US-12617532-B2 - Dual purpose lavatory barrier

Abstract

A dual purpose aircraft lavatory component that can be a dual purpose aircraft lavatory door that is configured to deploy in a vehicle cabin from an initial position as an aircraft lavatory monument component into a deployed position converting aircraft lavatory monument component into an aircraft cabin lockable barrier to prevent passengers from moving along an aisle in a vehicle cabin into a vehicle area forward of the lockable barrier.

Inventors

• Darren Carl McIntosh

Assignees

• THE BOEING COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230616

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An aircraft cabin barrier comprising: an aircraft cabin lavatory monument, said aircraft cabin lavatory monument comprising an aircraft cabin lavatory component, said aircraft cabin lavatory component comprising at least one of a movable aircraft lavatory door and an aircraft lavatory wall; an aircraft cabin second monument, said aircraft cabin second monument positioned a selected distance from and across an aircraft cabin aisle from the aircraft cabin lavatory monument, said aircraft cabin second monument comprising a second monument component, said second monument component comprising an aircraft cabin second monument wall and said second monument component further comprising a movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel, said second monument multi-section panel configured to engage the aircraft cabin lavatory component; wherein the aircraft cabin lavatory component in an engaged state with the second monument multi-section panel forms the aircraft cabin barrier; and wherein the movable aircraft lavatory door further comprises: a movable aircraft lavatory door first side; a movable aircraft cabin lavatory door second side; a through opening region extending through a door thickness of the movable aircraft lavatory door, said door thickness extending from the movable aircraft lavatory door first side to the movable aircraft lavatory door second side; a transparent window configured to occupy the through opening region; a sliding panel frame in communication with the movable aircraft lavatory door first side, said sliding panel frame configured to house a sliding panel, said sliding panel configured to move between a sliding panel open position and a sliding panel closed position; and wherein in the sliding panel open position the through opening region permits viewing access of location aft of the aircraft cabin barrier from within the aircraft cabin barrier.
2. 2 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft cabin barrier is configured to prevent movement of a person from a passenger cabin into a flight deck.
3. 3 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft cabin lavatory component is a movable aircraft cabin lavatory door movably attached to the aircraft cabin lavatory monument, said movable aircraft cabin lavatory door movable between a lavatory door first engaged position in contact with the aircraft cabin lavatory monument and a lavatory door second engaged position in contact with the second monument multi-section panel.
4. 4 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft cabin lavatory component is a movable aircraft cabin lavatory door and the second monument component is an aircraft cabin galley wall.
5. 5 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft cabin lavatory component is a movable aircraft cabin lavatory door and the second monument component is an aircraft cabin galley multi-section panel.
6. 6 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft cabin lavatory component is an aircraft cabin lavatory wall and the second monument component is a movable aircraft cabin galley bi-fold panel.
7. 7 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the second monument multi-section panel releasably engages the aircraft cabin lavatory component in a locked configuration.
8. 8 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the movable aircraft lavatory door further comprises a plurality of folding door panels.
9. 9 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , further comprising a barrier locking mechanism that is only accessible from the movable aircraft lavatory door first side.
10. 10 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel further comprises: a movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel first side; a movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel second side; a through opening region extending through a panel thickness of the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel, said panel thickness extending from the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel first side to the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel second side; a transparent window configured to occupy the through opening region; a sliding panel frame in communication with the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel first side, said sliding panel frame configured to house a sliding panel, said sliding panel configured to move between a sliding panel open position and a sliding panel closed position; and wherein in the sliding panel open position the through opening region permits viewing access of location aft of the aircraft cabin barrier from within the aircraft cabin barrier.
11. 11 . An aircraft comprising the aircraft cabin barrier of claim 10 .
12. 12 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 , wherein the second monument component comprises a plurality of movable aircraft cabin second monument panels.
