# US 12,759,690 B2 · Vehicle cabin sidewall-to-floor coupling assembly and method of assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,690 B2 - Document ID: US12759690B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/818,056 - Filed: 2022-08-08 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-29 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Russell W. Keck; Gregory A. Tubbs - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759690B2 ## CPC - B64C 1/066: {Interior liners} - F16B 5/06: by means of clamps or clips ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; friction-grip releasable fastenings in general F16B2/00) - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract An assembly for use in a vehicle cabin includes a floor coupling structure and a sidewall coupling structure. The floor coupling structure includes a floor interface portion and a sidewall interface portion that extends transversely relative to the floor interface portion. The floor interface portion is configured to attach the floor coupling structure to a floor assembly of an internal cabin of a vehicle. The sidewall coupling structure has at least one friction-fit portion and a sidewall attachment section. The sidewall attachment section is configured to couple the sidewall coupling structure to a sidewall assembly of the internal cabin. The at least one friction-fit portion is configured to couple to the sidewall interface portion of the floor coupling structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a floor assembly; a sidewall assembly; and an assembly comprising: a floor coupling structure comprising a floor interface portion and a sidewall interface portion that extends transversely relative to the floor interface portion, wherein the floor interface portion directly attaches the floor coupling structure to the floor assembly, wherein the floor interface portion is flat and attaches to and overlays a portion of a floor panel of the floor assembly; a sidewall coupling structure having at least one friction-fit portion and a sidewall attachment section, wherein the sidewall interface portion projects upwardly from the floor interface portion, wherein the sidewall attachment section couples the sidewall coupling structure to the sidewall assembly, and wherein the at least one friction-fit portion couples to the sidewall interface portion of the floor coupling structure; and a transition portion that connects the floor interface portion to the sidewall interface portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sidewall coupling structure includes a flange that overlaps the sidewall interface portion of the floor coupling structure and abuts against an inboard side of the sidewall interface portion when the at least one friction-fit portion is coupled to the sidewall interface portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the floor coupling structure comprises a unitary and generally L-shaped body defined by the floor interface portion and the sidewall interface portion, and wherein the floor interface portion extends along a floor covering support surface of a floor panel of the floor assembly and attaches to the floor panel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sidewall coupling structure includes at least one alignment feature that defines a channel sized and shaped to accommodate a distal end of the sidewall interface portion of the floor coupling structure, such that an inner surface of the alignment feature abuts the distal end of the sidewall interface portion when coupled together. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the sidewall coupling structure includes a plurality of the friction-fit portions and a plurality of the alignment features, the plurality of the friction-fit portions and the plurality of the alignment features spaced apart along a length of the sidewall coupling structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the floor assembly comprises a floor panel and a floor covering disposed on a floor covering support surface of the floor panel, wherein the sidewall coupling structure comprises a ledge that extends above and overlaps a portion of the floor covering such that an edge of the floor covering is disposed within a space between the ledge and the floor interface portion of the floor coupling structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one friction-fit portion includes a deflectable arm that has a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end being attached to a base portion of the sidewall coupling structure, the fixed end located between the free end and the sidewall attachment section of the sidewall coupling structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sidewall coupling structure defines a return air slot to facilitate passage of air during operation of a vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is an aircraft, and wherein the sidewall coupling structure and the floor coupling structure are respective ones of a plurality of sidewall coupling structures and a plurality of floor coupling structures of the assembly coupled together along first and second sides of an internal cabin of the aircraft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sidewall interface portion comprises a bulbous head at a distal end, wherein the bulbous head is thicker than a portion of the sidewall interface portion between the bulbous head and the transition portion. ### Claim 11 An aircraft, comprising: a fuselage including an internal cabin; a sidewall assembly within the internal cabin; a floor panel within the internal cabin; a floor coupling structure directly attached to the floor panel, wherein the floor coupling structure comprises: a floor interface portion directly attached to the floor panel; a sidewall interface portion that extends transversely relative to the floor interface portion, wherein the sidewall interface portion projects upwardly from the floor interface portion; and a transition portion that connects the floor interface portion to the sidewall interface portion, wherein the floor interface portion is flat and attaches to and overlays a portion of the floor panel; and a sidewall coupling structure attached to the sidewall assembly, the sidewall coupling structure friction-fit coupled to the floor coupling structure, thereby coupling together the floor coupling structure and the sidewall assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the sidewall assembly includes a dado assembly and an upper sidewall assembly, the upper sidewall assembly including a sidewall panel that is coupled to a dado panel of the dado assembly via a slip joint, wherein the sidewall panel is attached to the fuselage, and the sidewall coupling structure is mounted to the dado panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the sidewall coupling structure comprises at least one friction-fit portion that is coupled to the sidewall interface portion of the floor coupling structure via a friction fit coupling configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the floor coupling structure and the sidewall coupling structure are coupled together without the use of hand tools or machinery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the floor coupling structure and the sidewall coupling structure are coupled together without separate and discrete fasteners. ### Claim 16 A method of assembling a vehicle cabin, the method comprising: directly attaching a floor coupling structure to a floor panel of an internal cabin of a vehicle, wherein the floor coupling structure comprises a floor interface portion and a sidewall interface portion that extends transversely relative to the floor interface portion, wherein the floor interface portion is flat and attaches to and overlays a portion of the floor panel; and friction-fit attaching a sidewall coupling structure to the floor coupling structure, wherein the sidewall coupling structure has at least one friction-fit portion and a sidewall attachment section, wherein the sidewall interface portion projects upwardly from the floor interface portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the friction-fit attaching of the sidewall coupling structure to the floor coupling structure is tool-less and without the use of separate and discrete fasteners. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: attaching a dado panel of a dado assembly to the sidewall coupling structure; and attaching a sidewall panel to the dado panel at a slip joint. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein directly attaching the floor coupling structure to the floor panel includes directly attaching a floor interface portion of the floor coupling structure to the floor panel, and the method further comprises installing a floor covering onto the floor panel and the floor interface portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein friction-fit attaching the sidewall coupling structure to the floor coupling structure comprises snap-fitting at least one deflectable arm of the sidewall coupling structure to the floor coupling structure.