Adaptable lavatory
An adaptable lavatory for persons of reduces mobility, such as wheelchair occupants, may comprise an aircraft lavatory wall system with a center wall which is configured to translate along a drop ceiling rail system. A linear rail system may be installed within the drop ceiling and have rollers coupled to hanging brackets to secure the center wall. The center wall may be secured in a center of two individual lavatory stalls to provide for a dual lavatory configuration. The center wall may be translated forward or aft along the drop ceiling rail system and secured on either side of the lavatory to provide for an expanded lavatory space in either a right-handed or left-handed configuration.
1 . A lavatory wall system, comprising:
a pair of rail tracks extending in a Y-direction;
a pair of hanging brackets each coupled to one of the pair of rail tracks via rollers disposed and configured to translate within the pair of rail tracks;
a center wall coupled to the pair of hanging brackets and configured to translate with the rollers; and
an anti-rack device fixedly coupled to and extending between each of the hanging brackets in an X-direction such that the center wall remains perpendicular to each of the rail tracks in an X-Y plane, wherein the pair of hanging brackets is coupled to the center wall by bracket panels and each of the hanging brackets of the pair of hanging brackets further comprises a pivot point disposed between the rollers and the bracket panels, the pivot point allowing the bracket panels to rotate about an X-axis with respect to the pair of rail tracks.
2 . The lavatory wall system of claim 1 , wherein the center wall has a curved segment abutting a cutout and a flat segment opposing the curved segment and perpendicular to the pair of rail tracks.
3 . The lavatory wall system of claim 1 , wherein the anti-rack device is coupled to a pair of dampening mechanisms configured to limit the rotation of the pivot points to 20°.
4 . The lavatory wall system of claim 3 , further comprising a drop ceiling having linear recesses configured to receive the pair of rail tracks.
5 . An airplane lavatory, comprising:
a first single lavatory,
a second single lavatory,
a drop ceiling spanning the first single lavatory and the second single lavatory;
a pair of linear rail tracks disposed within the drop ceiling and extending linearly from a first end to a second end of the drop ceiling;
a pair of hanging brackets each coupled to one of the pair of linear rail tracks via rollers disposed and configured to translate within the one of the pair of linear rail tracks; and
a center wall coupled to the hanging brackets and configured to translate with the rollers,
wherein the pair of linear rail tracks extend in an X-Y plane, wherein the pair of hanging brackets is coupled to the center wall by bracket panels and each hanging bracket of the pair of hanging brackets further comprises a pivot point disposed between the rollers and the bracket panels, the pivot point allowing the bracket panels to rotate about an X-axis with respect to the pair of linear rail tracks.
6 . The airplane lavatory of claim 5 , wherein each hanging bracket further comprises a dampening mechanism configured to limit the rotation of the pivot point to 20°.
7 . The airplane lavatory of claim 5 , wherein the drop ceiling has linear recesses configured to receive the pair of linear rail tracks.
8 . The airplane lavatory of claim 5 , wherein the center wall has at least one lock configured to prevent the center wall from translating within the pair of linear rail tracks.
9 . The airplane lavatory of claim 8 , wherein in response to being in a dual lavatory configuration, the center wall is secured by the at least one lock in a center of the first single lavatory and the second single lavatory.
10 . The airplane lavatory of claim 9 , wherein in response to being in a single lavatory configuration, the center wall is translated along the pair of linear rail tracks and secured by the at least one lock within at least one of the first single lavatory or the second single lavatory.
11 . The airplane lavatory of claim 10 , wherein the center wall has a rear wall defined by a curved segment and a cutout.
12 . The airplane lavatory of claim 11 , wherein the cutout is configured to accommodate a toilet of at least one of the first single lavatory and the second single lavatory in response to the translation of the center wall.
13 . An aircraft, comprising:
an adaptable lavatory including:
a first single lavatory,
a second single lavatory,
a drop ceiling spanning the first single lavatory and the second single lavatory;
a pair of linear rail tracks disposed within the drop ceiling and extending linearly between the first single lavatory and the second single lavatory;
a pair of hanging brackets each coupled to one of the pair of linear rail tracks via rollers disposed and configured to translate within the pair of linear rail tracks; and
a center wall coupled to the hanging brackets and configured to translate with the rollers,
wherein the pair of linear rail tracks extend in an X-Y plane, wherein the pair of hanging brackets is coupled to the center wall by bracket panels and each hanging bracket of the pair of hanging brackets further comprises a pivot point disposed between the rollers and the bracket panels, the pivot point allowing the bracket panels to rotate about an X-axis with respect to the pair of linear rail tracks, wherein the hanging brackets further comprise a dampening mechanism configured to limit the rotation of the pivot point to 20°.
14 . The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the center wall has at least one lock configured to prevent the center wall from translating with respect to the pair of linear rail tracks.
15 . The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein in response to being in a dual lavatory configuration, the center wall is secured by the at least one lock in a center of the first single lavatory and the second single lavatory.
16 . The aircraft of claim 15 , wherein in response to being in a single lavatory configuration, the center wall is translated along the pair of linear rail tracks and secured by the at least one lock within at least one of the first single lavatory or the second single lavatory.
17 . The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the center wall has a rear wall defined by a curved segment and a cutout, wherein the cutout is configured to accommodate a toilet of at least one of the first single lavatory and the second single lavatory in response to the translation of the center wall.