DE102007016530B4 - Cleaning device for an aircraft seat - Google Patents

Abstract

Cleaning device for cleaning seat rails for an aircraft; wherein the cleaning device comprises: a cleaning member (2) and a mounting portion (7); wherein the mounting area (7) for exchangeably securing the cleaning device (1) is arranged on a seat base element (5) inserted in a seat rail (3); wherein the mounting area (7) is adaptable to the seat foot element (5) such that a surface shape of the mounting area (7) coincides with a mounting surface shape (8) of the seat foot element (5); wherein the cleaning device (1) in a guide groove (4) of the seat rail (3) is movable and with the cleaning element (2) in the guide groove (4) of the seat rail (3) is arranged, that the cleaning element (2) flush with a Inside the guide groove (4) can be applied.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning seat rails for an aircraft, a seat system for an aircraft and an aircraft with a seat system.

Background of the invention

In today's passenger aircraft, the seats are fastened via seat feet with the aircraft structure or the aircraft floor. For faster redesign of the cabin layout, the seat feet are attached to a seat rail, which runs in the longitudinal direction of the fuselage.

When moving the seats, care must be taken to ensure that the seat rails are not too heavily soiled to avoid abrasion and wear due to movement.

The DE 43 33 552 A1 discloses a rail guide for sliding elements such as benches in motorhomes and caravans, with at least two approximately U-shaped in cross-section and spaced to be arranged guide rails in which arranged on the elements by means of sliding rollers guided guide elements are arranged displaceably in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail.

Presentation of the invention

It is the object of the present invention to enable cleaning of a seat rail while providing a weight-saving device.

The object is achieved by a cleaning device for cleaning seat rails for an aircraft, a seat system for an aircraft and an aircraft with a seat system having the features according to the independent patent claims.

According to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, a cleaning device for cleaning seat rails for an aircraft is provided. The cleaning device has a cleaning element. The cleaning device is set up such that the cleaning device can be moved in a guide groove of the seat rail. The cleaning device with the cleaning element is set up in the guide groove of the seat rail such that the cleaning element can be placed flush against an inner side of the guide groove.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a seating system for an aircraft is provided. The seating system comprises a seat foot element and a cleaning device described above. The seat foot member is configured to secure a seat to the seat rail. The seat foot element is arranged movable along the seat rail. The cleaning device is connected to the Sitzfußelement such that the cleaning device is movable in a guide groove of the seat rail. The cleaning device is configured with the cleaning element in the guide groove of the seat rail, that the cleaning element is flush with an inner side of the guide groove can be applied.

According to another exemplary embodiment, an aircraft is provided with the seat system described above.

With the present invention, a cleaning device is provided, which makes it possible during the process of a seat element to solve the dirt in the guide rail located and clean the seat rail thereby. In today's passenger aircraft, for example, the consumption of food by the passengers or due to maintenance often leads to heavy soiling in the seat rail. When moving the seat feet along the seat rail blockages often occur due to the contamination. Furthermore, the dirt causes a strong abrasion.

The cleaning device makes it possible to automatically and automatically during the movement or Entlangfahren in a guide groove of the seat rail to solve the dirt and to convey to the outside. In this case, a cleaning element, such as a brush or a small plate, is flush with an inner side of the guide groove and scrape off during the process in the seat rail, the dirt adhering to the inside.

This makes it possible to automatically and automatically clean during the movement without additional effort, so that the changeover times of a cabin layout and also the mounting of seat elements in an aircraft cabin can be accelerated. A tilting of the seat when moving due to heavy soiling can therefore also be prevented.

