Modular passenger service units and assemblies thereof

• US 9,481,462 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yabora Industria Aeronautica S.A. (Embraer S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Embraer S.A.
• Inventors: Paulino, Amauri, Gomide, Sergio Luiz Abdalla, de Arruda, Gustavo Selofite, Ferreira, Nilmar Csar, dos Santos Ribeiro, Luciano, de Campos, Demtrio Andrade, Filho, Sergio Augusto Meireles, de Oliveira, Frederico Lara, de Albuquerque, Douglas Gonalves, Albino, Helio, Stein, Andr Duarte, da Silva, Luciano Ricardo Magalhes, Macdo, Ricardo Rosa, Priestman, Paul, Macinnes, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Xavier, Valentina
• Application Number:
  US14/455,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/14 for high-altitude aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/003 Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/00 Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space , or structural parts of the aircraft treatment rooms with artificial climate for medical purposes A61G10/02; respiratory apparatus in general A62B; for vehicles in general B60H
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0038 Illumination systems for cabins as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0046 Modular or preassembled units for creating cabin interior structures
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0053 Cabin passenger reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/003 Cabin ventilation nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2231/025 Oxygen masks; Mask storages; Features related to mask deployment

Abstract

Elongate passenger service unit (PSU) assemblies are comprised of a plurality of modular passenger service units, and a plurality of variable-length modular spacer units. The modular spacer units are positioned between the modular passenger service units in an end-to-end manner so as to provide a desired lengthwise array of the passenger service units along the PSU assembly. Transport category vehicles, e.g., aircraft, may thus be provided with inboard and outboard PSU assemblies. The passenger seats may be arranged in a latitudinally side-by-side arrangement and/or may be arranged in a longitudinally staggered arrangement. By providing variable length modular spacer units, therefore, the individual passenger service units may be arranged directly overhead of each passenger seat.

Claims

1. An elongate passenger service unit (PSU) assembly comprised of:

a plurality of modular passenger service units; and

a plurality of variable-length modular spacer units;

wherein

the modular spacer units have a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, and wherein

the modular spacer units are positioned between the modular passenger service units in an end-to-end manner in such a manner that the recessed edge receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit so as to provide a desired lengthwise array of the passenger service units along the PSU assembly.

2. The PSU assembly as in claim 1, further comprising at least one modular audio speaker unit having a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, wherein the at least one modular audio speaker unit is connected in an end-to-end manner with at least one of the modular passenger service units such that the recessed edge of the modular audio speaker unit receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit opposite to the recessed edge of the modular spacer unit.

3. The PSU assembly as in claim 1, further comprising at least one modular emergency oxygen component accommodating at least one emergency oxygen delivery system therewithin, the at least one modular emergency oxygen component having a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, wherein the at least one modular emergency oxygen delivery unit is connected in an end-to-end manner with at least one of the modular passenger service units such that the recessed edge of the emergency oxygen delivery unit receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit opposite to the recessed edge of the modular spacer unit.

4. The PSU assembly as in claim 3, comprising a plurality of modular emergency oxygen components of varying length, each respectively accommodating at least one emergency oxygen delivery system therewithin.

5. The PSU assembly as in claim 1, wherein each modular passenger safety unit comprises:

a light unit and a light switch to activate/deactivate the light unit;

an attendant call button; and

an air flow outlet diverter.

6. The PSU assembly as in claim 5, wherein the air flow outlet diverter comprises a plurality of pivotal vanes.

7. The PSU assembly as in claim 6, wherein each of the modular passenger service units comprises a recessed channel adjacent to the pivotal vanes to allow for manual manipulation thereof.

8. The PSU assembly as in claim 5, further comprising a perimeter light band which bounds the light unit, attendant call button and air flow diverter.

9. An aircraft comprising an interior cabin, passenger seats arranged side-by-side within the interior cabin, and parallel inboard and outboard PSU assemblies positioned overhead each of the passenger seats in a lengthwise direction of the interior cabin, wherein each of the PSU assemblies comprises:

a plurality of modular passenger service units; and

a plurality of variable-length modular spacer units;

wherein

the modular spacer units have a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, and wherein

the modular spacer units are positioned between the modular passenger service units in an end-to-end manner in such a manner that the recessed edge receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit so as to provide a desired lengthwise array of the passenger service units along the PSU assembly, and wherein

the passenger seats are latitudinally aligned with one another, and wherein the modular spacer units are positioned between the passenger service units so that adjacent ones of the passenger service units in the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies are latitudinally aligned with one another.

10. The aircraft as in claim 9, further comprising spacer panels positioned between the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies.

