The present invention relates to closets, such as the closets onboard an aircraft or the like and, more particularly, a moveable closet for increasing available cabin space.
Airlines are continually looking for new ways to better utilize the cabin space inside their aircraft, balancing the desire to carry as many passengers as possible in as comfortable a manner as possible with the need for adequate storage space. By minimizing the amount of space that is required to store carry-on luggage and other items, the cabin space available for passengers is maximized. As such, extra rows of seats may be added and/or additional seat recline or additional leg room may be provided.
Each passenger is allowed carry-on luggage, which may be stowed under the seats or in the overhead compartments. Some luggage is too bulky to fit in these areas or, as is the case with an overcoat or jacket, may not be the type of article that a passenger would feel comfortable stuffing into an overhead bin or under the seat in front of them. One solution to this problem is the addition of a relatively large closet typically located in the vicinity of the galley and/or lavatories in the aircraft cabin. These closets are generally large enough to stow coats, hanging bags, larger carry-on luggage. Unfortunately, while these closets do solve problems with storage, they also occupy space on the aircraft that may otherwise be taken by additional seats or allowances for leg room. This problem is further complicated by the necessity of an aisle or walkway that allows flight attendants to access the closet.
A storage system that offers one solution to this conflict between the need for storage and the desire for more seating space is found on some MD-11(trademark) and DC-10(trademark) aircraft. While the storage system onboard these models of aircraft solved some of the storage difficulties that airlines were having, the storage system did not completely resolve all of these problems, and in fact raised some new issues. The storage system consisted primarily of a bar, which was lowered prior to and following a flight to allow a flight attendant to remove and add hanging items. Once the bar was loaded, it could be raised into a space located at least partially above the cabin during flight. The storage system also included doors that could be closed to prevent access to the hanging items once the bar was raised. The storage system of the MD-11(trademark) and DC-10(trademark) aircraft was located proximate a cross aisle that extended between two lengthwise extending aisles. The bar also extended laterally or crosswise such that, hanging items could, as a practical matter, only be hung on or removed from the bar while standing in the cross aisle.
While the MD-11(trademark) and DC-10(trademark) storage system did allow for the storage of items like clothing, the storage system still took up additional room on the aircraft. In this regard, the raising bar was capable of moving a number of items up and out of the way during flight, but the storage system still had a relatively large footprint on the aircraft and required a cross aisle, which was needed to load the bar. Further, there could be problems with the storage of the clothing itself. When the clothes were pulled up into the storage space they were pushed tightly together, which led to the wadding and wrinkling of the items. In some instances, where the bar was heavily loaded, it was necessary for a flight attendant to push items into the storage space in order to permit the bar to be fully raised. While this closet did begin to address the difficulties raised by the need for proper storage and the importance of cabin space, it did not fully solve the problem. For these reasons it could be desirable to provide proper storage of items while maximizing the cabin space available for seating during transit.
An interior assembly, such as for an aircraft, is therefore provided that includes a moveable closet which allows for storage of articles while maximizing cabin space. As a result of the design of the moveable closet, the closet protects items placed into its storage compartment so as to avoid wadding of the items as the closet is moved to a stowed position during flight. In addition, the moveable closet can be loaded from the lengthwise extending aisle of an aircraft and, as such, need not be placed adjacent a cross aisle.
According to the present invention, a moveable closet is therefore provided that includes an outer housing which is typically fixed in position and an inner housing. The inner housing defines an opening for accessing a storage compartment, and is capable of being moved between a loading position and a stowed position. When the inner housing is in the loading position, such as prior to and following the flight, articles are inserted through the opening and into the storage compartment. Advantageously, the opening defined by the inner housing faces a lengthwise extending aisle such that articles may be inserted into the storage compartment while standing in the lengthwise extending aisle.
The outer housing generally includes at least one door for closing an uppermost portion of the opening, and each door is capable of being opened to access the top portion of the storage compartment when the inner housing is in the loading position. The inner housing may also include shelves for dividing the storage compartment and/or bars for hanging articles.
The moveable closet preferably also includes an actuation mechanism for moving the inner housing between the loading and stowed positions. This actuation mechanism may include a motor capable of moving the inner housing between the loading and stowed positions. The moveable closet may also include at least one track for guiding the inner housing between the loading and stowed positions. As such, in the loading position, the inner housing is generally readily accessible to facilitate loading and unloading of articles, such as prior to and following flight. In order to provide additional cabin space during flight, however, the inner housing may be stowed. When the inner housing is in the stowed position, the inner housing is at least partially disposed within the outer housing.
In one preferred embodiment, the moveable closet is a portion of an interior assembly on an aircraft. In addition to the moveable closet, the interior assembly will include a structure fixed in position within the aircraft cabin. The structure includes at least one wall defining a region of the aircraft, and be, for example, a lavatory, galley or fixed closet. The moveable closet will be disposed immediately adjacent to the fixed structure, such that the structure blocks access to a portion of the moveable closet.
The interior assembly of one preferred embodiment will include a moveable closet that is capable of being vertically displaced between the loading and stowed positions, such as by being adapted to be raised upwardly from the loading to the stowed position. This interior assembly may also include a seat proximate to the moveable closet. This seat is preferrably capable of being reclined partially under the moveable closet once the moveable closet was in the stowed position.
Accordingly, the moveable closet of the present invention allows a flight attendant to load items into the moveable closet while the aircraft is on the ground, and then move the closet into its stowed position, creating additional cabin space on the aircraft. Additionally, cabin space is maximized by accessing the closet from the lengthwise extending aisle rather than requiring a space-consuming cross aisle. The additional cabin-space on the aircraft provided by the moveable closet, may be used for additional seats and/or seat recline or leg room. However, the design of the moveable closet protects articles placed therein.