Electronic flight bag mounting system

• US 8,701,953 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertex Aerospace, LLC
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Bopp, Jayson K., Palmer, Sarah L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Larson, Justin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vanterpool, Lester L
• Application Number:
  US12/576,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 224/553, 224/563, 224/547, 224/548, 224/483, 248/289.11, 248/290.1, 248/282.1, 248/299.1, 248/292.14, 248/288.31, 248/922
• US Class Current: 224/547
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0052 using screws, bolts, rivets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0075 Adaptations for use of electronic flight bags in aircraft; Supports therefor in the cockpit
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic flight bag mounting system a cockpit mounting member coupled to an electronic flight bag mounting member. The cockpit mounting member is configured to mount to a cockpit of an aircraft, while the electronic flight bag mounting member is configured to be coupled to an electronic flight bag. The electronic flight bag mounting member is movable from a deployed position in which a display of the electronic flight bag faces a cockpit seat configured in the cockpit to a storage position in which the electronic flight bag faces away from the cockpit seat.

Claims

1. An electronic flight bag mounting system comprising:

a cockpit mounting member operable to mount to a console configured in the cockpit of an aircraft; and

an electronic flight bag mounting member operable to mount to an electronic flight bag and releasably coupled to the cockpit mounting member through two or more coaxially-aligned pins of a plurality of pins, the electronic flight bag mounting member rotatable along a vertical axis formed by the two or more coaxially-aligned pins from a deployed position in which the display of the electronic flight bag faces a cockpit seat configured in the cockpit to a storage position in which the electronic flight bag faces away from the cockpit seat;

wherein the electronic flight bag mounting member is removable from the cockpit mounting member by removal of another one of the plurality of pins from holes in both the cockpit mounting member and the electronic flight bag mounting member; and

wherein the removal of the another one of the plurality of pins from holes in both the cockpit mounting member and the electronic flight bag mounting member enables rotation of the electronic flight bag mounting member about the vertical axis, relative to the cockpit mounting member.

2. An electronic flight bag mounting system comprising:

a cockpit mounting member operable to mount to a cockpit of an aircraft;

an electronic flight bag mounting member coupled to the cockpit mounting member and operable to mount to an electronic flight bag, the electronic flight bag mounting member movable from a deployed position in which the display of the electronic flight bag faces a cockpit seat configured in the cockpit to a storage position in which the electronic flight bag faces away from the cockpit seat; and

pins that couple the cockpit mounting member to the electronic flight bag mounting member;

wherein the pins include;

a pair of coaxially-aligned hinge pins that define an axis about which the electronic flight bag mounting member is rotatable, relative to the cockpit mounting member, from the deployed position to the storage position; and

a quick release pin that is removable from holes in both the cockpit mounting member and the electronic flight bag mounting member, to enable rotation of the electronic flight bag mounting member, relative to the cockpit mounting member, while the hinge pins still couple the cockpit mounting member to the electronic flight bag mounting member.

3. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, wherein the electronic flight bag mounting member is separable from the cockpit mounting member by disengagement of the hinge pins from one of the electronic flight bag mounting member or the cockpit mounting member.

4. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, wherein the deployed position comprises a plurality of angular orientations relative to the cockpit seat such that the electronic flight bag mounting member is adjustable to any one of the plurality of angular orientations.

5. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, wherein the axis is oriented vertically such that the electronic flight bag is rotated horizontally.

6. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, wherein the electronic flight bag mounting member comprises a plate having a plurality of holes arranged in a spaced apart pattern corresponding to a bolt pattern of a plurality of female studs configured in the electronic flight bag, the electronic flight bag mounting member mounted to the electronic flight bag using fasteners that extend through the plurality of holes and secured to the plurality of female studs.

7. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, wherein the cockpit mounting member comprises a plate having a plurality of holes arranged in a spaced apart pattern corresponding to a bolt pattern of a plurality of female studs configured in the cockpit, the cockpit mounting member mounted to the cockpit using fasteners that extend through the plurality of holes and secured to the plurality of female studs.

8. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, wherein the cockpit mounting member is configured to secure the cockpit mounting member to a console of the cockpit.

18. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, further including a plurality of radially aligned holes in the cockpit mounting member, the plurality of radially aligned holes positioned to insertably receive the quick release pin, thereby maintaining the electronic flight bag in any one of a plurality of orientations relative to the cockpit seat.

19. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 18, wherein removal of the quick release pin from the plurality of radially aligned holes allows the electronic flight bag to be moved to another of the plurality of orientations relative to the cockpit seat.

20. The electronic flight bag mounting system of claim 2, wherein the pins further include a guide pin that rests within a slot in one of the members to guide the rotation of the electronic flight bag mounting member relative to the cockpit mounting member.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a cockpit mounting member configured to mount to a cockpit of an aircraft;

an electronic flight bag mounted to an electronic flight bag mounting member, the electronic flight bag mounting member coupled to the cockpit mounting member and movable from a deployed position in which the display of the electronic flight bag faces a cockpit seat configured in the cockpit to a storage position in which the electronic flight bag faces away from the cockpit seat; and

pins that couple the cockpit mounting member to the electronic flight bag mounting member;

wherein the pins include;

a pair of coaxially-aligned hinge pins that define an axis about which the electronic flight bag mounting member is rotatable, relative to the cockpit mounting member, from the deployed position to the storage position; and

a quick release pin that is removable from holes in both the cockpit mounting member and the electronic flight bag mounting member, to enable rotation of the electronic flight bag mounting member, relative to the cockpit mounting member, while the hinge pins still couple the cockpit mounting member to the electronic flight bag mounting member.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electronic flight bag mounting member is separable from the cockpit mounting member by disengagement of the hinge pins from one of the electronic flight bag mounting member or the cockpit mounting member.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the deployed position comprises a plurality of angular orientations relative to the cockpit seat such that the electronic flight bag mounting member is adjustable to any one of the plurality of angular orientations.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the axis is oriented vertically such that the electronic flight bag is rotated horizontally.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electronic flight bag mounting member comprises a plate having a plurality of holes arranged in a spaced apart pattern corresponding to a bolt pattern of a plurality of female studs configured in the electronic flight bag, the electronic flight bag mounting member mounted to the electronic flight bag using fasteners that extend through the plurality of holes and secured to the plurality of female studs.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cockpit mounting member comprises a plate having a plurality of holes arranged in a spaced apart pattern corresponding to a bolt pattern of a plurality of female studs configured in the cockpit, the cockpit mounting member mounted to the cockpit using fasteners that extend through the plurality of holes and secured to the plurality of female studs.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cockpit mounting member is configured to secure the cockpit mounting member to a console of the cockpit.

21. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pins further include a guide pin that rests within a slot in one of the members to guide the rotation of the electronic flight bag mounting member relative to the cockpit mounting member.

16. An electronic flight bag mounting system comprising:

a cockpit mounting member operable to mount to a cockpit of an aircraft;

an electronic flight bag mounting member coupled to the cockpit mounting member and operable to mount to an electronic flight bag, the electronic flight bag mounting member movable from a deployed position in which the display of the electronic flight bag faces a cockpit seat configured in the cockpit to a storage position in which the electronic flight bag faces away from the cockpit seat; and

one or more pins that couple the cockpit mounting member to the electronic flight bag mounting member;

wherein the cockpit mounting member has an arc-shaped slot therein for slideably receiving one or more pins of the electronic flight bag mounting member and allowing for movement of the one or more pins in the slot during movement of the electronic flight bag mounting member from the deployed position to the storage position.

17. An electronic flight bag mounting system comprising:

a cockpit mounting member operable to mount to a cockpit of an aircraft;

an electronic flight bag mounting member coupled to the cockpit mounting member and operable to mount to an electronic flight bag, the electronic flight bag mounting member movable from a deployed position in which the display of the electronic flight bag faces a cockpit seat configured in the cockpit to a storage position in which the electronic flight bag faces away from the cockpit seat; and

one or more pins that couple the cockpit mounting member to the electronic flight bag mounting member;

wherein the cockpit mounting member has a slot therein for slideably receiving another of the one or more pins of the electronic flight bag mounting member and allowing for circumferential movement of the another of the one or more pins in the slot, the circumferential movement through an arc of a circle having a center defined by one of the one or more pins.