Platform with adjustable support members

• US 8,813,430 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rees, Joseph W., Grip, Robert Erik, Droney, Christopher K., Beron-Rawdon, Deborah Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): KATCHEVES, BASIL S
• Application Number:
  US13/544,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20140007797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 52/7, 521/261, 521/264, 521/265, 521/266, 108/115, 108/169, 108/174, 108/171, 248/188, 248/188.2, 248/188.6
• US Class Current: 52/7
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0803 the legs rotating around a vertical axis A47B3/083, A47B3/087 and A47B3/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/16 with means for, or adapted for, inclining the legs of the table for varying the height of the top, e.g. with adjustable cross legs
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0601 Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0639 with features for adjustment or converting of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0046 Modular or preassembled units for creating cabin interior structures
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/126 Foldable, retractable or tiltable tribunes E04H3/123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a platform. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a set of support members associated with the structure, and a set of adjustment members. An adjustment member in the set of adjustment members is associated with a corresponding support member in the set of support members. The adjustment member is configured to adjust an angle between the corresponding support member and the structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a structure;

a set of support members comprising a first support member and a second support member, each support member comprising a respective first end associated with, and directly rotatably connected to, the structure; and

a set of adjustment members comprising a first adjustment member and a second adjustment member, the first adjustment member being associated with and longer than the first support member, the second adjustment member being associated with and longer than the second support member, each adjustment member being linear and configured with a connected end and a fastened end, each connected end being directly connected to a corresponding support member near a second end of the corresponding support member, each fastened end configured to fasten into one hole of a plurality of holes in the structure, and each adjustment member configured to adjust an angle between the corresponding support member and the structure, in a range from acute through obtuse, such that each support member may support the structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure, the set of support members, and the set of adjustment members form a modular unit in which the modular unit is one of a group of modular units configured to form a platform.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the platform is configured for use in an environment in which each support member in the set of support members for each modular unit in the group of modular units is configured to be attached to an environment surface of the environment.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a platform surface formed by a surface of the structure for each modular unit in the group of modular units connected together to form the platform is substantially parallel to the environment surface within selected tolerances.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises:

a first side in which a surface of the structure at the first side of the structure is substantially planar; and

a second side in which the set of support members is associated with the structure at the second side of the structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a set of connection mechanisms in which a connection mechanism in the set of connection mechanisms is configured to connect a corresponding adjustment member in the set of adjustment members to the structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connection mechanism comprises:

a structural element comprising the plurality of holes; and

a number of fasteners configured to connect the corresponding adjustment member to the hole in the plurality of holes, wherein each hole in the plurality of holes corresponds to a different value for the angle between the structure and the corresponding support member with which the corresponding adjustment member is associated.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connection mechanism comprises:

a structural element having an opening;

a sliding element configured to move in a direction along an axis within the opening of the structure, wherein a position of the sliding element within the opening of the structure determines the angle between the structure and the corresponding support member with which the corresponding adjustment member is associated; and

a number of fasteners configured to connect the corresponding adjustment member to the sliding element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structure is a first structure, the set of support members is a first set of support members, and the set of adjustment members is a first set of adjustment members and further comprising:

a second structure;

a second set of support members associated with the second structure; and

a second set of adjustment members in which a second adjustment member in the second set of adjustment members is associated with a second corresponding support member in the second set of support members and configured to adjust an angle between the corresponding support member and the second structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first structure, the first set of support members, and the first set of adjustment members form a first modular unit in a group of modular units and the second structure, the second set of support members, and the second set of adjustment members form a second modular unit in the group of modular units and wherein modular units in the group of modular units are connected to each other to form a platform having a platform surface that is substantially planar within selected tolerances.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the platform is configured to support a number of objects placed on the platform surface of the platform.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second end of at least one support member in the set of support members is configured to be attached to a corresponding fastening element on an environment surface of an environment.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the environment is selected from one of an interior of an aircraft, an interior of a space shuttle, an interior of a ship, an area on a deck of a ship, a storage space, and an interior of a container.

14. A platform comprising:

a group of modular units connected to each other, wherein each modular unit in the group of modular units comprises;

a structure;

a set of support members comprising a first support member and a second support member, each support member comprising a respective first end associated with, and directly connected to, the structure;

a set of adjustment members comprising a first adjustment member and a second adjustment member, the first adjustment member being associated with and longer than the first support member, the second adjustment member being associated with and longer than the second support member, each adjustment member being linear and configured with a connected end and a fastened end, each connected end being directly connected to a corresponding support member, near a second end of the corresponding support member, each fastened end configured to fasten into one hole of a plurality of holes in the structure, and each adjustment member configured to adjust an angle between the corresponding support member and the structure in a range from acute through obtuse, each support member configured to support the structure; and

a platform surface formed by the group of modular units in which the platform surface is substantially planar within selected tolerances.

15. The platform of claim 14, wherein a modular unit in the group of modular units is configured to be connected to at least one other modular unit in the group of modular units.

16. The platform of claim 14, wherein a number of support members in the set of support members for a first modular unit in the group of modular units is different from number of support members in the set of support members for a second modular unit in the group of modular units.

17. A method for assembling a platform, the method comprising:

positioning a modular unit relative to an environment surface of an environment, wherein the modular unit comprises a structure, a set of support members associated with the structure, and a set of adjustment members, such that the support members are directly and rotatably connected to the structure;

adjusting an angle between a support member in the set of support members and the structure using an adjustment member in the set of adjustment members associated with the support member, the adjustment member being;

linear and longer than the support member, and comprising a connected end and a fastened end, the connected end being directly connected to a corresponding support member, near a second end of the corresponding support member, the fastened end configured to fasten into one hole of a plurality of holes in the structure, the support member configured to support the structure, and each adjustment member configured to adjust an angle between the corresponding support member and the structure in a range from acute through obtuse; and

attaching the support member to the environment surface of the environment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of adjusting the angle between the support member in the set of support members and the structure using the adjustment member in the set of adjustment members associated with the support member comprises:

adjusting the angle between the support member in the set of support members and the structure using the adjustment member in the set of adjustment members associated with the support member such that an end of the support member is positioned at a location of a fastening element on the environment surface of the environment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of adjusting the angle between the support member in the set of support members and the structure using the adjustment member in the set of adjustment members associated with the support member comprises:

adjusting the angle between the support member in the set of support members and the structure using the adjustment member in the set of adjustment members associated with the support member and a connection mechanism in which the connection mechanism is configured to connect the adjustment member to the structure.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the modular unit is a first modular unit, the set of support members is a first set of support members, and the set of adjustment members is a first set of adjustment members and further comprising:

connecting a second modular unit to the first modular unit to form the platform, wherein the second modular unit comprises a second structure, a second set of support members associated with the structure, and a second set of adjustment members;

adjusting a second angle between a second support member in the second set of support members and the second structure using a second adjustment member in the second set of adjustment members associated with the support member in the second set of support members, wherein the platform has a platform surface that is substantially planar within selected tolerances; and

attaching the support member in the second set of support members to the environment surface of the environment, wherein the platform surface is substantially parallel to the environment surface within selected tolerances.