13. 13 . The aircraft cabin barrier of claim 10 , further comprising a barrier locking mechanism that is only accessible from the movable aircraft cabin second monument panel first side.
14. 14 . An aircraft comprising the aircraft cabin barrier of claim 1 .
15. 15 . An aircraft cabin lavatory monument comprising: a dual purpose aircraft cabin lavatory door movably attached to an aircraft cabin lavatory frame, said dual purpose aircraft cabin lavatory door comprising: a movable aircraft lavatory door first side; a movable aircraft lavatory door second side; a through opening region extending through a door thickness of the dual purpose aircraft lavatory door, said door thickness extending from the movable aircraft lavatory door first side to the movable aircraft lavatory door second side; a transparent window configured to occupy the through opening region; a sliding panel frame in communication with the movable aircraft lavatory door first side, said sliding panel frame configured to house a sliding panel, said sliding panel configured to move between a sliding panel open position and a sliding panel closed position; wherein in the sliding panel open position the through opening region permits viewing access of location aft of an aircraft cabin barrier from within the aircraft cabin barrier; wherein in a closed position in a first lavatory door mode, said dual purpose aircraft cabin lavatory door is configured to completely enclose an aircraft cabin lavatory monument footprint; wherein in a closed position in a second lavatory door mode, said dual purpose aircraft cabin lavatory door is configured to engage an aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel to form an aircraft cabin secondary barrier; and wherein said aircraft cabin secondary barrier is configured to control movement of passengers along an aisle within an aircraft cabin area.
16. 16 . A method of controlling movement of passengers along an aisle within an aircraft cabin area, the method comprising: prior to opening a flight deck door, establishing an aircraft cabin secondary barrier into an aircraft cabin secondary barrier deployed position with a flight deck being on a first side of the aircraft cabin secondary barrier, and with a passenger section of a cabin area being on a second side of the aircraft cabin secondary barrier, the aircraft cabin secondary barrier comprising; an aircraft cabin lavatory monument, said aircraft cabin lavatory monument comprising an aircraft cabin lavatory component, said aircraft cabin lavatory component comprising at least one of a movable aircraft lavatory door and an aircraft lavatory wall; an aircraft cabin second monument, said aircraft cabin second monument positioned a selected distance from and across an aircraft cabin aisle from the aircraft cabin lavatory monument, said aircraft cabin second monument comprising a second monument component, said second monument component comprising an aircraft cabin second monument wall, said second monument component further comprising a movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel hingedly attached to the aircraft cabin second monument wall, said second monument multi-section panel configured to releasably engage the aircraft cabin lavatory component; locking the aircraft cabin secondary barrier in a closed position; after locking the aircraft cabin secondary barrier, opening the flight deck door and providing access to flight personnel to a front section of the cabin area, said front section of the cabin area located at the first side of the aircraft cabin secondary barrier; and after providing access to the front section of the cabin area to the flight personnel, reclosing the flight deck door.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: monitoring a position of the aircraft cabin secondary barrier; and activating an indicator in the flight deck when the aircraft cabin secondary barrier is in the closed position.
18. 18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the movable aircraft lavatory door further comprises: a movable aircraft lavatory door first side; a movable aircraft lavatory door second side; a movable aircraft lavatory door through opening region extending through a door thickness of the movable aircraft lavatory door, said door thickness extending from the movable aircraft lavatory door first side to the movable aircraft lavatory door second side; a transparent window configured to occupy the through opening region; a sliding panel frame in communication with the movable aircraft lavatory door first side, said sliding panel frame configured to house a sliding panel, said sliding panel configured to move between a sliding panel open position and a sliding panel closed position; and wherein in the sliding panel open position the through opening region permits viewing access of location aft of an aircraft cabin barrier from within the aircraft cabin barrier.
19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising: after locking the aircraft cabin secondary barrier, moving the sliding panel to the sliding panel open position to permit visual access through the movable aircraft lavatory door through opening region.
