Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
  • B64D11/00—Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
  • B64D11/06—Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats
  • B64D11/0696—Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/005—Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles, e.g. dismountable auxiliary seats
  • B60N2/015—Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
  • B60N2/01508—Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis using quick release attachments
  • B60N2/01516—Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis using quick release attachments with locking mechanisms
  • B60N2/01558—Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis using quick release attachments with locking mechanisms with key and slot
  • B60N2/01575—Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis using quick release attachments with locking mechanisms with key and slot key sliding inside the vehicle floor or rail
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
  • B61D33/00—Seats
  • B61D33/0057—Seats characterised by their mounting in vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2205/00—General mechanical or structural details
  • B60N2205/20—Measures for elimination or compensation of play or backlash

Definitions

• This invention relates to a track fastener assembly of the type used to anchor seats or cargo to tracks fitted to the floor of a vehicle.
• the particular embodiment disclosed herein is of a track fastener assembly for securing an aircraft passenger seating unit to the floor of an aircraft. Therefore, the vehicle referred to throughout this application is an aircraft. It is understood that the invention relates as well to other types of vehicles such as trains, buses, or the like.
• the locking tracks and track fasteners are both fabricated from metal materials. Even when tightly locked into place, adjacent metal parts can rattle, causing annoying disturbances within an aircraft cabin environment. In an effort to reduce rattling there may be a tendency to over-tighten the track fastener screws. This can potentially lead to damaged screws, stripped threads and jamming of the fastener that makes later removal difficult.
• Prior art anti-rattle devices include star-shaped washers that are threaded down onto the front stud shaft of the track fastener to lift the seat slightly off of the track and snug-up the front stud onto the bottom of the track surface. These washers are difficult and time-consuming to install, and require special tools.
• the present invention quickly and efficiently locks the track fastener into its proper position, prevents rattling and vibration that causes irritating noise and may loosen the track fitting.
• an anti-rattle track fastener assembly for attaching a fixture to a vehicle that has a track formed therein.
• the track includes upper walls that form a longitudinally-extending slot. Spaced-apart segments extend from the upper walls into the slot to provide undercut areas in the slot positioned underthe segments. Spaced-apart openings are positioned between the segments.
• the fastener assembly includes a stud that extends from the fixture and is dimensioned to be received within the slot for engaging the spaced-apart segments.
• the fastener also includes a cam that has a tranversely-extending, eccentrically-positioned hole therethrough for mounting the cam to the fixture and is movable between a first position and a second position. When the cam is in the first position, the stud is engageable to the spaced-apart segments with clearance, and when the cam is in the second position, the stud is tightly engageable to the spaced- apart segments against movement of the fixture.
• the cam also has a radially extending camming hole formed therein for receiving a tool for moving the cam between the first position and the second position.
• the stud has a foot for engaging the spaced-apart segments formed on an end thereof.
• the cam has a curved surface.
• the cam has a flat surface portion.
• the fastener assembly includes a foot formed on the stud for being received within the slot and the flat surface portion is dimensioned to engage the track when the cam is in the first position and the foot is received within the slot.
• the cam is dimensioned such that the flat surface portion is positioned away from the track when the cam is in the second position and the foot is received within the slot.
• the stud is dimensioned to be received within a sleeve.
• the sleeve is dimensioned to be attached to the fixture.
• the fixture is a seat for passengers within an airplane.
• a method relating to an anti-rattle track fastener assembly for attaching a fixture to a vehicle including the step of providing a track having upper walls that form a longitudinally- extending slot and having spaced-apart segments that extend from the upper walls into the slot.
• the spaced-apart segments provide undercut areas in the slot positioned under the segments and spaced-apart openings positioned between the segments.
• the fixture includes a stud that extends from the fixture and is dimensioned to be received within the slot for engaging the spaced-apart segments.
• the fixture also includes a cam having a tranversely-extending, eccentrically-positioned hole therethrough for mounting the cam to the fixture.
• the cam is movable between a first position wherein the stud can engage the spaced-apart segments with clearance and a second position wherein the stud can tightly engage the spaced-apart segments.
• the fixture is positioned adjacent the track such that the stud extends into the slot and the cam is in the first position.
• the cam is then moved from the first position to the second position thereby wedging the cam into engagement with the upper walls of the track such that the stud is tightly engaged with the segments.
