Airplane floor assembly

• US 7,938,362 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Westre, Willard N., Buchan, Stuart M., Kismarton, Max U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xavier; Valentina
• Application Number:
  US11/358,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 244/117.R, 244/118.5, 244/119, 244/133
• US Class Current: 244/117.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/18 Floors
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to airplane floor assemblies and to methods for their assembly. In one embodiment, an airplane comprises at least one fuselage section and at least one floor section. At least one system component is installed to the floor section prior to installation of the floor section in the fuselage of the airplane. In another embodiment, a floor section adapted to be installed in an airplane includes at least one system component installed to the floor section while it is outside of the airplane. In yet another embodiment, a method is disclosed for assembling an airplane. The method comprises installing at least one system component to a floor section, and installing the floor section into a fuselage section of the airplane.

Claims

1. A method for assembling an airplane comprising:

installing at least one system component to a floor section; and

installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane;

said floor section installed such that said at least one system component is capable of being accessed by a worker positioned below said floor section, said access provided from underneath at least one door attached in a bottom portion of said floor section, said bottom portion of said floor section below a top portion of the floor section comprising said floor section, said at least one system component above said at least one door.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing said system component to said floor section takes place before the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section comprises installing three floor sections into said fuselage section of said airplane.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said system component comprises at least one of a flight control, a seat, an instrument panel, an electronic box, a duct, and a wire.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section is accomplished using a work-station outside of the airplane.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein during the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section, said floor section is rotated into one or more positions outside of said airplane to install said system component to said floor section outside of said airplane.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a height of said fuselage section is greater than a width of said fuselage section to allow said floor section to be installed into said fuselage section.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane comprises orienting said floor section substantially vertically within said fuselage section and then rotating said floor section into a substantially horizontal position within said fuselage section.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing at least one system component in said bottom portion of said floor section.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing at least one system component between two floor beams in said bottom portion of said floor section.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said floor section comprises a top-layer skin, a bottom layer skin disposed below the top-layer skin, and a first structural core disposed between the top-layer skin and the bottom layer skin.

12. The airplane of claim 11 wherein the first structural core comprises a honeycomb composite material.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane comprises bolting said floor section to said fuselage section.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing a plurality of system components throughout said floor section.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said floor section is at least 20 feet wide and 60 feet long.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing equipment to said floor section, installing wiring to said floor section, and installing boxes to said floor section.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said system component is installed to said floor section using at least one of a bolt, a bracket, a hinge, and a clip.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of attaching flight control and seats to a top of said floor section before the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane.

19. A method for assembling an airplane comprising:

installing at least one system component to a floor section; and

installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane;

said floor section installed such that said at least one system component is capable of being accessed by a worker positioned below said floor section, said access provided from underneath at least one door attached in a bottom portion of said floor section, said bottom portion of said floor section below a top portion of the floor section comprising said floor section, said at least one system component above said at least one door;

said installing the floor section comprising orienting said floor section substantially vertically within said fuselage section and then rotating said floor section into a substantially horizontal position within said fuselage section;

accessing said at least one system component by said worker positioned below said floor section.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing said system component to said floor section takes place before the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section comprises installing three floor sections into said fuselage section of said airplane.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said system component comprises at least one of a flight control, a seat, an instrument panel, an electronic box, a duct, and a wire.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section is accomplished using a work-station outside of the airplane.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein during the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section, said floor section is rotated into one or more positions outside of said airplane to install said system component to said floor section outside of said airplane.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein a height of said fuselage section is greater than a width of said fuselage section to allow said floor section to be installed into said fuselage section.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing at least one system component in said bottom portion of said floor section.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing at least one system component between two floor beams in said bottom portion of said floor section.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein said floor section comprises a top-layer skin, a bottom layer skin disposed below the top-layer skin, and a first structural core disposed between the top-layer skin and the bottom layer skin.

29. The airplane of claim 28 wherein the first structural core comprises a honeycomb composite material.

30. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane comprises bolting said floor section to said fuselage section.

31. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing a plurality of system components throughout said floor section.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein said floor section is at least 20 feet wide and 60 feet long.

33. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of installing at least one system component to a floor section comprises installing equipment to said floor section, installing wiring to said floor section, and installing boxes to said floor section.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein said system component is installed to said floor section using at least one of a bolt, a bracket, a hinge, and a clip.

35. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of attaching flight control and seats to a top of said floor section before the step of installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane.

36. A method for assembling an airplane comprising;

installing at least one system component to a floor section; and

installing the floor section into a fuselage section of said airplane;

said floor section installed such that said at least one system component is capable of being accessed by a worker positioned below said floor section;

wherein at least one door is attached in a bottom portion of said floor section to allow said accessing said system component from underneath said at least one door by said worker positioned below said floor section, said bottom portion of said floor section below a top portion of the floor section comprising said floor section, said at least one system component above said at least one door;

said installing the floor section comprising orienting said floor section substantially vertically within said fuselage section and then rotating said floor section into a substantially horizontal position within said fuselage section.