Aircraft side-ledge console
A console for aircraft that is located between two seats which face each other. The console includes an open ledge with a cup holder arrangement. The cup holder arrangement includes two removable holder dividers which can be flipped up or down and held into position by a spring-loaded cam arrangement. The console also includes two inwardly facing surfaces which provide connectors for electronic devices resting on the ledge. A light-emitting face is provided on a back wall of the ledge so that any articles resting on the ledge can be seen in dark environments.
1. A console. for an aircraft comprising:
an open faced ledge having a back wall, a platform, and a pair of opposing sidewalls;
the platform being adapted to support personal items;
a portion of the back wall being illuminated by a lighting system;
at least one of the sidewalls including an electronics-device connector;
elongated bars on each side of an outcropped central divider, each elongated bar having an extending tang on a first bar end, and a second rod end, each elongated bar also having two flip-out retaining heads, the retaining heads laterally securing containers received between said back wall and a front rail;
the tang on each first bar end being receivable and rotatably securable through a slot and into the central divider to bear against a cam surface reciprocating with each of tang on each first bar, the cam surfaces being located inside the central divider;
each cam having a transition ridge which, when reached by its reciprocating tang, compels the tang into a first radial position in which the retaining heads on that bar are in an extended position, or a second radial position where the retaining heads on that bar are in a retracted position;
each second bar end being receivable into a spring-loaded corridor located laterally outward from the central divider; and
a spring included in each spring-loaded corridor compelling the first end of each bar into the central divider against each respective cam surface.
2. The console of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the back wall panel is a light guide, and a plurality of LEDs are located along a light-receiving edge of the light back wall panel.
3. The console of claim 2 Wherein the light guide is backed with a reflective surface.
4. The console of claim 3 wherein the LEDs emit against the reflective surface to indirectly supply light to the light guide.
5. The console of claim 1 wherein. the electronics-device connector is one or more of a USB port, an audio jack, and an electronics interface.