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EP-4023554-B1 - LAVATORY SYSTEMS WITHIN AN INTERNAL CABIN OF A VEHICLE

EP4023554B1EP 4023554 B1EP4023554 B1EP 4023554B1EP-4023554-B1

Inventors

  • BRADSHAW, KAREN CAVALIER
  • ROEDER, RAYMOND
  • Humburg, Gretchen

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20211222

Claims (15)

  1. A vehicle comprising: an internal cabin (100, 152) having an aisle (160) and an egress path (170); and a lavatory system (150) within the internal cabin (100, 152), the lavatory system (150) comprising: an enclosure (154) defining an interior chamber (182), wherein the enclosure (154) comprises: a first end wall (164); an inboard wall (166) connected to the first end wall (164), wherein the inboard wall (166) faces the aisle (160) of the internal cabin (100, 152); a second end wall (168) connected to the inboard wall (166), wherein the second end wall (168) is opposite from the first end wall (164) and faces the egress path (170) of the internal cabin (100, 152); and an outboard wall (176) connected to the first end wall (164) and the second end wall (168); a first lavatory unit (156) within the interior chamber (182); and a second lavatory unit (158) within the interior chamber (182), wherein the first lavatory unit (156) is inboard in relation to a central longitudinal plane (122) of the internal cabin (100, 152) from the second lavatory unit (158) within the internal cabin (100, 152), and wherein the second lavatory unit (158) is outboard in relation to the central longitudinal plane (122) from the first lavatory unit (156) within the internal cabin (100, 152), and wherein the first lavatory unit (156) is adjacent to the second lavatory unit (158), wherein the first lavatory unit (156) comprises a first passage (184) that connects to the aisle (113) of the internal cabin (100, 152), wherein a first door (186) is configured to open and close the first passage (184), and wherein the second lavatory unit (158) comprises a second passage (188) that connects to the egress path (170) of the internal cabin (100, 152), wherein a second door (190) is configured to open and close the second passage (188).
  2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the enclosure (154) is a single monument within the internal cabin (100, 152).
  3. The vehicle of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first lavatory unit (156) and the second lavatory unit (158) are side-to-side across a portion of the internal cabin (100, 152).
  4. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second end wall (168) comprises: a first wall segment (172) that is parallel to the first end wall (164) and perpendicular to the inboard wall (166); an angled wall segment (174) that angles toward the first end wall (164) and the outboard wall (176); a transition wall segment (178) connected to the angled wall segment (174), wherein the transition wall segment is parallel to the inboard wall (166) and the outboard wall (176); and a second wall segment (180) connected to the transition wall segment (178) and the outboard wall (176), wherein the second end wall segment (180) is parallel to the first end wall (164).
  5. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the outboard wall (176) is a portion of an outboard wall (102) of the internal cabin (100, 152).
  6. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first lavatory unit (156) has a first length (194) and the second lavatory unit (158) has a second length (194), and wherein the first length (194) is greater than the second length (194).
  7. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first lavatory unit comprises a first sink and a first toilet, and wherein the second lavatory unit comprises a second sink and a second toilet.
  8. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lavatory system (150) further comprises a barrier (262) moveably coupled to one of the first lavatory unit (156) or the second lavatory unit (158), wherein the barrier is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the barrier (262) in the extended position is disposed in front of an exit door (190) of the vehicle, and wherein the exit door (190) is visible within the internal cabin (100, 152) when the barrier is in the retracted position.
  9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the barrier (262) comprises a handle (270) that is configured to be grasped to move the barrier (262) between the extended position and the retracted position.
  10. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lavatory system (150) further comprises a storage compartment (310) extending outwardly from an outer wall of one or both of the first lavatory unit (156) or the second lavatory unit (158), wherein the storage compartment defines an internal storage space (314) that connects to the interior chamber (316).
  11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the storage compartment (310) is at least a portion of a stowage bin assembly (118).
  12. The vehicle of claim 10 or 11, wherein the lavatory system (150) further comprises a storage access door (324) disposed between the storage compartment (310) and the interior chamber (316), wherein the storage access door (324) is configured to be moved between an open position and a closed position, wherein the internal storage space (314) is opened to the interior chamber (316) when the storage access door (324) is in the open position, and wherein the internal storage space (314) is closed to the interior chamber (316) when the storage access door (324) is in the closed position.
  13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the egress path (170) is perpendicular to the aisle (160).
  14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the lavatory system (150) is located at or proximate to an intersection of the aisle (160) and the egress path (170).
  15. The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a containment compartment (300) common to the first lavatory unit (156) and the second lavatory unit (158), in particular wherein the containment compartment (300) comprises: a first interior end wall (312) within the first lavatory unit (156); a front wall (314); a rear wall (316); a base (318); an upper counter (320); and a second interior end wall (322) opposite from the first interior end wall (312), wherein the second interior end wall (322) is within the second lavatory unit (158), wherein the first interior end wall (312), the front wall (314), the rear wall (316), the base (318), the upper counter (320), and the second interior end wall (322) define a containment chamber (303) of the containment compartment (300).

