Floor system for a vehicle and a vehicle having a cabin and a floor made by such a floor system

• US 9,887,586 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Schomacker, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Brian K
• Application Number:
  US14/472,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20150061380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 307 91
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 17/00 Construction details of vehicle bodies for tank wagons B61D5/00; for hopper cars B61D7/00; body details specially adapted for tipping wagons B61D9/06; for mine cars B61D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/00 Vessels parts, details, or accessories, not otherwise provided for vehicle fittings for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles in general B60R25/00; propeller guards, line cutters or other means for protecting propellers or rudders B63H5/165; protection of power legs of outboard propulsion units B63H20/36; locking devices for boats, surfboards or parts or accessories thereof E05B73/007
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/18 Floors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2001/0072 from composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/42 Arrangements or adaptations of power supply systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/383 in floors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A floor system for a vehicle is provided. The floor system includes at least one floor panel having a top surface, a bottom surface and a first recess extending through the top surface, at least one primary coil device having at least one primary coil and a connection line, and at least one cover plate. The at least one primary coil device is positioned inside the first recess and the at least one cover plate is located in the recess above the at least one primary coil device so as to close the first recess flush with the top surface. It is possible to provide the at least one floor panel made from a carbon fiber reinforced material as it cannot electrically shield the at least one primary coil to a space above the top surface, when the at least one cover plate is made from a non-conductive material.

Claims

1. A floor system for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one floor panel having a top surface, a bottom surface and a first recess extending through the top surface and the bottom surface,

at least one primary coil device having at least one primary coil and a connection line,

at least one cover plate, and

a conduit raceway,

wherein the conduit raceway is installed at the bottom surface extending away from the top surface,

wherein the at least one primary coil device is positioned inside the first recess and the at least one cover plate is located in the first recess above the at least one primary coil device so as to close the first recess flush with the top surface, the at least one floor panel is made from a carbon fibre reinforced material and the at least one cover plate is made from a non-conductive material,

wherein the first recess includes sides that are inclined, such that the width of the first recess is larger at the top surface than at the bottom surface, and

wherein the at least one primary coil device comprises a bracket, which has inclined side faces corresponding to the side faces of the first recess, such that the bracket holds the primary coil device in place above the conduit raceway through a positive connection with the side faces of the first recess.

2. The floor system of claim 1,

wherein the first recess has an elongate shape and is designed for carrying a plurality of primary coil devices.

3. The floor system of claim 2,

wherein the first recess has a plurality of grid means that are distributed along the first recess at a predetermined distance to each other.

4. The floor system of claim 1, wherein the at least one primary coil device comprises a plurality of primary coils.

5. The floor system of claim 4, wherein the at least one primary coil device comprises an elongate shape with a length that equals a minimum seat row distance in a cabin of the vehicle.

6. The floor system of claim 1, wherein the connection line of the at least one primary coil device is connected to a central control unit.

7. The floor system of claim 1, wherein the at least one primary coil device includes single primary coils or groups of primary coils, and the single primary coils or groups of primary coils are connected to an individual decentralized control unit.

8. The floor system of claim 1,

wherein the cover plate is made from a glass fibre reinforced plastic material.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

a cabin with a floor made by a floor system, the floor system including at least one floor panel having a top surface, a bottom surface and a first recess extending at least through the top surface; and

at least one contactless power and data transfer system including at least one primary coil device having at least one primary coil and a connection line, the at least one primary coil device positioned inside the first recess,

wherein at least one cover plate is located in the first recess above the at least one primary coil device so as to close the first recess flush with the top surface,

wherein the first recess includes inclined sides, such that the width of the first recess is larger at the top surface than at the bottom surface, and

wherein the at least one primary coil device comprises a bracket, which has inclined side faces corresponding to the side faces of the first recess, such that the bracket holds the primary coil device in place above a conduit raceway through a positive connection with the side faces of the first recess.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a conduit raceway,

wherein the first recess extends through the bottom surface and the conduit raceway is installed at the bottom surface.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first recess includes sides having faces, and the at least one primary coil device comprises a bracket, which is insertable between the faces of the sides of the first recess underneath the top surface.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first recess has an elongate shape and is designed for carrying a plurality of primary coil devices.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first recess has a plurality of grid means that are distributed along the first recess at a predetermined distance to each other.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first recess includes sides and the sides of the first recess are inclined.

16. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the at least one primary coil device comprises a plurality of primary coils.