IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,580,955
Granted Patent B2
US 9,580,955 · App. 14/942,966 · Granted Feb 28, 2017

Convertible door system and method of operation

Inventor: Gregory A. Tubbs (Marysville, WA)
Assignee: The Boeing Company
E06B3/5072B64D11/02E05D15/26E06B3/34E06B3/48E06B3/486E06B3/5054E06B7/28E04B2/7407E06B3/481E06B2003/343
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,580,955
App. No.
14/942,966
Granted
Feb 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to a method of operation for a convertible door system including a door accessible compartment having a moveable dividing wall that substantially divides the compartment into a first and a second sub-compartment. A first door assembly, configured to allow access to the first sub-compartment, is disposed between a first of two opposing sidewalls and the moveable dividing wall. A second door assembly, configured to allow access to the second sub-compartment, is disposed between a second of the two opposing sidewalls and the moveable dividing wall. A first and a second hinge assembly are adapted to rotationally join the first and second door assembly to respective opposing sidewalls. A third hinge assembly is adapted to rotationally join the moveable dividing wall to either the first door assembly or the second door assembly.

Claims (12)

1. A method of operating a convertible door system for a door accessible compartment, the method comprising:

providing a moveable dividing wall that substantially divides the door accessible compartment into a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment;

providing a first door assembly on an outward section of the door accessible compartment between a first sidewall of the door accessible compartment and the moveable dividing wall;

providing a second door assembly on the outward section of the door accessible compartment between a second sidewall of the door accessible compartment and the moveable dividing wall;

attaching the moveable dividing wall to one of the first door assembly or the second door assembly;

rotating the moveable dividing wall and the attached one of the first door assembly or the second door assembly, and the other of the first or second door assembly, one of outwardly away from or inwardly toward the outward section of the door accessible compartment around a hinge assembly adapted to rotationally join the first or second door assembly to the first or second sidewall; and

securing the moveable dividing wall and the attached one of the first door assembly or the second door assembly, and the other of the first or second door assembly, to the outward section of the door accessible compartment, thereby enclosing the door accessible compartment and eliminating the first sub-compartment and the second sub-compartment.

2. The method of operating a convertible door system for a door accessible compartment according to claim 1 , further comprising:

releaseably joining the moveable dividing wall to an interior side of one of the first door assembly or the second door assembly.

3. The method of operating a convertible door system for a door accessible compartment according to claim 2 , further comprising:

releasing the moveable dividing wall from the interior side of one of the first door assembly or the second door assembly; and

securing the moveable dividing wall to the door accessible compartment thereby dividing the door accessible compartment into the first sub-compartment and the second sub-compartment.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2017
From: TUBBS, GREGORY A
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 040939/0340 →
Continuity (3)
Division 14274107 · May 9, 2014
Division 13666286 · Nov 1, 2012
Related Publication 20160069122A1 · Mar 10, 2016