Device for adjusting the height of an assembly without the use of tools

• US 8,646,738 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Stoob, Melanie, Schmidt-Kortenbusch, Benedikt, Ischdonat, Nils, Bense, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Herring, Brent W
• Application Number:
  US12/778,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20100264269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 269/229, 269/217, 269/165, 248/188.4, 248/419, 248/420, 248/657
• US Class Current: 248/188.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/04 Galleys
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 7/00 Details of attaching or adjusting engine beds, frames, or supporting-legs on foundation or base; Attaching non-moving engine parts, e.g. cylinder blocks elastic or equivalent mounting for absorbing vibrations F16F, especially F16F15/04

Abstract

The invention relates to a device comprising a base plate and a support for adjusting the height of an assembly, in particular of a galley module in an aircraft, without using tools.

According to the invention, two opposing wedge bodies are arranged such that they can be displaced horizontally between the base plate and the support, the oppositely directed manual displacement of the two wedge bodies, when the lock levers have been raised, causes in the “adjusting position” a raising or lowering of the support for the height adjustment. The assembly is connected to the support, for example by a conventional screw connection through the attachment hole in the support.

The device according to the invention allows a user to perform a simple and rapid height adjustment of an assembly arranged thereon, thereby greatly reducing the assembly effort required for prefabricated assemblies or modules in aircraft.

Claims

1. A device comprising a base plate and a support for manually adjusting the height of an assembly characterised in that two opposing wedge bodies are arranged such that they can be guided displaceably for the height adjustment between the base plate and the support and the wedge bodies can be secured against displacements parallel to a longitudinal axis of the base plate and at least regions of an upper side of the substantially rectangular base plate have base plate teeth to secure the wedge bodies, wherein the device further comprises a lock lever which can be manually pivoted transversely to the longitudinal axis, wherein the lock lever is accommodated in each wedge body, at least regions of each lock lever having teeth in the region of a lower side, which teeth can be brought into meshing engagement with the base plate teeth by pivoting downwards, for securing the respective position of the wedge bodies, and wherein at least regions of the upper side of the base plate have a tongue which can be introduced into grooves arranged respectively in the region of lower sides of the wedge bodies such that each wedge body is guided displaceably parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base plate.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein each lock lever is pretensioned in each case by a spring to keep the respective lock lever teeth in meshing engagement with the base plate teeth and thus to secure the position of the wedge bodies on the base plate.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein each lock lever is pretensioned in each case by a cylindrical spring.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein each lock lever is secured by a securing means against pivoting upwards unintentionally and against the penetration of grime particles.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein each lock lever is secured by a stopper.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lock levers are each pivotally accommodated in a recess running transversely to the longitudinal axis in the associated wedge body, into which recess the securing means can be inserted when the lock lever is pivoted downwards.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a lower side of the support has two tongues which are inclined in opposite directions with respect to one another and which adjoin one another in the region of a centre line.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein a respective inclined groove is introduced into each upper side of a wedge body, said grooves being inclined in opposite directions and the inclination of the grooves corresponding to a respective inclination of the tongues of the support.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein a dovetailed groove is introduced into each upper side of a wedge body.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein a lower side of the support has two dovetailed tongues.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein opposing displacements of the wedge bodies parallel to the longitudinal axis result in a raising or lowering of the support parallel to a vertical axis.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the assembly can be connected to the support.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the assembly is a galley module in an aircraft.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least regions of the upper side of the base plate have a dovetailed tongue which can be introduced into dovetailed grooves.