Storage device and method for storing video monitoring equipment for airliner

• US 5,145,128 A
• Filed: 08/29/1991
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JAMCO Corporation
• Original Assignee: JAMCO Corporation
• Inventors: Umeda, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Basinger, Sherman D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARQUIS, LISSI MOJICA
• Application Number:
  US07/751,886
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.5, 244/129.1, 244/1 R, 244/118.6, 248/917, 248/918, 60/527, 60/528, 312/7.2, 267/154, 267/182
• US Class Current: 244/118.5
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00153 Monitors mounted on or in the seat other than the seat back
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A storage section for storing a video monitoring equipment for an airliner and the video monitoring equipment which moves to a visible position are connected by two long cylindrical springs. One of the springs is urged in the direction of the storage section of the airframe. The other spring is made of a shape-memory alloy on which a specific shape is memorized in heated condition. When the second spring is heated and takes the specific shape, the video monitoring equipment is moved to the visible position together with the move of the second spring going against the urging force of the first spring. When the heating of the second spring is stopped, the video monitoring equipment is moved to the storage section along with the movement of the first spring by the urging force of the first spring.

Claims

1. A storage device for an airliner for storing video monitoring equipment and for moving said video monitoring equipment between a position visible to passengers and a storage section of an airframe for storage, comprising:

a first spring having a first end fixed to the airframe side and a second end fixed to a video monitor between the storage section in a side of the airframe and the video monitoring equipment, said first spring being a long cylindrical spring and being urged in the direction of said airframe side;

a second spring made of a shape-memory alloy which returns to a specific memorized shape when it is heated, a first end of said second spring being fixed to said airframe side and a second end being fixed to said video monitoring equipment;

a first means for moving said video monitoring equipment to said visible position by causing said second spring to return to said memorized shape by heating said second spring; and

a second means for moving said video monitoring equipment to said storage side of said airframe by means of an urging force of said first spring halting said heating of said second spring.

10. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 1, wherein said video monitoring equipment is stored in a ceiling of an airframe.

11. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 1, wherein said video monitoring equipment is light in weight and uses liquid crystal.

12. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 1, wherein said video monitoring equipment is stored in a casing having a window hole that approximately corresponds to a video screen of said video monitoring equipment.

13. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 1, wherein said second spring is connected to a power source used by said video monitoring equipment, and a temperature of said second spring rises due to thermal resistance thereof at the same time when said video monitoring equipment starts to operate.

14. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 1, wherein said video monitoring equipment is stored in the storage section in a bottom plate of a storage box.

2. A method for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner, wherein the video monitoring equipment which is set in a position visible to passengers within the airliner is moved to a storage position in a side of an airframe, wherein said video monitoring equipment comprises first and second springs that connect said airframe side and said video monitoring equipment, said first spring being urged in a direction of contraction and said second spring constructed of a shape-memory alloy which has memorized a specific shape when it is heated, comprising the steps of:

setting said video monitoring equipment in a visible position when said second spring takes said specific shape and setting said video monitoring equipment in said storage position when said first spring contracts;

heating said second spring with electric power fed to said video monitoring equipment, causing said second spring to return to said memorized specific shape to move said video monitoring equipment to said visible position; and

stopping the operation of said video monitoring equipment when the power is switched off and moving said video monitoring equipment to said storage position by an urging force of said first spring.

3. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner, comprising:

said video monitoring equipment disposed turnably from a storage position to a visible position through an intermediary mounting shaft for affixing said video monitoring equipment to a storage section of said video monitoring equipment installed in appropriate places of an airframe;

a first spring having a first end fixed to said airframe and having a second end fixed to said video monitoring equipment, wherein said first spring is urged in a direction of contraction;

a second spring having a first end fixed to said airframe and having a second end fixed to said video monitoring equipment, wherein said second spring is made of a shape-memory alloy memorizing a shape in which said second end is turned when it is heated;

wherein said second spring turns to said memorized shape when it is heated to move said video monitoring equipment to said visible position; and

wherein said first spring contracts when the heating of said second spring is stopped to move said video monitoring equipment to be stored in said storage section.

5. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 3, wherein said first spring is a long cylindrical spring wherein said first and said second ends are bent in a right angle to each other in the same direction and in the same plane.

6. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 3, wherein said second spring has a long cylindrical shape causing martensite transformation, wherein said first and said second ends are bent in a right angle to each other, wherein a first bent portion memorizes a shape in which it is turned 90°

in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said second spring.

4. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner, comprising:

a pair of fixed rails fixed within a storage section of the video monitoring equipment installed in appropriate places of an airframe;

video monitoring equipment on which moving rails are fixed that slide by being guided by said pair of fixed rails;

a first spring disposed between said pair of fixed rails and said video monitoring equipment, having a first end fixed to an upper end of one of said fixed rails and having a second end connected to said video monitoring equipment, wherein said first spring is urged in a direction of contraction;

a second spring made of shape-memory alloy, having a first end fixed to said upper end of one of said fixed rails and having a second end connected to said video monitoring equipment, wherein said second spring memorizes a shape where both first and second ends are opened;

wherein said video monitoring equipment slides to a visible position by being guided by said pair of fixed rails when said second spring returns to said memorized shape where both first and second ends are opened when it is heated; and

said video monitoring equipment slides to said storage section by being guided by said pair of fixed rails when the heating of said second spring is stopped and said first spring contracts.

7. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 4, wherein said first shape is urged in a direction of contracting both said first and second ends thereof.

8. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 4, wherein said second spring has a long cylindrical shape causing martensite transformation and memorizing a shape in which both said first and second ends thereof are opened when heated.

9. A storage device for storing video monitoring equipment for an airliner according to claim 4, wherein said moving rails of said video monitoring equipment are slidably mounted to said pair of fixed rails through an intermediate retainer having bearings.