AIRCRAFT COMPARTMENT AND MAGNETIC CONNECTING ASSEMBLY

• US 3,647,165 A
• Filed: 04/27/1970
• Issued: 03/07/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James Whitla
• Original Assignee: James Whitla
• Inventors: Whitla, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Buchler, Milton
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weinrieb, Steven W.
• Application Number:
  US05/032,042
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118 292/251.5 335/285,290
• US Class Current: 244/118.5
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 25/005 for high altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 10/00 Flight suits helmets in general A42B3/00; breathing helmets A62B18/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2231/025 Oxygen masks; Mask storages seats combined with storage means, said storage means being specially adapted for emergency equipment B64D11/0629; Features related to mask deployment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic

Abstract

A magnetic connector assembly combined with an oxygen-mask carrying compartment mounted overhead of an aircraft cabin passenger'"'"''"'"'s seat for automatic release of oxygen-mask equipment from the compartment to a passenger upon emergency or depressurization of the cabin. An electromagnet carrying spaced poles is securely mounted interiorly of the compartment by means of an adjustable bracket abutting a first wall'"'"''"'"'s edge associated with and opposing the closing edge of the compartment'"'"''"'"'s door. A permanent magnet is securely mounted on the inner side of the door adjacent its closing edge and is cooperatively disposed in relation to said poles. Energization of the core of the electromagnet repels the magnet from the cooperating spaced poles, thereby swinging open in a downward fashion the door upon hinging supports for dropping of the oxygen-mask into the lap of a passenger. The particular arrangement and orientation of the magnetic connector assembly in the aircraft concentrates and restricts its magnetic flux to at least one vertical plane normal to a horizontal plane in which the aircraft is travelling, thus eliminating interference with normal horizontal deviations of the aircraft'"'"''"'"'s navigational compass.

Claims

1. An aircraft having a compartment for stowage of equipment, said compartment comprising first and second walls in opposed spaced relationship to each other and in longitudinal relationship to said aircraft, a door member providing a closed and open condition for said compartment swingably connected to the second of said walls for swinging movement toward and way from the first of said walls, and at least one connector assembly for positively connecting said doOr member to the first of said walls, said assembly comprising:

1. a short straight-lined configurated electromagnet securely mounted to the first of said walls, 2. a pair of short linear pole pieces one end of each being physically attached to a respective end of said electromagnet and each having a planar face at its other end adapted for physical contact with a pole end of a magnetical element, each of said linear pole pieces extending along the first of said walls and towards said door member in its closed position relative to said first wall, 3. a magnetical member secured to said door member the poles in its ends cooperatively acting with said pair of linear pole pieces when said door member is in its closed position, and means for energizing said electromagnet, said electromagnet and magnetical member being oriented when cooperatively acting with each other such that the magnetic flux of the magnetic system developed by said assembly lies in at least one of the planes normal to the horizontal plane through which the aircraft is traveling, substantially all the strength of such magnetic flux being concentrated or restricted to such normal plane or planes.

2. a pair of short linear pole pieces one end of each being physically attached to a respective end of said electromagnet and each having a planar face at its other end adapted for physical contact with a pole end of a magnetical element, each of said linear pole pieces extending along the first of said walls and towards said door member in its closed position relative to said first wall,

3. a magnetical member secured to said door member the poles in its ends cooperatively acting with said pair of linear pole pieces when said door member is in its closed position, and means for energizing said electromagnet, said electromagnet and magnetical member being oriented when cooperatively acting with each other such that the magnetic flux of the magnetic system developed by said assembly lies in at least one of the planes normal to the horizontal plane through which the aircraft is traveling, substantially all the strength of such magnetic flux being concentrated or restricted to such normal plane or planes.