Integrated window belt system for aircraft cabins

A sidewall panel assembly comprising

• a sidewall panel having a panel opening, an inboard surface, and an outboard surface, the sidewall panel spanning a plurality of frames, the sidewall panel having a first snap-fit fastener integral with the sidewall panel and disposed to allow removable attachment of the sidewall panel to a first selected frame;
• and
• a window reveal with a rim and an inwardly tapering perimeter, the window reveal sized for snug insertion through the panel opening, the window reveal being removably attached within the panel opening and against the inboard surface of the sidewall panel by a second snap-fit fastener that is integral to the window reveal, wherein the rim of the window reveal makes abutting contact with the inboard surface of the sidewall panel;
• a single part continuous annular composite ring that receives, aligns, and seals the window reveal and that connects the window reveal with an outer window assembly;
• and
• a dimmable pane supported by the composite ring, wherein the opacity of the dimmable pane is controlled by varying an electrical voltage applied across the expanse of the dimmable pane;
• wherein the inwardly tapering perimeter positions the window reveal and sidewall panel into their operationally installed positions as the inwardly tapering perimeter guides the window reveal into a mating relationship with the outer window assembly when the sidewall panel is positioned for operational attachment on the plurality of frames with the panel opening generally opposing an outer window assembly in an outboard wall;
• and
• wherein the outer window assembly is accessible with the sidewall panel installed.

A sidewall panel assembly for an airframe being comprised of a plurality of frames covered by an outboard wall having a structural opening, the sidewall panel assembly comprising

• an outer window assembly comprising an outer pane surrounded by an outer window gasket, the outer window assembly supported within the structural opening by a window forging and held against the window forging by a single part continuous composite ring, the composite ring with a gasket having an inwardly-opening annular groove;
• a sidewall panel having a panel opening, an inboard surface, and an outboard surface, the sidewall panel operationally positioned with the outboard surface aligned along an inboard side of a first selected frame;
• a window reveal with a rim and an inwardly tapering perimeter, the window reveal sized for snug insertion through the panel opening with the inwardly tapering perimeter received by the annular groove of the composite ring, wherein the window reveal is removably held in place by a snap-fit fastener, and wherein the outer window assembly is accessible with the sidewall panel installed;
• and
• a plurality of self supporting foam insulation blocks positioned between the sidewall panel and the outboard wall, wherein the blocks a held in place by longitudinal compression, and wherein the blocks are formed.

A modular sidewall panel system for an aircraft having a cabin inboard of an airframe, the airframe comprised of vertically oriented frames, each of which having an inboard side and an outboard side, and an outboard wall permanently attached to an outboard side of the frames, the outboard wall with a plurality of regularly spaced structural openings extending longitudinally along and through the outboard wall and between the frames, the cabin having a floor, a dado panel extending longitudinally the length of the cabin adjacent to the floor and below the structural openings, and an upper structure extending longitudinally the length of the cabin over the structural openings, each structural opening with an outer window assembly, the system comprising:

• a sidewall panel with an upper edge and a lower edge, the sidewall panel attached along its upper edge to upper structure and attached along its lower edge to the dado panel by snap-fit fastening, the sidewall panel further conforming to the inboard side of the frames, the sidewall panel with an panel opening generally opposing one of the structural openings when the sidewall panel is supported and attached;
• a window reveal with a rim and a inwardly tapering outboard perimeter, the window reveal adapted for insertion through the panel opening from the inboard side of the sidewall panel, the rim resting on the inboard side of the sidewall panel to constrain further insertion therethrough, the tapering outboard perimeter aligning with and opposing the outer window assembly;
• a single part continuous annular composite ring that receives, aligns, and seals the window reveal and that connects the window reveal with the outer window assembly, wherein the alignment of the window reveal to the outer window assembly assists the alignment of the sidewall panel with the frames;
• and
• one or more foam insulation blocks formed and adapted for positioning between the sidewall panel and the outboard wall, wherein the foam blocks are held in place by longitudinal compression and brackets.

