Rotationally-engaged quick installation track fitting

• US 10,518,887 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mair, Roland D., Keck, Russell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNichols, Eret C
• Application Number:
  US15/636,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20190002107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01583 locking on transversal elements on the vehicle floor or rail, e.g. transversal rods
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0696 Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0046 Modular or preassembled units for creating cabin interior structures
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/02 Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation with snap-action F16B21/06; studs or coupling pins with resilient protrusions F16B21/08

Abstract

Example devices for the rapid attachment of a track mounted product to a track and methods of use are described herein. An example device includes an elongated member having a flange and a body. A first side of the body includes a protruding lip extending from at least a portion of the body between the first end and the second end of the elongated member. The device also includes a first alignment bore coupled to the first side of the flange between the first end and the second end of the elongated member. The device also includes a first boss extending from a second side of the body between the first end and the second end of the elongated member.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an elongated member having a flange and a body, wherein the elongated member includes a first end and a second end extending along a longitudinal axis of the elongated member, wherein the flange includes a first side and a second side, the second side opposite the first side, wherein the body is connected to and extends away from the second side of the flange, wherein the body includes a first side, a second side, and a third side, wherein the first side of the body is opposite the second side of the body, and the third side of the body is opposite the first side of the flange, and wherein only the first side of the body includes a protruding lip extending from at least a portion of the body between the first end and the second end of the elongated member to thereby form a gap between the protruding lip and the second side of the flange solely on the first side of the body, and wherein the protruding lip is rotationally positionable within an opening in a seat track to limit vertical movement of the device with respect to the seat track;

a first alignment bore coupled to the first side of the flange between the first end and the second end of the elongated member; and

a first boss extending from the second side of the body between the first end and the second end of the elongated member.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second alignment bore coupled to the first side of the flange; and

a second boss extending from the second side of the body between the first end and the second end of the elongated member.

3. The device claim 2, wherein the first alignment bore is positioned adjacent to the first end of the elongated member, and wherein the second alignment bore is positioned adjacent to the second end of the elongated member.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the first boss is spaced a first distance from the second boss, wherein the first alignment bore is spaced a second distance from the second alignment bore, and wherein the first distance is equal to the second distance.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the first boss is positioned between the first alignment bore and the second boss, and wherein the second boss is positioned between the first boss and the second alignment bore.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the first boss and the second boss are semi-circular in shape, the semi-circular surface extending outward from the second surface of the body.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the first alignment bore and the second alignment bore each include a bushing.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a mounting plate extending vertically from at least one of the first surface of the flange or a surface of the first alignment bore.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the mounting plate is connectable to a track mounted product.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the mounting plate comprises:

a first portion extending vertically from at least one of the first surface of the flange or the surface of the first alignment bore.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising a through-hole positioned in the first portion of the mounting plate.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion, such that the mounting plate has an L-shape.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the first boss is engageable with a corresponding semi-circular shaped cutout in the seat track to limit horizontal movement of the device with respect to the seat track.

14. A system comprising:

a first device, comprising;

a first elongated member having a first flange and a first body, wherein the first elongated member includes a first end and a second end extending along a longitudinal axis of the first elongated member, wherein the first flange includes a first side and a second side, the second side opposite the first side, wherein the first body is connected to and extends away from the second side of the first flange, wherein the first body includes a first side, a second side, and a third side, wherein the first side of the first body is opposite the second side of the first body, and the third side of the first body is opposite the first side of the first flange, and wherein only the first side of the first body includes a first protruding lip extending from at least a portion of the first body between the first end and the second end of the first elongated member to thereby form a first gap between the first protruding lip and the second side of the first flange solely on the first side of the first body, and wherein the first protruding lip is rotationally positionable within a first opening in a first seat track to limit vertical movement of the first device with respect to the first seat track;

a first alignment bore coupled to the first side of the first flange between the first end and the second end of the first elongated member;

a second alignment bore coupled to the first side of the first flange between the first end and the second end of the first elongated member;

a first boss extending from the second side of the first body between the first end and the second end of the first elongated member; and

a second boss extending from the second side of the first body between the first end and the second end of the first elongated member; and

a second device, comprising;

