by the fixation, by the curvature of the interior panels and by the geometry of the meshes. The textile can also be coated on its surface facing towards the interior with a further material in order to create a smooth effect. However, also alternative stretchable materials are applicable, such as plastic foils.
If several interior panels are arranged adjacent to each other, the cover extends over their gaps between them. This enables a gapless (seamless) appearance of the lining area for instance a sidewall area. The cover can extend over all interior panels between monuments and/or doors. Further on, as the gaps are covered by the inventive cover, gap tolerances can be ignored, this simplifying the installation of the interior lining. Special gap covers are not required.
In addition, the cover can be replaced easily just by loosening the fixations. There is no need to deinstall the interior panels themselves in order to change the decoration. In particular, if the cover is fixed mechanically, the fixation means can be reused and/or the cover can be divided up into its single components supporting sustainability if it is not used any longer.
As the interior panels do not need to be deinstalled for replacing the cover, installed seats need also not to be deinstalled, they can stay inside the cabin.
Furthermore, impacts on the interior panels caused by passengers and their luggage, for instance, can be reduced by the tension of the decorative cover.
In one embodiment, two holding systems are provided adapted to hold the cover in a circumferential direction of the aircraft. Each holding system has at least one holding element and at least one corresponding counter-element. The holding elements can be positioned at opposite edge regions of the interior panel and the counter-elements can be positioned at opposite edges of the cover. Exemplary holding elements are slotted guide rails and exemplary counter-elements are sliding bodies, which engage in a form-fit manner with the guide rails. If the holding means are positioned in a longitudinal direction top and bottom at the interior panels and the cover, the cover can be installed by pushing it from one side to the other side over the front face.
In order to fix the cover in a second direction preferably, at least two clamping systems are provided. Each clamping system has at least one clamping element and at least one corresponding receiving element. The receiving elements can be positioned at opposite edge regions of the interior panel, wherein the clamping elements could clamp the cover inside the receiving elements or vice versa. A preferred clamping element is a longitudinal elastically element such that it can be bent or laid up in curves, and a preferred receiving element is a longitudinal groove which is inserted in side edges of the interior panels and which is adapted to receive an area of the cover and the clamping element. The clamping systems are preferably used laterally at the interior panel (left and right sides).
In order to enable an installation of the cover at interior panels with window openings, a cutout in the cover can be provided, wherein a shaping system can be provided adapted to keep the desired shape of a cutout prior to installation. By means of the shaping systems, the cover can easily be positioned in alignment with the window openings. In one embodiment, the shaping system is based on mechanical clamping, similar to the laterally clamping systems. The cover is inserted in a circular groove of a ring-shaped element and clamped inside the circular groove via an elastic element. However, the shaping system can also be based on bonding or on stitching.
Preferably, the shaping systems will be covered by a frame element which is clamped inside the window opening.
By means of providing at least one fixation system at a cover area between its upper and lower edges, changes curvatures of an interior panel can be taken into account. Preferably, the fixation system comprises at least one fixation part and at least one corresponding receiving part. The receiving part is positioned on the front face of the interior panel and the fixation part fixes the cover inside the counter-part. An exemplary fixation part is a sliding body and an exemplary counter-part is a slotted guide rail, similar to the holding systems.
According to an inventive installation method for installing an interior lining arrangement in an aircraft, at least one interior panel of the lining arrangement is provided. A decorative cover adapted to cover a front face of the at least one interior panel is also provided. Then, the cover is tensioned over the front face of the at least one interior panel. After that, the tensioned cover is fixed, for instance at edge regions of the interior lining.
The inventive installation method enables easy and fast installation of the cover at installed interior panels.
The installation effort can further be reduced, if the cover comprises pre-shaped cutouts for windows openings, wherein each pre-shaped cutout is aligned to a corresponding window opening and then fixed via a frame element in the window opening.
In particular, multiple interior panels are arranged together forming the front surface. By tensioning the cover over several interior panels, gaps between them are hidden.
According to the invention, a decorative cover for an aircraft interior lining arrangement is adapted to be tensioned over a front face of an interior panel of an aircraft interior lining arrangement.
According to the invention, a jig for manufacturing a decorative cover of an aircraft lining arrangement according to one of the preceding embodiments, comprises a base for receiving a decorative cover, wherein on opposite base sides engagement elements are provided adapted to hold the cover in a plane. An upper surface of the base represents a contour of a front face of an aircraft lining arrangement. Further on, the jig has at least one pressing device which is adapted to deform a cover area representing a window opening of an interior panel, at least one mounting device for applying a shaping system in the area of the recess which is adapted to keep the obtained deformation, and at least one cutting device for making a cutout corresponding to the window opening.
Such a jig enables an easy manufacturing of a required decorative cover.
According to an inventive manufacturing method for manufacturing a decorative cover of an aircraft lining arrangement, a decorative cover is provided. Then, the counter-elements of a holding system are fixed at opposite edges of the cover. After that, the cover is positioned in a jig, wherein the cover is held in a plane via an engagement of its counter-elements in corresponding engagement elements of the jig. After the cover is held in position, the cover is locally deformed by applying a pressure on a cover area determined to receive a window cutout. Then, a shaping system is attached to the cover in order to maintain the deformed shape of the cover area. After that, the cutouts are cut and the cover is released from the jig with the installed counter-elements and the at least one installed shaping system.
