Remotely locked airline overhead bins
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsTony Di Carlo, Michael Karapetian, Binh Tran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A storage system that includes storage bins and a locking system. The locking system includes an actuation lever, pins that engage with the storage bins, and an elongated link that extends between and connects the actuation lever to the pins. The locking system is selectively movable between a locked position with the actuation lever in a first position and the pins engaged with the storage bins to prevent the storage bins from moving from the closed position, and an unlocked position with the actuation lever in a second position and the pins disengaged from the storage bins to allow the storage bins to move between the open and closed positions.
Claims20
A storage system comprising:
- storage bins that are movable between an open position and a closed position, each of the storage bins comprising a body that extends around and forms an interior space;
- a latch on each of the storage bins to keep the storage bins from moving to the open position while in the closed position;
- a locking system to lock the storage bins in the closed position, the locking system comprising:
- an actuation lever spaced remotely from the storage bins;
- a plurality of pins with one of the pins positioned at each one of the storage bins;
- an elongated link that extends between and connects the actuation lever to the pins of the storage bins, the elongated link positioned away from the interior space of the storage bins, the elongated link transfers motion of the actuation lever to the pins of the storage bins;
- the locking system being selectively movable between a locked position with the actuation lever in a first position and the pins engaged with the storage bins to prevent the storage bins from moving from the closed position, and an unlocked position with the actuation lever in a second position and the pins disengaged from the storage bins to allow the storage bins to move between the open and closed positions.
A storage system comprising:
- a support frame;
- storage bins that are mounted to the support frame and movable relative to the support frame between an open position and a closed position, each of the storage bins comprising:
- a body that extends around and forms a interior space;
- a latch mounted to the body and that engages with the support frame in the closed position;
- a locking system to lock the storage bins in the closed position, the locking system comprising:
- an actuation lever spaced remotely from the storage bins;
- a plurality of pins that are each positioned at one of the storage bins;
- an elongated link that extends from the actuation lever to each of the pins;
- the locking system is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;
- in the locked position, the actuation lever is at a first position with each of the pins engaged with one of the latches to prevent the storage bins from moving from the closed position;
- in the unlocked position, the actuation lever is at a second position with each of the pins disengaged from the corresponding latch to allow movement of the storage bins between the open and closed positions.
A method of securing storage bins in a vehicle, the method comprising:
- positioning an actuation lever that is positioned in a cabin of the vehicle in a first position and engaging pins that are operatively connected to the actuation lever into engagement with each of a plurality of storage bins and locking the storage bins with the actuation lever being spaced remotely from the storage bins;
- and
- moving the actuation lever to a second position and disengaging each of the pins from the storage bins and unlocking the storage bins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.