LAVATORY MONUMENT FOR AIRCRAFT

• US 20200130842A1
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Young, Stephen M., Swanson, Kevin Griffith
• Application Number:
  US16/172,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20200130842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 15/02 Washing facilities in railway vehicles B61D35/002
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 15/04 Toilet facilities in railway vehicles B61D35/005
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 35/005 Toilet facilities
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1423 Passenger doors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1461 Structures of doors or surrounding frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/02 Toilet fittings of general application A47K
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0046 Modular or preassembled units for creating cabin interior structures
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0061 by protecting cabin or cargo hold from bombs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

An aircraft including a lavatory monument. The lavatory monument includes an outboard wall and a shell wall removably connected to the outboard wall, both walls extending radially inwardly relative to a fuselage of the aircraft. The lavatory monument also includes a floor panel connected to and between the outboard wall and the shell wall. The lavatory monument also includes a toilet connected to the floor panel. The lavatory monument also includes a plurality of lavatory fixtures individually removably attached to at least one of: the outboard wall, the shell wall, the floor panel, or the toilet. Each of the plurality of lavatory fixtures is individually removable. Common interface points on each of the plurality of lavatory fixtures are unchangeable with respect to the lavatory monument.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

a lavatory monument removably mounted inside the fuselage, wherein the lavatory monument further comprises;

an outboard wall removably connected to an inside surface of the fuselage;

a shell wall removably connected to the outboard wall and extending radially inwardly relative to the fuselage;

a floor panel connected to and between the outboard wall and the shell wall;

a toilet connected to the floor panel; and

a plurality of lavatory fixtures individually removably attached to at least one of;

the outboard wall, the shell wall, the floor panel, or the toilet, wherein each of the plurality of lavatory fixtures are configured to be individually removable, and wherein common interface points on each of the plurality of lavatory fixtures are unchangeable with respect to the lavatory monument.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising:

a ballistic intrusion barrier connected to the outboard wall adjacent the ballistic intrusion barrier and extending radially inwardly relative to the fuselage.

3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of lavatory fixtures comprises a toilet shroud removably attached to the toilet, the toilet shroud also connected to the outboard wall.

4. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising:

an aft wall removably attached to the outboard wall opposite the shell wall and extending radially inwardly relative to the fuselage; and

a plurality of non-lavatory fixtures connected to a second side of the aft wall, wherein a first side of the aft wall faces an interior of the lavatory monument.

5. The aircraft of claim 4, wherein the plurality of non-lavatory fixtures comprises one or more of the group consisting of:

a computer, a display, a cabinet, a drawer, a lock-box, and an instrument panel.

6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lavatory fixtures comprises two or more objects selected from the group consisting of:

a sink, a faucet, a cabinet, an alcove panel shaped to present an alcove inside the lavatory monument, a toilet paper holder, a drawer, a liquid hose line, a soap dispenser, a soap holder, a towel dispenser, a towel holder, a drawer, a backsplash, a waste receptacle, a counter top, a light strip, a light bulb, a lightable sign, a mirror, a display device, a speaker, a crew signal button, a switch, a panel, a cup holder, an airsick bag dispenser, a tissue dispenser, a sanitary napkin dispenser, a cologne rack, and a shelf.

7. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the lavatory monument further comprises:

a door connected to the shell wall.

8. The aircraft of claim 7, wherein the door further comprises one of a folding door and a slab door.

9. The aircraft of claim 7, wherein the door further comprises a lock which, when actuated, activates all of:

locking the door, activating a no-vacancy sign displayed outside the door, and a lighting scenery scheme.

10. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the lavatory monument further comprises:

a floor pan removably connected to the floor panel of the lavatory monument in front of the toilet.

11. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of lavatory fixtures comprises a plurality of sub-assemblies that are removably connected to a given lavatory fixture such that removal and replacement of one of the plurality of sub-assemblies does not require removal of any other of the plurality of sub-assemblies.

12. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the aircraft further comprises:

an electrical wiring system, wherein each of the plurality of lavatory fixtures that require electricity is removably connected to the electrical wiring system.

13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the aircraft further comprises:

a computer, wherein the lavatory monument is removably connectable to the computer and the computer is configured to control one or both of;

electrical fixtures or display fixtures in the lavatory monument.

14. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the aircraft further comprises:

an air duct system, wherein the lavatory monument has an air duct that is removably connectable to the air duct system.

15. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lavatory fixtures comprises a faucet, a fluid line, a sink, a drain, and a backsplash, wherein the faucet is removably connected to the fluid line, the fluid line is removably connected to the backsplash, the sink is removably connected to the shell wall, and the drain is removably connected to the sink.

16. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lavatory fixtures further comprises:

lighting removably disposed underneath a counter at about foot level.

17. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the lavatory monument further comprises:

a control module connectable to an aircraft electrical umbilical, the control module removably connected to all of;

an upper cabinet sub-component;

an inboard wall sub-component;

a toilet sub-component;

a lower cabinet and backsplash sub-component;

a systems panel and ceiling sub-component; and

an aft wall sub-component.

18. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the aircraft electrical umbilical is also removably connectable to the aft wall sub-component and the systems panel and ceiling sub-component.

19. A method of replacing a lavatory fixture in a lavatory monument of an aircraft while retaining the lavatory monument in place, the method implemented in an aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

a lavatory monument removably mounted inside the fuselage, wherein the lavatory monument further comprises;

an outboard wall removably connected to an inside surface of the fuselage;

a shell wall removably connected to the outboard wall and extending radially inwardly relative to the fuselage;

a floor panel connected to and between the outboard wall and the shell wall;

a toilet connected to the floor panel; and

a plurality of lavatory fixtures individually removably attached to at least one of;

the outboard wall, the shell wall, the floor panel, or the toilet, wherein each of the plurality of lavatory fixtures is configured to be individually removable, wherein the lavatory fixture is one of the plurality of lavatory fixtures, and wherein common interface points on each of the plurality of lavatory fixtures are unchangeable with respect to the lavatory monument, the method comprising;

removing the lavatory fixture while retaining the lavatory monument in place; and

replacing the lavatory fixture.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the lavatory monument further comprises:

a control module connectable to an aircraft electrical umbilical, the control module removably connected to all of;

an upper cabinet sub-component;

an inboard wall sub-component;

a toilet sub-component;

a lower cabinet and backsplash sub-component;

a systems panel and ceiling sub-component; and

an aft wall sub-component, and wherein the method further comprises;

removing the lavatory fixture while retaining the control module and all sub-components.