20. 20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel further comprises: a movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel first side; a movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel second side; a movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel through opening region extending through a panel thickness of the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel, said panel thickness extending from the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel first side to the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel second side; and a transparent window configured to occupy the second monument multi-section panel through opening region, said transparent window further configured to selectively permit visual access through the movable aircraft cabin second monument multi-section panel through opening region.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to the field of barriers and, more specifically, to barrier doors configured to be used within an aircraft. BACKGROUND Aircraft have a flight deck that includes flight instruments, instrument panels, and various controls that enable the flight personnel to operate the aircraft. The flight deck is positioned towards the front of the aircraft and is usually a separate compartment away from the cabin area where passengers sit during flight. A flight deck door further separates the flight deck from the cabin area. The flight deck door is closed and locked during flight. This allows the flight personnel to concentrate on operating the aircraft and also prevents entry of unwanted persons into the flight deck. However, the flight deck door may be opened during flight for various reasons. One occurrence is when the flight personnel use the lavatory which is located in the cabin area of the aircraft. Another occurrence is when food and/or drinks that are prepared in the galley of the cabin area are delivered to the flight personnel on the flight deck. Opening of the flight deck door could present an opportunity for an unwanted person to gain entry to the flight deck. The unwanted person could suddenly rush the front of the aircraft once the flight deck door is opened and force their way into the flight deck. It would be difficult for flight personnel working in the cabin area to react to this movement in a fast enough manner to close and lock the flight deck door. A device is needed that would inhibit a person from rushing towards the flight deck. The device would prevent the person from reaching the front of the aircraft or would slow their movement such that the flight deck door could be closed and locked prior to the person reaching the flight deck. Unless explicitly identified as such, no statement herein is admitted as prior art merely by its inclusion in the Technological Field and/or Background section. SUMMARY Present aspects are directed to a deployable barrier in a vehicle cabin area that can be, for example, an aircraft cabin vestibule area, with the barrier formed by deploying a dual purpose lavatory component from a lavatory component configuration into a deployed lavatory component barrier configuration/position, with the barrier in the deployed lavatory component barrier position configured to impede passage of a person from a cabin area, including from a cabin area and vestibule area into a vehicle control deck area positioned forward of the deployed lavatory component barrier, with the vehicle control deck area being, for example, a flight deck in an aircraft. A present aspect is directed to an aircraft cabin barrier including an aircraft cabin lavatory monument, with the aircraft cabin lavatory monument including an aircraft cabin lavatory component, with the aircraft lavatory component including at least one of a movable aircraft lavatory door and an aircraft lavatory wall. The aircraft cabin barrier further includes an aircraft cabin second monument, with the aircraft cabin second monument positioned a selected distance from and across an aircraft cabin aisle from the aircraft cabin lavatory monument, with the aircraft cabin second monument including a second monument component, with the aircraft cabin second monument component including at least one of an aircraft cabin second monument wall and a movable aircraft cabin second monument panel, with the second monument component configured to engage the aircraft cabin lavatory component, and wherein the aircraft cabin lavatory component in an engaged state with the aircraft cabin second monument component forms an aircraft cabin barrier. In another aspect, the aircraft cabin barrier is configured to prevent movement of a person, including an unwanted person from the passenger cabin into a flight deck. In another aspect, the aircraft cabin lavatory component is a movable aircraft cabin lavatory door movably attached to an aircraft cabin lavatory monument, with the movable aircraft cabin lavatory door movable between a lavatory door first engaged position in contact with the aircraft cabin lavatory monument and a lavatory door second engaged position in contact with a second aircraft cabin monument component. In another aspect, the aircraft cabin lavatory component is a movable aircraft cabin lavatory door and the aircraft cabin second monument component is an aircraft cabin galley wall. In another aspect, the aircraft cabin lavatory component is a movable aircraft cabin lavatory door and the aircraft cabin second monument component is a movable aircraft cabin galley panel. In a further aspect, the aircraft cabin lavatory component is an aircraft cabin lavatory wall and the aircraft cabin second monument component is a movable aircraft cabin galley panel. In another aspect, the second monument component engages the aircraft cabin lavatory component in a locked configuration via a locking me