According to the invention, the cleaning device can be exchangeably fastened to a seat foot element. The cleaning device can thus be replaced quickly and flexibly. Thus, existing Sitzfußelemente can be quickly retrofitted by the cleaning device and also a replacement of the cleaning device in case of failure, for example due to wear, quickly be resolved. The cleaning device can be fixed in the direction of travel at the front and rear of the seat foot element, so that, for example, a plurality of cleaning devices can be attached to a single seat foot element. Thus, a better cleaning can be provided. Due to the interchangeability of the cleaning device on the seat foot there is also the possibility that a variety of different cleaning devices can be mounted for a variety of Sitzfußelementen so that subsequently to the existing Sitzfußelemente a cleaning device according to the invention can be attached.

According to the invention, the cleaning device has an assembly area. The mounting area is set up to fix the cleaning device to the seat foot element. The mounting area is adaptable to the seat foot element such that a surface shape of the mounting area coincides with a mounting surface shape of the seat foot element. Thus, the cleaning device can be adapted to a variety of different standard seat foot elements. In today's commercial aircraft various standard seat feet are used, which have different connection areas or mounting surfaces. Each cleaning device can be adapted with its mounting area to certain standardized Sitzfußelemente or mounting surface shapes of Sitzfußelementen so that each inserted seat or each Fußfußelement can be equipped with the cleaning device.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the cleaning element is exchangeable. Since the cleaning element constantly slides over the dirty areas to solve this, it can lead to signs of wear on the cleaning element. The cleaning element may be interchangeably attached to the cleaning device, thereby allowing rapid replacement without having to replace the entire device. Thus, a quick maintenance can be enabled.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the cleaning device has a counter-pressure element. The counter-pressure element is set up to hold the cleaning element in flush contact with a contour of the inside of the guide groove by means of a pressure force. Seat rails often have recesses in which, for example, a fastening element of the seat foot element engages or seats can be introduced into the guide groove. This change in the contour or the inside of the guide groove can lead to a flush contact of the cleaning element is interrupted with the inside of the guide. By means of the counter-pressure element is made possible that the cleaning element experiences a pressure in the direction of the inside of the guide and thus extends. The cleaning element can thus be adapted to the changing contour of the inside of the guide. Thus, even with discontinuous contours, a permanent contact with the inside of the seat rail can be kept, so that no dirt left over remains.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the cleaning element comprises a brush-like material. The cleaning element may for example consist of a hard brush, which dissolves this when passing the dirt. The brushes may for example consist of fiber-reinforced plastics.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the cleaning element has a plate-shaped element. The plate-shaped element may for example be arranged such that the plate-shaped element is set at the point of contact with the inside of the guide groove of the seat rail pointing in the direction of travel. Thus, the plate-shaped element can scrape off the dirt from the inside of the guide groove like a kind of scratch. This even a hard-stick dirt layer can be removed without risking wedging the seat.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the plate-shaped element consists of synthetic resin, anodized material. Aluminum and / or of PTFE. Thus, a sufficient rigidity of the plate-shaped element can be provided, whereby a detachment of dirt particles on the inside of the guide groove can be made possible. With the materials used can thus be reduced wear and thus costs and maintenance time can be saved.

By anodizing or hard-anodized material is meant, for example, aluminum, which is electrolytically oxidized and thereby may have a thin hard protective layer of 5-25 microns. In general, therefore, less noble metals can be protected from corrosion.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the plate-shaped element has a material with shape memory properties. Thus, during the process of the cleaning device in the process direction, the plate-shaped element can bend by bending to a width of the guide groove and bend back to its original position as a result of widening of the guide groove due to the shape memory properties , This can do that Cleaning element or the plate-shaped element to be adapted to different widths and contours of the guide groove, without installing complex adjustment devices, which could also cause an increased risk of failure.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the cleaning device has a disposal guide. The disposal guide is set up such that during the method of the cleaning device, a dirt released from the cleaning element can be conveyed out of the seat rail. For example, the disposal guide may pick up the debris released by the cleaning element and automatically convey the loosened debris to uncritical locations, such as outside the seat rail, during the process. Thus, a cleaning process can be improved and the disposal of the dirt can be accelerated by conveying the dirt to a predetermined position.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, the disposal device forms a wedge shape with a tip. The disposal guide is set up along a travel direction behind the cleaning element. The tip is set in the direction of the cleaning element. With the tip of the wedge-shaped disposal guide, the dissolved dirt of the cleaning element can be absorbed and conveyed by the rising surface during the process of the cleaning device, for example, up outside the seat rail.

