Luggage compartment that can be lowered comprising a hydraulic cylinder locking mechanism

• US 7,726,606 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Graf, Oleg, Poberschnigg, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Michener; Joshua J
• Application Number:
  US10/514,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20050230541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,570 Days
• Field of Search: 109/73, 109/74, 293/363, 224/282, 224/311, 224/553, 224/118.5, 164/12, 164/29, 16 66- 70, 220/908, 312/242, 312/245, 312/246, 312/319.1, 312/319.2, 312/247, 493/39, 244/118.1, 244/118.5, 244/118.6, 267/64.12, 267/120
• US Class Current: 244/118.5
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/003 Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage

Abstract

The invention relates to a lowerable luggage compartment (10), in particular for a passenger aircraft, having a pneumatic pressure spring (16) connected to the luggage compartment. In order to be able to latch the luggage compartment (10) in an elegant manner in its closed position, the pneumatic pressure spring (16) is a rigidly blockable pneumatic pressure spring with an externally controllable valve for selectively opening or shutting off the hydraulic system of the pneumatic pressure spring, and the hydraulic system of the pneumatic pressure spring (16) is shut off by means of the valve in the closed position of the luggage compartment (10).

Claims

1. An overhead luggage compartment for aircraft, comprising:

an enclosure movable to an open position and a closed position;

a rigidly blockable pneumatic pressure spring coupled to said enclosure and operable to facilitate movement of said enclosure, said pneumatic pressure spring having a first condition wherein said enclosure is movable by a user-applied force on said enclosure between said open position and said closed position, and a second condition wherein said enclosure is locked by said pneumatic pressure spring against movement from said open position, said closed position, and any position between said open position and said closed position;

a handle that facilitates moving said enclosure between said closed position, said open position, and said intermediate position; and

a sensor associated with said handle and operable to place said pneumatic pressure spring in said first condition.

2. The luggage compartment of claim 1, wherein said pneumatic pressure spring is placed in said second condition when said enclosure is moved to said closed position.

3. Luggage compartment according to claim 1, characterized in that the pneumatic pressure spring (16) is disposed at the back of the luggage compartment (10).

4. Luggage compartment according to claim 3, characterized in that the pneumatic pressure spring (16) is disposed at least approximately in the middle of the back of the luggage compartment (10).

5. Luggage compartment according to claim 1, further comprising an electrically actuable valve associated with said pneumatic pressure spring and operable to switch said pneumatic pressure spring to and from said first and second conditions.

6. Luggage compartment according to claim 5, characterized in that the electrically actuable valve is actuated by an electric motor.

7. Luggage compartment according to claim 5, characterized in that a signal of a sensor, which detects the closed position of the luggage compartment (10), controls the electrically actuable valve into its shut-off position.

8. Luggage compartment according to claim 5, characterized in that the sensor detects actuation of the handle of the luggage compartment (10) and controls the electrically actuable valve into its open position.

9. Luggage compartment according to claim 8, characterized in that the sensor is provided in the handle region of the luggage compartment (10).

10. Luggage compartment according to claim 9, characterized in that the sensor is a contact surface.

11. Luggage compartment according to claim 10, characterized in that the contact surface is a touch-sensitive foil.

12. An overhead luggage compartment for aircraft, comprising:

an enclosure movable to an open position and a closed position;

a rigidly blockable pneumatic pressure spring coupled to said enclosure and operable to facilitate movement of said enclosure, said pneumatic pressure spring having a first condition wherein said enclosure is movable by a user-applied force on said enclosure between said open position and said closed position, and a second condition wherein said enclosure is locked by said pneumatic pressure spring against movement from said open position, said closed position, and any position between said open position and said closed position;

an electrically actuable valve associated with said pneumatic pressure spring and operable to switch said pneumatic pressure spring to and from said first and second conditions; and

a sensor provided in a handle region of the luggage compartment adapted to detect actuation of a handle of the luggage compartment to thereby control the electrically actuable valve to said first condition.

13. An overhead luggage compartment for aircraft, comprising:

an enclosure movable to an open position and a closed position;

a rigidly blockable pneumatic pressure spring coupled to said enclosure and operable to facilitate movement of said enclosure, said pneumatic pressure spring having a first condition wherein said enclosure is movable by a user-applied force on said enclosure between said open position and said closed position, and a second condition wherein said enclosure is locked by said pneumatic pressure spring against movement from said open position, said closed position, and any position between said open position and said closed position;

an electrically actuable valve associated with said pneumatic pressure spring and operable to switch said pneumatic pressure spring to and from said first and second conditions; and

a switch which interacts with a handle of the luggage compartment, the switch adapted to detect actuation of the handle of the luggage compartment to thereby control the electrically actuable valve to said first condition.