Thereby, the cutouts can be brought in simultaneously or one after the other. If they are made simultaneously more than one pressing device, more than one shaping installation device and more than one cutting device are required. If the cutouts are made sequentially, only one pressing device, one shaping systems installation device and one cutting device is required.
In what follows, preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained with respect to the accompanying drawings. As is to be understood, the various elements and components are depicted as examples only, may be facultative and/or combined in a manner different than that depicted. Reference signs for related elements are used comprehensively and not necessarily defined again for each figure. Shown is schematically in
In
As can be seen in
With reference to
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When attached to the cover 4, the ring-shaped part 24 is on the back 40 of the cover 4 (
As shown in
In
In this example, each holding element 46 is a slotted guide rail attached to the back of the side panel arrangement 2. The counter-element 48 comprises sliding bodies, such as sliding balls in a chain-like manner, which are attached to the cover 4 at its longitudinal edges 50, for instance via stitching. The counter-element 48 can be inserted in the holding element 46 by a sliding movement, whereas the cover extends through the slot. When the cover 4 is pushed inside at the top and at the bottom, the cover 4 is prepared to be pre-tensioned in a first direction x.
Further illustrated in
The clamping system further comprises a clamping element 54 shown in
In
According to an inventive installation method, a side panel arrangement 2 is provided. A decorative cover 4 adapted to cover a front face 6 of the side wall panel arrangement 2 is also provided. This means, cutouts 22 have been made in the cover 4 and are held in shape by shaping systems 24, 26. Additionally, the sliding bodies 46 (holding elements) of the holding systems are attached at the upper and lower edge 50 of the cover 4.
First, the sliding bodies 46 are inserted into the guide rails 48 (receiving element) simultaneously at the upper edge region 10 and at the lower edge region 8 in the first direction x (longitudinal direction of the aircraft). During the sliding movement, no tension force is acting on the cover 4. The cover 4 is relaxed.
Second, the cover 4 is pre-tensioned in the first direction by pressing the cover 4 laterally inside the lateral grooves 52 and fixing them via the clamping elements 54.
Third, the frame elements 14 are attached in a second direction y, which is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the first direction x. As a consequence, a tension is applied on the cover 4 in the circumferential direction u and in the longitudinal direction x of the aircraft (see
In
The fixation system is positioned in the transfer region of the curvatures. It is orientated parallel to the holding elements 46 and based in the shown embodiment on the same principle. This means the fixation system has a longitudinal receiving part 58 such as a slotted guide rail and a fixation part 60 such as sliding bodies. The guide rail 58 is integrated in the front face 6 of the side panel arrangement 2 and the sliding bodies are attached to the back of the cover 4. From the front, the sliding bodies 60 are not visible.
An installation method is similar to the installation method described above. The only difference is that the cover 4 is not only held at its upper and lower longitudinal edges regions 8, 10, but also in an area between them via the fixation system 58, 60. During the insertion, the cover 4 is relaxed in both areas, in a lower convex dado-panel-like area 56 and in a pre-described upper concave area 57. The pre-tension in the first direction x in both areas 56, 57 is applied by clamping the cover 4 laterally via a clamping system 52, 54.
The final tension in the longitudinal direction x and in the circumferential direction u of the aircraft in both areas 56, 57 is applied by positioning the frame elements 28 inside the window openings 20.
In
The jig 62 has a base 64 with an upper surface 66 following the curvature of the front face 6 of a side panel arrangement 2 to be covered. Laterally at the base 64, on both opposite sides an engagement element 68 is provided (
Further on, at least one pressing device 70 is provided which is adapted to deform a cover area 72 representing a window opening 20 (
In order to attach a shaping system 24, 16 to the cover 4 in the area of the recess 74, at least one mounting device 76 is provided (
Further on, the jig 62 comprises at least one cutting device 78 which is adapted to bring a respective cutout 22 in the area of the recess 74 (
According to an inventive manufacturing method for manufacturing a decorative cover 4, the cover 4 is adjusted regarding its extension in the first direction x (longitudinal direction of the aircraft) and in the circumferential direction u of the aircraft. The cover 4 can be an endless textile with a given width that is cut at its desired length.
After the cover 4 has been adjusted regarding its extension, the sliding bodies 46 of a holding system are attached at opposite edges 50 of the cover 4 (
It should be noted that other holding means, clamping means and/or fixation means are applicable, falling in the scope of the invention. For instance, guide rails can be provided on the cover, whereas the sliding bodies are attached to the side panels. Further on, other mechanical form fit principles than rails and sliding bodies are possible, for instance principles based on hooks, nails or rivets. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to side wall panels, the invention covers also ceiling linings, for instance.
Disclosed is an aircraft interior lining arrangement wherein a front face facing towards the interior is covered by a decorative cover which is extended under tension over the front face and fixed only locally, thereby keeping its flexibility after the fixation, an installation method, a decorative cover, a manufacturing jig and a manufacturing method for such decorative cover.
While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present 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” 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.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23211492.6 | Nov 2023 | EP | regional |