Thus, disposal of the dissolved soil can be provided without requiring complex and heavy structures.

Possible attachment methods of the cleaning device to the seat foot are, for example, adhesive joints, screw or connectors.

With the cleaning device described above, a seat rail can be cleaned of dirt during the movement of the seat. The seat rail is not damaged. The cleaning device can be made of extremely lightweight materials, so that additional weight can be reduced. Despite the cleaning device, the seats can easily be pushed inside the seat rail to their specific position. In addition, the cleaning device can be subsequently adapted to the Sitzfußelementen. During the move, a cleaning is thus automatically and automatically provided.

The cleaning device may be made of PTFE or hard-anodized material, which may be attached to both ends of the seat foot element. By means of the cleaning device method, dirt in the seat rail can be released. The device can, without additional effort at both ends of the Sitzfußelementes, also be retrofitted, attached. The existing tolerance of the seat foot to the seat rail is not limited.

The embodiments of the cleaning device also apply to the seating system and the aircraft and vice versa.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, for further explanation and for better understanding of the present invention, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 a seat rail with a guide groove, as known from the prior art;

2 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a Sitzfußelementes;

3 a schematic representation of a portion of the Sitzfußelementes in a seat rail;

4 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the cleaning device in a seat rail;

5 . 6 schematic representations of an exemplary embodiment of a Sitzfußelementes according to an exemplary embodiment;

7 a schematic side view of a cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment;

8th to 10 schematic representations of a cleaning device with a movable cleaning element according to an exemplary embodiment;

11 a schematic representation of an assembly process of the cleaning device in a seat rail according to an exemplary embodiment;

12 a schematic representation of a Sitzfußelementes with a cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment;

13 a schematic representation of the cleaning device with a mounting area;

14 to 16 schematic representations of a cleaning device with a further mounting area according to an exemplary embodiment.

Detailed description of exemplary embodiments

The same or similar components in different figures are provided with the same reference numerals. The illustrations in the figures are schematic and not to scale.

4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning device 1 for cleaning seat rails 3 for an airplane. The cleaning device 1 has a cleaning element 2 on. The cleaning device 1 is set up such that the cleaning device 1 in a guide groove 4 the seat rail 3 is movable. The cleaning device 1 is with the cleaning element 2 such in the guide groove 4 the seat rail 3 set up that cleaning element 2 flush with an inside of the guide groove 4 can be applied. By means of the flush concerns of the cleaning element 2 on the inside of the guide groove 4 Thus, during the process of the cleaning device along the seat rail 3 Dirt which adheres to the guide groove 4 has collected, solved and the guide rail 3 thus cleaned.

1 shows a conventional seat rail 3 how it can be installed in today's aircraft. The seat rail 3 has a guide groove 4 on, in which the seat foot elements 5 ( 2 ) can be introduced. The guide groove 4 has an inner side, which may be formed, for example, anvil-shaped. The guide groove 4 also has, for example, circular recesses on which a Sitzfußelement 5 can be introduced with correspondingly round fasteners. Along the guide rail 3 or along the guide groove 4 can thus the Sitzfußelemente 5 be moved and by means of the circular recesses in the guide 4 from the seat rail 3 be removed.

2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a Sitzfußelementes 5 how it can be used in today's aircraft cabins. In the front area is a mounting area 8th recognizable.

3 shows the front part of the seat foot element 5 with the mounting area 8th of the seat foot element 8th in the installed state in the guide groove 4 the seat rail 3 , By means of the circular fastening elements in the bottom region of the seat foot element 5 can the seat foot element 5 in the circular recesses of the guide groove 4 introduced and along the guide rail 3 be moved. If the guide groove is formed with an anvil-shaped inner surface, then the circular fastening elements along the guide groove 4 be moved without them in a vertical direction from the guide 4 to solve.