• the step of positioning the fixture adjacent the track such that the stud extends into the slot includes the step of extending the stud through openings that are positioned between the segments.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft passenger seat and locking track incorporating an anti-rattle track fastener
• Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the leg of the seat and the anti-rattle track fastener
• Figure 3 is an exploded view of the track fastener
• Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the anti-rattle track fastener and an adjacent length of the locking track, showing the anti-rattle feature of the track fastener in an unlocked position;
• Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the anti-rattle track fastener and an adjacent length of the locking track, showing the anti-rattle feature of the track fastener in a locked, anti-rattle position.
• FIG. 1 A typical seating arrangement using the track fastener assembly according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1.
• a seating unit “S” is positioned on a locking track 11 and locked thereto by means of track fastener assemblies 10 mounted on the front end of the seat legs "L B
• locking track 11 has a longitudinally-extending slot 12 therein that extends along the entire length of the locking track 11.
• Upper walls 13 of the locking track 11 define the slot 12 and have regularly spaced-apart enlarged openings 14 along the length thereof, separated by relatively narrower track slot segments 15 that form the portions of the structure that actually perform the locking function.
• the narrow track slot segments 15 extend into the slot 12 to provide undercut areas in the slot 12 beneath the slot segments 15.
• the enlarged openings 14 have little or no undercut areas in the slot 12.
• the locking track 11 is attached to the floor of the aircraft, for example by machine screws that pass through screw holes, not shown, in the bottom of locking track 11.
• the anti-rattle track fastener assembly 10 includes a track stud 20 having a stud shaft 22 and an enlarged locking foot 24.
• the stud 20 is mounted in a sleeve 26 that is positioned between sidewalls 10A and 10B of the track fastener 10.
• the stud 20 may be formed integrally with the sleeve 26, threaded or welded onto it, or the track stud may be screwed directly into the seat leg "L" by forming mating screw threads in the leg T'.
• Two diametrically-aligned screw holes 28 and 30 accept a screw 32 that is extended through screw holes 34 and 36 in the sidewalls 10A, 10B.
• the screw holes 28 and 30 are aligned with the screw holes 34, 36 by means of a guide pin 38 that fits into a small guide hole 40.
• the screw 32 is secured by a nut 42.
• a cam 50 is positioned between the sidewalls 10A, 10B adjacent the stud
• the cam 50 may be fabricated from any suitable material, such as plastics, resins or metals.
• suitable material such as plastics, resins or metals.
• the cam 50 includes a transversely-extending, eccentrically-positioned screw hole 52, a flat surface portion 54, a curved surface portion 56 and a radially- extending camming hole 58.
• the cam 50 is mounted to the sidewalls 10A, 10B by a screw 60 positioned in a sleeve 62 and positioned in cam mounting holes 64, 66.
• the screw 60 is secured with a nut 68.
• the track fastener 10 is shown in the mounted position, with the foot 24 of the stud 20 positioned in the slot 12 and displaced from the opening 14 so that the stud 20 is retained the area of one of the relatively narrower track slot segments 15. Note at this point that there is a clearance between the top of the foot 24 and the upper walls 13 of the track 11.
• the cam 50 is positioned with the flat surface area 54 resting on the upper walls 13 of the track 1.1.
• the flat surface area 54 also acts to resist inadvertent disengagement of the cam 50 and disengagement without the use of a tool.
• any suitably sized object such as the shank 62 of a screwdriver
• the cam 50 is rotated so that the flat surface area 54 is rotated away from engagement with the upper walls 13 of the track 11.
• the curved surface portion 56 is wedged into engagement with the upper walls 13 of the track 11.
• the eccentric position of the screw hole 52 and the curved surface portion 56 causes the stud 20 to be raised upwardly as the cam 50 is rotated, wedging the foot 24 of the stud 20 into a tight engagement with the upper walls 13 of the track 11.
• the camming hole 58 can be sized to accept the shank 62 of the screwdriver used to tighten the screws 32 and 60.
• the acetal copolymer resin of the cam 50 has a slight degree of compressibility that allows a secure engagement between the cam 50 and the track 11 , while the low CF of the acetal copolymer resin allows the cam 50 to be relatively easily rotated between the positions shown in Figures 4 and 5.
• the novel feature of the invention is the use of a cam to wedge the foot 24 of the stud 20 into a tight, non-rattling engagement with the track 11.
• the cam may be fore or aft of the track stud and may or may not have a flat side. Eccentric mounting of the cam may provide adequate force on the track, and other means may be used to prevent inadvertent movement of the cam out of the anti-rattle position.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Connection Of Plates (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38694219

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (43)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (25)

• 2007
  • 2007-01-30 US US12/162,043 patent/US8376306B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-01-30 EP EP07797102.6A patent/EP1978845B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2007-01-30 WO PCT/US2007/061278 patent/WO2007133823A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-01-30 JP JP2008552622A patent/JP5165592B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (2)

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