Lavatory unit

1. A lavatory unit for use by persons with reduced mobility on-board a vehicle, the lavatory unit comprising:

a lavatory housing structure enclosing a lavatory interior space;

a door opening in the lavatory housing structure;

a toilet assembly inside the lavatory interior space; and

a transition seating support for a user;

wherein the transition seating support is configured to provide a first transfer position and a second transfer position;

wherein in the first transfer position, in an open door state the transition seating support is directly accessible for a person sitting in a wheelchair located at least partly outside the lavatory unit such that the person can transfer to the transition seating support and vice versa;

wherein in the second transfer position, a person sitting on the transition seating support can transfer to the toilet assembly and vice versa; and

wherein the door opening is provided in a first lavatory wall and the toilet assembly is arranged inside the lavatory opposite the first wall; and

wherein the transition seating support is arranged on a second lavatory wall that is arranged as a sidewall to the first lavatory wall such that, for a person in a wheelchair located at least partly outside the lavatory unit, a transfer rotation from the wheelchair to the transition seating support and from the transition seating support to the toilet assembly is limited to approximately 90° for each transfer step.

2. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein in the second transition position, the transition seating support is provided in close vicinity to a sitting support of the toilet assembly such that during a transition, a person is permanently supported in a tilt-free manner.

3. The lavatory unit according to claim 2 , wherein in the second transition position, a distance D 1 of less than approximately 15 cm between the transition seating support and a sitting support of the toilet assembly is provided.

4. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein the transition seating support is temporarily arrangeable in a moving area of the toilet assembly; and wherein upon transition to the toilet assembly, the transition seating support is removable outside the moving area of the toilet assembly.

5. The lavatory unit according to claim 4 , wherein the transition seating support is a movable seat translatable in a horizontal direction between a position closer to the wheelchair and a position closer to the toilet assembly.

6. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , further comprises a knee abutment and guiding arrangement opposite the transition seating support; and

wherein the knee abutment and guiding arrangement comprises a concave knee abutment recess.

7. The lavatory unit according to claim 6 , wherein the concave abutment includes a concave shape in a horizontal direction and a concave shape in a vertical direction.

8. The lavatory unit according to claim 6 , wherein the concave abutment recess provides a point of rotation for front tips of a knee of a person transferring from a wheelchair located outside the lavatory unit via the transition seating support to the toilet assembly.

9. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein the transition seating support is at least arrangeable in the first transfer position and the second transfer position.

10. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein in the first transfer position, the transition seating support is arranged at least partly outside the lavatory interior space; and

wherein the transition seating support is movable at least between the first transfer position and the second transfer position.

11. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein the transition seating support is movable at least partly underneath a seating support of an on-board wheelchair for facilitating a transfer from the wheelchair to the transition seating support.

12. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein the transition seating support is movable at least partly over the toilet assembly.

13. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein a transition seat extension is provided at least temporarily between the transition seating support and a toilet seat of the toilet assembly.

14. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein the transition seating support comprises a sitting surface comprising two upper-leg resting segments extending from a bottom resting segment; and

wherein a cut-out is provided between the two upper-leg resting segments for leg positioning of an assisting person.

15. The lavatory unit according to claim 1 , wherein the transition seating support is attached to an inner side of a portion of the lavatory housing structure, on which outer side a further cabin seat is provided; and

wherein the further cabin seat and the transition seating support are provided by a bi-functional seating support.

16. An aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage structure enclosing a cabin space; and

at least one lavatory unit;

wherein the at least one lavatory unit comprises: a lavatory housing structure enclosing a lavatory interior space;

a door opening in the lavatory housing structure;

a toilet assembly inside the lavatory interior space; and

a transition seating support for a user;

wherein the transition seating support is configured to provide a first transfer position and a second transfer position;

wherein in the first transfer position, in an open door state the transition seating support is directly accessible for a person sitting in a wheelchair located at least partly outside the lavatory unit such that the person can transfer to the transition seating support and vice versa;

wherein in the second transfer position, a person sitting on the transition seating support can transfer to the toilet assembly and vice versa; and

wherein the door opening is provided in a first lavatory wall and the toilet assembly is arranged inside the lavatory opposite the first wall; and

wherein the transition seating support is arranged on a second lavatory wall that is arranged as a sidewall to the first lavatory wall such that, for a person in a wheelchair located at least partly outside the lavatory unit, a transfer rotation from the wheelchair to the transition seating support and from the transition seating support to the toilet assembly is limited to approximately 90° for each transfer step.

17. A method for providing a handicapped accessible lavatory unit on-board a vehicle, comprising:

a) providing a lavatory housing structure enclosing a lavatory interior space with a toilet assembly inside, and a door opening in the lavatory housing structure; and

b) providing a transition seating support for a user;

wherein the door opening is provided in a first lavatory wall and the toilet assembly is arranged inside the lavatory opposite the first wall; and

wherein the transition seating support is arranged on a second lavatory wall that is arranged as a sidewall to the first lavatory wall such that, for a person in a wheelchair located at least partly outside the lavatory unit, a transfer rotation from the wheelchair to the transition seating support and from the transition seating support to the toilet assembly is limited to approximately 90° for each transfer step.