4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the cleaning device 1 , The cleaning device 1 for example, a mounting area 7 have, which on the mounting portion of the Sitzfußelementes 8th can be attached. The cleaning device 1 has like the Sitzfußelement circular connecting elements, so that the cleaning device in the circular recesses of the guide groove 4 can be introduced. At the front end of the cleaning device 1 For example, the cleaning element 2 which, in an exemplary embodiment along a lateral inner side of the guide groove 4 flush. By method of the cleaning device 1 the cleaning element is flush (over the inside of the guide groove 4 , which dissolves dirt thereon.

The cleaning element 2 may for example consist of a brush with a plurality of individual brush hairs or a rigid plate. The rigid plate may for example consist of PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene), hard anodized material or aluminum. This allows extremely light cleaning elements 2 be created, which have a high strength. Seat rails in aircraft are made of aluminum alloys and titanium. With the PTFE coating can be an extremely smooth surface of the inside of the guide groove 4 be provided and by means of a smooth-lying edge of the cleaning element 2 a concurrency is provided. This allows everyone to look at the inside of the guide groove 4 located dirt particles by moving the cleaning device 1 be solved.

5 to 7 show an exemplary embodiment of the cleaning device 1 in different views. The assembly area 7 the cleaning device 1 can be attached to the mounting area of the seat foot element 8th be adjusted so that the cleaning device 1 to the seat foot elements used 5 adapted and fixed. On a front side, for example, the cleaning element 2 attached, which may consist of a plate or of a brush-like material. 7 shows that the mounting area 7 the cleaning device 1 for example, in its slope to the mounting area of any seat foot element 8th can be adjusted.

Further show 5 to 7 a disposal management 6 which removes the dirt caused by the cleaning element 2 is released from the seat rail 3 can be performed. The disposal management 6 is in the exemplary embodiment wedge-shaped and has at the front of the cleaning device in the direction of travel on a tapered region, which widens vertically against the direction of travel FWD. Thus, the dirt during the process of the cleaning device 1 be transported vertically in the direction of travel FWD, so that the dirt from the guide 4 can be brought. So that the dirt can not only be solved, but also from the guide 4 be transported out. Is the dirt outside the guide groove 4 , it can be removed, for example, by simple suction devices without being in the seat rail 3 or in the guide groove 4 further disposal devices must be introduced.

8th to 10 show an exemplary embodiment of the cleaning device 1 in which the cleaning element 2 is designed to be movable. The cleaning element 2 For example, its size can be variably configured in the horizontal direction, so that different contours of the inner surface of the guide groove 4 during the process in the direction of travel FWD constantly in contact or flush. Due to the permanent flush contact of the cleaning element 2 with the inside of the guide groove 4 Can be a constant cleaning of the guide rail 3 to be provided.

The guide element 2 can be pressurized, for example, with a counter-pressure element in the vertical direction with pressure. Increases during the process in the direction of travel FWD the cleaning device 1 the width of the guide groove 4 , For example, by the circular recesses, so the back pressure element presses the cleaning element 2 vertically outwards, so that a flush contact persists. The counter-pressure element may for example consist of a spring with a spring force. Furthermore, the cleaning element 2 be made bendable and consist of a shape memory material. If the diameter of the guide groove decreases, the cleaning element becomes smaller 2 bent contrary to the travel direction FWD. The width of the guide groove increases again 4 , so the cleaning element deforms 2 again in its original shape and thus maintains a flush contact with an inner surface of the guide groove 4 at.