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE Examples of the present disclosure generally relate to lavatories within an internal cabin of a vehicle, such as a commercial aircraft. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Commercial aircraft are used to transport passengers between various locations. A typical commercial aircraft includes one or more lavatories within an internal cabin. Space within a commercial aircraft is limited. Notably, a lavatory within a commercial aircraft is typically relatively small in order to reduce space of the lavatory and increase space for other areas, such as passenger seating. A larger lavatory would necessarily occupy more space within a commercial aircraft, and may prevent additional passenger seating within an internal cabin. Aircraft operators typically prefer to have additional passenger seating within an internal cabin, as the additional passenger seating leads to increased revenues. A typical lavatory within an internal cabin of an aircraft typically occupies approximately 20%-30% more longitudinal area (that is, an area that extends along and/or parallel to a longitudinal axis) of the internal cabin than a seat assembly. In general, current lavatories generally displace six to twelve passenger seats. Certain internal cabins may be rearranged to ensure only six displaced passenger seats, but thereby cause cascading impacts to surrounding interior features, such as other monuments or areas within the internal cabin. Overall, including lavatories within an internal cabin of a commercial aircraft, while typically necessary, reduces space for other components, monuments, or the like within the internal cabin, such as revenue-generating seats. Further, persons of reduced mobility (such as individuals having disabilities, injuries, or a reduced ability to move) may find the confined space of a lavatory within a commercial aircraft relatively difficult to maneuver therein. Such individuals may have difficulty moving within the lavatory, such as between an entrance and a toilet, and between a toilet and a sink. Accordingly, certain manufacturers have designed larger lavatories that are specifically designed for persons of reduced mobility. However, in expanding the size of the lavatory, space for other components (such as passenger seating) within an internal cabin is necessarily reduced. US 2013/206907 A1, according to its abstract, states a lavatory monument assembly configured to be positioned in the interior of an aircraft that includes first, second, third and fourth walls that cooperate to define a lavatory interior, a door positioned on one of the first, second, third and fourth walls that allows access to the lavatory interior, and a toilet positioned within the lavatory interior. The toilet defines a first vertical plane that bifurcates the toilet and is positioned such that the first vertical plane is not parallel to the first wall. At least the first wall is pivotal between a stowed position and an expanded position. When the first wall is in the stowed position, the first, second, third and fourth walls define a first lavatory footprint and when it is in the expanded position, the first, second, third and fourth walls define a second lavatory footprint. The second lavatory footprint has a greater area than the first lavatory footprint. WO 2020/092325 A1, according to its abstract, states a lavatory monument assembly that includes an enclosure having front and rear walls and that defines an enclosure interior. A divider wall that extends between the front and rear walls, and a divider door that is movable between closed and opened positions. In the closed position the divider door divides the enclosure interior into first and second lavatory interiors. The divider wall includes first and second sections and the divider door includes first and second portions that meet at an obtuse angle. The divider door is pivotably attached to the divider wall. The front wall includes first and second lavatory doors that are both movable between closed and opened positions and provide access to the first and second lavatory interiors. A first toilet is positioned adjacent the rear wall in the first lavatory interior and a second toilet is positioned adjacent the rear wall in the second lavatory interior. US 2014/224930 A1, according to its abstract, states that a combination lavatory and galley arrangement for aircraft includes a lavatory portion having adjacent inboard and outboard lavatories, and a galley portion, and can be located aft of aft aircraft aft doors, and can at least partially rearwardly extend into the aircraft's aft pressure dome. The inboard and outboard lavatories can be separated by a movable wall or partition to provide access for persons with restricted mobility, and can be provided in a modular housing to facilitate retrofit assembly within an aircraft. The movable wall can be an articulating movable lavatory partition movable between a first, linearly extended configuration and a secon