# US 12,214,884 B2 · Expandable lavatory and cabin configuration including dedicated seating area and expandable lavatory

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- Number: US 12,214,884 B2
- Document ID: US12214884B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/955,363
- Filed: 2022-09-28
- Published: 2023-04-06
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-10-01
- Assignees: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
- Applicants: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
- Inventors: Glenn A. Johnson; Ann Tucker
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214884B2

## CPC

- B64D 11/0601: {Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight}
- A61G 3/0808: {Accommodating or securing wheelchairs}
- B64D 11/02: Toilet fittings
- B64D 11/0606: {with privacy shells, screens, separators or the like (class dividers B64D11/0023)}
- B64D 11/0691: {specially adapted for cabin crew}
- E06B 3/481: {Wings foldable in a zig-zag manner or bi-fold wings}
- A61G 2220/10: Aircrafts
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)

## Abstract

An expandable lavatory and an aircraft cabin configuration including the same. First, second and third walls form the lavatory interior and the third wall is repositionable to expand the lavatory interior footprint to accommodate a wheelchair. The third wall carries a door deployable when the third wall is in the expanded configuration such that the wheelchair can access the lavatory interior via an exit pathway. A first door positioned in the second wall provides access to the lavatory interior via a longitudinal aisle. In some embodiments, a wheelchair securement area is positioned longitudinally aligned with the second door, when the second door is deployed, such that wheelchair access to the lavatory is provided through second door when the lavatory is in the expanded configuration.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft cabin, comprising:
an interior space formed between a fuselage wall and a longitudinal aisle;
an exit pathway leading to an exit door, the exit pathway dividing the interior space into a first portion and a second portion;
a seating area positioned in the first portion of the interior space and including at least one passenger seat and a wheelchair securement area positioned to one side of the at least one passenger seat; and
an expandable lavatory positioned in the second portion of the interior space;
wherein the expandable lavatory comprises:
first, second and third walls forming a lavatory interior, the first wall positioned across the interior space, the second wall positioned along the longitudinal aisle, and the third wall repositionable between a first position in which the third wall is positioned across the interior space and a second position in which the third wall is positioned along the longitudinal aisle;
a first door positioned in the second wall, the first door providing access to the lavatory interior from the longitudinal aisle; and
a second door pivotally attached to the third wall, the second door deployable across the interior space when the third wall is in the second position of the third wall, and the second door when deployed providing access to the lavatory interior from the exit pathway;
wherein a footprint of the lavatory interior is greater when the third wall is in the second position of the third wall than in the first position of the third wall; and
wherein the second door, when deployed across the interior space, is longitudinally aligned with the wheelchair securement area.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth wall positioned partway across the interior space, the fourth wall aligned with the second door when the second is deployed across the interior space.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 1, wherein the seating area includes a plurality of passenger seats, and wherein at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of passenger seats is removable to form the wheelchair securement area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 1, further comprising a first deployable privacy panel configured to deploy to fill a space between a top of the third wall and a ceiling of the aircraft cabin when the third wall is in the second position of the third wall, and a second deployable privacy panel configured to deploy to fill a space between a top of the second door and the ceiling of the aircraft cabin when the second door is deployed across the interior space.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 1, further comprising at least one cabin attendant seat carried on the third wall, wherein the at least one cabin attendant seat is positioned along the exit pathway when the third wall is positioned across the interior space, and wherein the at least one cabin attendant seat is positioned along the longitudinal aisle when the third wall is positioned along the longitudinal aisle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 1, wherein the first wall is fixed, the second wall is perpendicular to the first wall, the third wall is perpendicular to the second wall when the third wall is in the first position, and the third wall is parallel to the second wall when the third wall is in the second position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 1, further comprising a privacy partition positioned to one side of the seating area adjacent the wheelchair securement area, the privacy partition longitudinally aligned with and extending in a direction of the second wall.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 1, further comprising a sink positioned in the lavatory interior along the fuselage wall, and a toilet positioned to one side of the sink, wherein the toilet is not longitudinally aligned with the wheelchair securement area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The aircraft cabin according to claim 8, wherein the toilet is angled toward the second wall.

### Claim 10

An expandable lavatory configured for installation in a vehicle including an interior space formed between an exterior wall and a longitudinal aisle, the expandable lavatory comprising:
first, second and third walls forming a lavatory interior, the first wall positionable across the interior space, the second wall positionable along the longitudinal aisle, and the third wall repositionable between a first position in which the third wall is positionable across the interior space and a second position in which the third wall is positionable along the longitudinal aisle;
a first door positioned in the second wall, the first door providing access to the lavatory interior from the longitudinal aisle;
a second door pivotally attached to the third wall, the second door deployable across the interior space when the third wall is in the second position, and the second door when deployed providing access to the lavatory interior from an exit pathway positioned across the interior space; and
at least one of: a toilet; and a sink;
wherein a footprint of the lavatory interior is greater when the third wall is in the second position than in the first position of the third wall; and
wherein the greater footprint of the lavatory interior when the third wall is in the second position is configured to accommodate passengers with reduced mobility.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The expandable lavatory according to claim 10, further comprising a fourth wall positioned partway across the interior space, the fourth wall aligned with the second door when the second door is deployed across the interior space.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The expandable lavatory according to claim 10, further comprising a first deployable privacy panel configured to deploy to fill a space between a top of the third wall and a vehicle ceiling when the third wall is in the second position of the third wall, and a second deployable privacy panel configured to deploy to fill a space between a top of the second door and the vehicle ceiling when the second door is deployed across the interior space.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The expandable lavatory according to claim 10, further comprising at least one cabin attendant seat carried on the third wall, wherein the at least one cabin attendant seat is positioned along an exit pathway when the third wall is positioned across the interior space, and wherein the at least one cabin attendant seat is positioned along the longitudinal aisle when the third wall is positioned along the longitudinal aisle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The expandable lavatory according to claim 10, wherein the first wall is fixed, the second wall is perpendicular to the first wall, the third wall is perpendicular to the second wall when the third wall is in the first position, and the third wall is parallel to the second wall when the third wall is in the second position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The expandable lavatory according to claim 10, further comprising a sink positioned in the lavatory interior and a toilet positioned to one side of the sink, wherein the toilet is parallel to the second wall or angled toward the second wall.