11 shows an exemplary mounting operation of the cleaning element 2 on a seat foot element 5 in a seat rail 3 , At the assembly area 7 of the cleaning element 2 becomes the cleaning device 1 to the mounting area of the seat foot element 8th fastened for example by means of adhesive bonding, screw or connector. Furthermore, the cleaning device 1 a wedge-shaped disposal management 6 on, which is designed tapering in the direction of travel. During the procedure of the seat foot element 5 is by means of the cleaning element 2 the dirt is released and due to friction along the disposal guide 6 conveyed. At the wide end of the wedge-shaped disposal guide 6 For example, the dirt may be attached to the circular recesses of the guide groove 4 automatically and automatically transported to the outside. Thus, an automatic cleaning of the seat rail 4 provided. In 11 is further shown that the mounting area 7 the cleaning device 1 in its pitch and in its shape to the mounting area of the seat foot element 8th is customizable.

12 shows an exemplary embodiment of a Sitzfußelementes 5 with two mounting areas 8th , At the respective front and rear end of the seat foot element 5 can cleaning devices 1 be attached. Thus, there is the possibility of a variety of cleaning devices 1 on a seat foot element 5 so that the cleaning effect of the cleaning device 1 can be increased.

13 to 16 show various embodiments of the cleaning device 1 , which have different mounting areas 7 exhibit. Depending on the version of the seat foot element 5 or the mounting area of the seat foot element 8th can the mounting area 7 in the cleaning device 1 be adjusted so that the cleaning device 1 can be attached to a variety of different already used Sitzfußelementen.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

cleaning device

2

cleaning element

3

seat rail

4

guide

5

Sitzfußelement

6

disposal guide

7

assembly area

8th

Mounting area seat base

FWD

Travel direction of the cleaning device

Claims (11)

Cleaning device for cleaning seat rails for an aircraft; wherein the cleaning device comprises: a cleaning element ( 2 ) and a mounting area ( 7 ); where the mounting area ( 7 ) for exchangeable attachment of the cleaning device ( 1 ) at an in a seat rail ( 3 ) used seat foot element ( 5 ) is set up; where the mounting area ( 7 ) to the Sitzfußelement ( 5 ) is adaptable that a surface shape of the mounting area ( 7 ) with a mounting surface shape ( 8th ) of the seat foot element ( 5 ) matches; the cleaning device ( 1 ) in a guide groove ( 4 ) of the seat rail ( 3 ) and with the cleaning element ( 2 ) in the guide groove ( 4 ) of the seat rail ( 3 ) is set up that the cleaning element ( 2 ) flush with an inside of the guide groove ( 4 ) can be applied. Cleaning device according to claim 1; the cleaning element ( 2 ) is interchangeable. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 or 2; the cleaning device ( 1 ) has a counter-pressure element; wherein the counter-pressure element is set up, by means of a pressure force, the cleaning element ( 2 ) in flush contact with a contour of the inside of the guide groove ( 4 ) to keep. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 3; the cleaning element ( 2 ) comprises a brush-like material. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 3; the cleaning element ( 2 ) has a plate-shaped element. Cleaning device according to claim 5; wherein a material of the plate-shaped member is selected from the group consisting of synthetic resin, anodized material, aluminum and PTFE. Cleaning device according to claim 5 or 6; wherein the material of the plate-shaped member has shape memory characteristics. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 7; further comprising a disposal management ( 6 ); the disposal management ( 6 ) is set up such that during the process of the cleaning device ( 1 ) one of the cleaning element ( 2 ) loosened dirt from the seat rail ( 3 ) is transportable. Cleaning device according to claim 8; the disposal management ( 6 ) forms a wedge shape with a tip; the disposal management ( 6 ) along a travel direction behind the cleaning element ( 2 ) is set up; with the tip in the direction of the cleaning element ( 2 ) is set up. Seating system for an aircraft; the seat system comprising: a seat foot element ( 5 ) with a mounting surface shape ( 8th ) and a cleaning device ( 1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; the seat foot element ( 5 ) is adapted to a seat on the seat rail ( 3 ) and along the seat rail ( 3 ). Aircraft with a seating system according to claim 10.

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