Rail system for seat assembly in an aircraft

• US 9,834,299 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Hanna, Klaus, Bruno, Daniele, Kriewall, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Hara, Brian M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Keith L
• Application Number:
  US14/613,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20150225067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 244122 R
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0418 Covers or lids; Their fastenings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0437 Channels
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/385 in modular floors, e.g. access floors

Abstract

A rail system, in particular for assembling or fastening seats in an aircraft, includes an assembly rail, in particular a seat rail for assembling or fastening a seat, a first panel, in particular a first floor panel for arrangement next to and substantially in parallel with the assembly rail, at least one cover element which is movable for covering the assembly rail, and a levelling device for levelling the upper surface of the first panel, in particular for levelling a recess or depression in said panel when the at least one cover element covers the assembly rail.

Claims

1. A rail system, in particular for assembling or fastening seats in an aircraft, comprising:

an assembly rail;

a first panel;

at least one cover element which is movable for covering the assembly rail; and

a levelling device for levelling a surface of the first panel, when the at least one cover element covers the assembly rail,

wherein the levelling device has an actuating mechanism for moving a filler element into a filling position,

wherein the actuating mechanism comprises a screw element, rotation of which is used to bring about a movement of the filler element along a thread axis of the screw element.

2. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the levelling device comprises a filler element in the first panel, which filler element is movable for filling a recess or depression in the first panel when the cover element covers the assembly rail.

3. The rail system according to claim 2, wherein the filler element can be moved out of an inactive position in the first panel into the filling position in order to level the recess or depression, wherein, in the filling position, an upper surface of the filler element is located substantially in a plane with the surface of the first panel.

4. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cover element is movable between a first position in or on the first panel and a second position for covering the assembly rail, wherein an upper surface of the at least one cover element in the second position is located substantially in a plane with a surface of the first panel and merges in a planar manner and substantially smoothly into the surface of the first panel.

5. The rail system according to claim 4, wherein, in the first position, the at least one cover element is received in a recess in or on the first panel.

6. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cover element is movable pivotally for covering the assembly rail.

7. The rail system according to claim 6, wherein the at least one cover element is movable pivotally through an angle of 180°

.

8. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cover element is configured as a rigid or semi-rigid flap, tab, plate or sheet.

9. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the first panel has a plurality of cover elements which are arranged in a row next to one another along and next to the assembly rail, wherein the assembly rail has a plurality of fastening points arranged at regular intervals, and wherein each cover element is arranged in order to cover a respective fastening point.

10. The rail system according to claim 9, wherein a second panel is a second floor panel for arrangement next to and substantially in parallel with both the assembly rail and the first panel on one side of the assembly rail opposite the first panel.

11. The rail system according to claim 1, comprising a second panel, such that a surface of the second panel is substantially in the plane with the surface of the first panel.

12. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly rail has a projection for supporting a peripheral region of the first panel, and wherein the at least one cover element is attached to the peripheral region of the first panel.

13. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly rail comprises a duct for guiding a cabling system, and wherein the at least one cover element also covers the duct in the second position.

14. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly rail is a seat rail for assembling or fastening a seat in an aircraft, and

wherein the first panel is a first floor panel for arrangement next to and substantially in parallel with the assembly rail.

15. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the levelling device is used for levelling a recess or depression in the first panel, when the at least one cover element covers the assembly rail.

16. The rail system according to claim 4, wherein, in the first position, an upper surface of the at least one cover element is located substantially in a plane with an upper surface of the first panel.

17. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cover element is displaceable.

18. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the system has a holder mechanism by which the at least one cover element is held in at least one position for covering the assembly rail.

19. The rail system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cover element is pretensioned into a position by a spring element.