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US 8,785,779 B1Granted
Snap-in raceway
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsTimothy Mark Jones, Mark Andrew Lewandowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus having an elongate housing and connectors. The elongate housing has a channel configured to hold a number of lines. The connectors extend from a side of the elongate housing. The connectors are configured to engage channels formed in a surface of a structure such that the elongate housing is connected to the structure.
Claims22
An apparatus comprising:
- a conduit, said conduit comprises:
- an elongate housing comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall, the elongate housing defining an outer boundary of a channel and configured to hold a number of lines in the channel;
- and
- a first pair of connectors extending from the bottom wall of the elongate housing, wherein the first pair of connectors is configured to engage a first pair of channels formed in a surface of a panel of an interior structure of an aircraft such that the elongate housing of the apparatus is connected to the panel of the interior structure of the aircraft, and
- wherein the bottom wall of the elongate housing is configured to bow such that each connector of the first pair of connectors assumes an orientation that allows an entry of the first pair of connectors into the first pair of channels.
2 more elements
A method of operating an aircraft, the method steps comprising:
- transmitting at least one of data, fluid, and power through lines in the aircraft;
- and
- holding the lines in a conduit connected to a panel of an interior structure of the aircraft, wherein:
- the conduit comprises an elongate housing comprising a to wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall, the elongate housing, and a pair of connectors extending from a side of the elongate housing,
- a first lengthwise edge of a wall of the elongate housing engages a second lengthwise edge of another wall of the elongate housing and closes a lengthwise gap in the elongate housing that extends across the length of the conduit, and wherein the first lengthwise edge and the second lengthwise edge are located between the top wall and the bottom wall,
- the pair of connectors engages a pair of channels formed in a surface of the panel of the interior structure of the aircraft such that the elongate housing is connected to the panel of the interior structure of the aircraft, and
- an outer surface of the bottom wall of the elongate housing disposed between the pair of channels is held flat against the surface of the panel of the interior structure of the aircraft.
4 more elements
A method for installing a conduit onto a panel, the method steps comprising:
- identifying a pair of channels in a surface of the panel;
- inserting a pair of connectors extending from a bottom wall of an elongate housing of the conduit into the pair of channels in the surface of the panel, wherein the bottom wall of the elongate housing bows such that the pair of connectors assume an orientation that allows inserting the pair of connectors into the pair of channels in the surface of the panel;
- and
- fixedly engaging the pair of connectors with the pair of channels in the surface of the panel,
- wherein the bottom wall of the elongate housing flattens upon fixedly engaging the pair of connectors with the pair of channels in the surface of the panel, and
- wherein the elongate housing defines an outer boundary of the conduit and is configured to hold a number of lines in the conduit.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.