a second elongated member having a second flange and a second body, wherein the second elongated member includes a first end and a second end extending along a longitudinal axis of the second elongated member, wherein the second flange includes a first side and a second side, the second side opposite the first side, wherein the second body is connected to and extends away from the second side of the second flange, wherein the second body includes a first side, a second side, and a third side, wherein the first side of the second body is opposite the second side of the second body, and the third side of the second body is opposite the first side of the second flange, and wherein only the first side of the second body includes a second protruding lip extending from at least a portion of the second body between the first end and the second end of the second elongated member to thereby form a second gap between the second protruding lip and the second side of the second flange solely on the first side of the second body, and wherein the second protruding lip is rotationally positionable within a second opening in a second seat track to limit vertical movement of the second device with respect to the second seat track;

a third alignment bore coupled to the first side of the second flange between the first end and the second end of the second elongated member;

a fourth alignment bore coupled to the first side of the second flange between the first end and the second end of the second elongated member;

a third boss extending from the second side of the second body between the first end and the second end of the second elongated member; and

a fourth boss extending from the second side of the second body between the first end and the second end of the second elongated member.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the first boss and the second boss are semi-circular in shape, the semi-circular surface extending outward from the second surface of the first body, and wherein each of the third boss and the fourth boss are semi-circular in shape, the semi-circular shape extending outward from the second surface of the second body.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first device further comprises a first mounting plate extending vertically from the first surface of the first flange or a surface of the first alignment bore, and wherein the second device further comprises a second mounting plate extending vertically from the first surface of the second flange or a surface of the third alignment bore.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate are connectable to a track mounted product.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the first device and the second device are positioned as mirror images of one another.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the first alignment bore, the second alignment bore, the third alignment bore, and the fourth alignment bore include a bushing.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising a track mounted product comprising:

a first pin positionable through the first alignment bore;

a second pin positionable through the second alignment bore;

a third pin positionable through the third alignment bore; and

a fourth pin positionable through the fourth alignment bore.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the track mounted product comprises at least one of a seat, a seat furniture, a stowage, a closet, a cabin divider, an electronic component, a lavatory, a galley, or a video control center.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the second seat track is positioned parallel to the first seat track.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the first protruding lip is positionable within the first opening in the first seat track to limit vertical movement of the first device with respect to the first seat track, wherein the first boss and the second boss are engageable with corresponding cutouts in the first seat track to limit horizontal movement of the first device with respect to the first seat track, wherein the second protruding lip is positionable within the second opening in the second seat track to limit vertical movement of the second device with respect to the second seat track, and wherein the third boss and the fourth boss are engageable with corresponding cutouts in the second seat track to limit horizontal movement of the second device with respect to the second seat track.

24. A method, comprising:

rotationally positioning a first device into an opening in a first track, wherein the first track includes a first overhang portion to receive a first protruding lip of a first body of a first elongated member of the first device, wherein the first protruding lip forms a first gap between the first protruding lip and a second side of a first flange of the first elongated member solely on a first side of the first body to thereby prevent vertical movement of the first device with respect to the first track;

rotating the first device with respect to the first track until a first boss and a second boss of the first device are positioned in corresponding cutouts in the first track to thereby prevent horizontal movement of the first device with respect to the first track;

rotationally positioning a second device into an opening in a second track, wherein the second track includes a second overhang portion to receive a second protruding lip of a second body of a second elongated member of the second device, wherein the second protruding lip forms a second gap between the second protruding lip and a second side of a second flange of the second elongated member solely on a first side of the second body to thereby prevent vertical movement of the second device with respect to the second track;

rotating the second device with respect to the second track until a first boss and a second boss of the second device are positioned in corresponding cutouts in the second track to thereby prevent horizontal movement of the second device with respect to the second track;

positioning a first pin of a track mounted product through a first alignment bore of the first device;

positioning a second pin of the track mounted product through a second alignment bore of the first device;

positioning a third pin of the track mounted product through a first alignment bore of the second device; and

positioning a fourth pin of the track mounted product through a second alignment bore of the second device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first device and the second device are mirror images of one another, and wherein the method comprises rotating the first device in a first direction with respect to the first track and rotating the second device in an opposite direction with respect to the second track.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

aligning the longitudinal axis of the first alignment bore of the first device with the longitudinal axis of the first alignment bore of the second device when the first and second devices are positioned in their respective tracks; and

aligning the longitudinal axis of the second alignment bore of the first device with the longitudinal axis of the second alignment bore of the second device when the first and second devices are positioned in their respective tracks.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the first device and the second device further comprise a mounting plate extending vertically from a first surface of a flange of the elongated member or a surface of the first alignment bore, the method further comprising:

securing the track mounted product to the mounting plate.