An integrated window belt system for an aircraft having a cabin inboard of an airframe, the airframe comprised of a plurality of frames, each frame having an inboard side and an outboard side, and an outboard wall permanently attached to an outboard side of the plurality of frames, the outboard wall with a plurality of structural openings extending longitudinally along and through the outboard wall and between the frames, the cabin having a floor, a dado panel extending longitudinally the length of the cabin adjacent to the floor and below the plurality of structural openings, and an upper structure extending longitudinally the length of the cabin over the plurality of structural openings, the system comprising:

• a plurality of sidewall panels, each sidewall panel with an upper edge and a lower edge, each sidewall panel attached by an attachment mechanism situated along its upper edge to the upper structure for pivotal movement along a longitudinal axis, each sidewall panel aligned along its lower edge to the dado panel, each sidewall panel removably attached to the dado panel with one or more first snap-fit fasteners, each sidewall panel conforming to the inboard side of the plurality of frames, each sidewall panel having a panel opening opposing one of the structural openings when the sidewall panel is supported and attached;
• a plurality of outer window assemblies, each outer window assembly affixed within a selected structural opening;
• a plurality of window reveals, each window reveal with a rim and a inwardly tapering outboard perimeter, each window reveal adapted for insertion through a selected panel opening from the inboard side of a selected sidewall panel and attached to the selected sidewall panel by one or more second snap-fit fasteners, the rim resting on the inboard side of the selected sidewall panel to constrain further insertion therethrough, the tapering outboard perimeter mating with and attached to a selected outer window assembly the window reveal removably attached to the sidewall panel by snap-fit fastening;
• a single part continuous annular composite ring that receives, and seals the window reveal and that aligns and connects the window reveal with the outer window assembly, wherein the alignment of the window reveal to the outer window assembly assists the alignment of the sidewall panel with relationship to the frames;
• a dimmable pane supported by the composite ring, wherein the opacity of the dimmable pane is controlled by varying an electrical voltage applied across the expanse of the dimmable pane;
• and
• a plurality of foam insulation blocks formed and positioned between the plurality of sidewall panels and the outboard wall.

A method of assembling a maintainable modular sidewall panel system within an aircraft cabin, the cabin with a floor and a plurality of frames extending upwardly from the floor, each frame with an inboard side and an outboard side, an outboard wall attached to an outboard side of the plurality of frames, the outboard wall with a plurality of structural openings extending longitudinally along and through the outboard wall and between the plurality of frames, the cabin having a dado panel extending longitudinally the length of the cabin adjacent to the floor and below the plurality of structural openings, the cabin further having an upper structure extending longitudinally the length of the cabin above the plurality of structural openings, each structural opening with an outer window assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

• installing brackets along the plurality of frames;
• inserting an outer window assembly within each structural opening, each outer window assembly having a inwardly protruding window forging;
• attaching a plurality of insulation foam blocks along the outboard wall;
• suspending the plurality of sidewall panels from the upper structure so that each sidewall panel conforms to the inboard side of the plurality of frames each sidewall panel having an upper edge and lower edge, each sidewall panel suspended along its upper edge for pivotal motion inwardly and outwardly about a horizontal axis along its upper edge, a selected number of the plurality of sidewall panels having at least one panel opening, each of the selected number longitudinally positioned so that each panel opening generally opposes one of the structural openings when the sidewall panel is aligned with the inboard side of the plurality of frames;
• inserting through each panel opening from the inboard side of the sidewall panel a window reveal with a rim and an inwardly tapering outboard perimeter, the rim held against the inboard side of the sidewall panel by snap-fit fasteners and constrained from further insertion by the rim;
• bringing the lower edge of the sidewall panel into attachment with snap-fit fasteners attached to a selected frame, thereby capturing the foam insulation blocks between the sidewall panel and the outboard wall;
• quiding the inwardly tapering outboard perimeter of the window reveal into the window forging;
• inserting the window reveal into a single part continuous annular composite ring that is affixed to a flange of the forging thereby aligning the sidewall panel with relationship to the frames, wherein a tapering fit between the window forging and the inwardly tapering outboard perimeter assists the alignment of the sidewall panel with the plurality of frames.