11. The aircraft as in claim 10, wherein the interior cabin further comprises overhead storage bins, wherein the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies are provided at a lower extent of the overhead storage bins.

12. The aircraft as in claim 11, wherein the interior cabin further comprises an overhead aisle lighting unit, wherein the overhead storage bins and the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies are positioned laterally of the overhead aisle lighting unit.

13. The aircraft in claim 9, wherein at least one of the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies further comprise at least one modular audio speaker unit having a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, wherein the at least one modular audio speaker unit is connected in an end-to-end manner with at least one of the modular passenger service units such that the recessed edge of the modular audio speaker unit receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit opposite to the recessed edge of the modular spacer unit.

14. The aircraft in claim 9, wherein at least one of the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies further comprise at least one modular emergency oxygen component accommodating at least one emergency oxygen delivery system therewithin, the at least one modular emergency oxygen component having a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, wherein the at least one modular emergency oxygen delivery unit is connected in an end-to-end manner with at least one of the modular passenger service units such that the recessed edge of the emergency oxygen delivery unit receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit opposite to the recessed edge of the modular spacer unit.

15. The aircraft as in claim 14, comprising a plurality of modular emergency oxygen components of varying length, each respectively accommodating at least one emergency oxygen delivery system therewithin.

16. The aircraft as in claim 9, wherein each modular passenger safety unit comprises:

a light unit and a light switch to activate/deactivate the light unit;

an attendant call button; and

an air flow outlet diverter.

17. The aircraft as in claim 16, wherein the air flow outlet diverter comprises a plurality of pivotal vanes.

18. The aircraft as in claim 17, wherein each of the modular passenger service units comprises a recessed channel adjacent to the pivotal vanes to allow for manual manipulation thereof.

19. The aircraft as in claim 16, further comprising a perimeter light band which bounds the light unit, attendant call button and air flow diverter.

20. An aircraft comprising an interior cabin, passenger seats arranged side-by-side within the interior cabin, and parallel inboard and outboard PSU assemblies positioned overhead each of the passenger seats in a lengthwise direction of the interior cabin, wherein each of the PSU assemblies comprises:

a plurality of modular passenger service units; and

a plurality of variable-length modular spacer units;

wherein

the modular spacer units have a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, and wherein

the modular spacer units are positioned between the modular passenger service units in an end-to-end manner in such a manner that the recessed edge receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit so as to provide a desired lengthwise array of the passenger service units along the PSU assembly, and wherein

the passenger seats are longitudinally staggered relative to one another, and wherein the modular spacer units are positioned between the passenger service units so that adjacent ones of the passenger service units in the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies longitudinally staggered with one another.

21. The aircraft as in claim 20, further comprising spacer panels positioned between the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies.

22. The aircraft as in claim 21, wherein the interior cabin further comprises overhead storage bins, wherein the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies are provided at a lower extent of the overhead storage bins.

23. The aircraft as in claim 22, wherein the interior cabin further comprises an overhead aisle lighting unit, wherein the overhead storage bins and the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies are positioned laterally of the overhead aisle lighting unit.

24. The aircraft in claim 20, wherein at least one of the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies further comprise at least one modular audio speaker unit having a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, wherein the at least one modular audio speaker unit is connected in an end-to-end manner with at least one of the modular passenger service units such that the recessed edge of the modular audio speaker unit receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit opposite to the recessed edge of the modular spacer unit.

25. The aircraft in claim 20, wherein at least one of the inboard and outboard PSU assemblies further comprise at least one modular emergency oxygen component accommodating at least one emergency oxygen delivery system therewithin, the at least one modular emergency oxygen component having a transverse edge and a recessed edge at respective opposite ends thereof, wherein the at least one modular emergency oxygen delivery unit is connected in an end-to-end manner with at least one of the modular passenger service units such that the recessed edge of the emergency oxygen delivery unit receives therein a respective edge region of a modular passenger service unit opposite to the recessed edge of the modular spacer unit.

26. The aircraft as in claim 25, comprising a plurality of modular emergency oxygen components of varying length, each respectively accommodating at least one emergency oxygen delivery system therewithin.

27. The aircraft as in claim 20, wherein each modular passenger safety unit comprises:

a light unit and a light switch to activate/deactivate the light unit;

an attendant call button; and

an air flow outlet diverter.

28. The aircraft as in claim 27, wherein the air flow outlet diverter comprises a plurality of pivotal vanes.

29. The aircraft as in claim 28, wherein each of the modular passenger service units comprises a recessed channel adjacent to the pivotal vanes to allow for manual manipulation thereof.

30. The aircraft as in claim 27, further comprising a perimeter light band which bounds the light unit, attendant call button and air flow diverter.