The Boeing Company

Jay Wallace Colacecchi

Phillip E Pacini

Gerritt W Kroeze

David R Steindl

Mark James Wilson

Patrick W Lucky

A passenger window shade on an aircraft is provided. The passenger window shade includes a first section of the passenger window shade. The first section forms a substantially flat and thin plane. The first section has a first transparency to visible light. The passenger window shade includes a second section of the passenger window shade situated within the first section. The second section includes a second transparency to visible light that is different from the first transparency such that an image is formed inside the aircraft when visible light is aimed at the passenger window shade from outside the aircraft.

Aircraft passenger window shade with illuminated image

A tool for use with Quick Release (QR) fasteners, and related methods and kits. The tool generally includes an elongate main body with a fastener-receiving area. The fastener-receiving area is configured to simultaneously support the head of the QR fastener and depress the button of the QR fastener. The fastener-receiving area includes a slot that is distally and downwardly open, two shoulders that bound the slot, and a ventral surface. The QR fastener is inserted into the slot so that the head of the QR fastener rests on the first and second shoulders, the collar portion of the QR fastener extends through the slot, and the ventral surface depresses the button of the QR fastener. With the button depressed in this fashion, the retention feature of the QR fastener is released, which allows the worker to manipulate the QR fastener by moving the tool.

Quick release fastener engagement tool

A window assembly for a vehicle includes a frame, one or more panes secured to the frame, and a shade movably coupled to the frame. The shade is configured to be moved between an open position and a closed position. The shade includes an illuminator that is configured to allow ambient light from outside of the vehicle to pass through and illuminate the illuminator.

Vehicle window assembly including a shade having an illumination

A curtain system may include a track system configured to be mounted to an interior structure of a vehicle. The track system may include three or more track sections oriented in at least two different directions. Each track section may be configured to support at least one curtain suspended from and slidable along the track sections. The track system may include at least one junction fitting interconnecting three or more track sections and allowing movement of a curtain from one of the three or more track sections to either one of two or more other track sections of the three or more track sections. In this regard, the junction fitting and the track sections may define different curtain paths for the curtain.

Integrated curtain system and method

A transport tool is disclosed for moving an aircraft monument from one location to another. The transport tool comprises an elongated, substantially rectangular, support frame having handle members at an upper region, wheel elements at a lower region, and a leg pivoted to the mid-region of the tool for supporting a load mounted to the tool as the transport tool is rotated about the wheel elements from a vertical orientation in which the load can be loaded onto, or unloaded from, the tool to a horizontal orientation in which the load can be transported from one location to another. Also disclosed is a method for transporting the load between two locations using the transport tool.

Monument transport tool and method

A lighting system and method for producing an automatically positionable light beam that is aimed in accordance with the position of a seatback portion of a seat on a mobile platform. The system includes a light assembly having independent first and second light subsystems, with each light subsystem having a plurality of LEDs or incandescent bulbs. A switch mounted on the seat detects when the seatback portion of the seat is in an upright or a reclined position, and provides a signal to the light assembly in accordance with the position of the seatback. The signal is used to turn on either the first light subsystem to illuminate a lap area of the occupant when the seat is in its upright position, or the second light subsystem to illuminate an area slightly rearwardly of the occupant's lap when the seat is in the reclined position. Thus, optimum positioning of the light beam produced by the light assembly is achieved automatically, without requiring any manual adjustment by the seat occupant.

Automatically adjusting passenger reading light system and method

One advantageous embodiment of the present invention is a self-locating fastening assembly () for aligning and securing a monument () to an airframe () of an aircraft (). This self-locating fastening assembly () includes a self-locating tie-down member (), which is fixedly coupled to one of either the air-frame () or the monument (). The self-locating fastening assembly () further includes a socket member (), which is coupled to the other of the airframe () or the monument (). The self-locating tie-down member () includes a base portion () and a top portion () extending from the base portion (). The base portion () is utilized for contacting the socket member () so as to guide said self-locating tie-down member into said socket member and secure the monument () in a predetermined position along at least one direction. Moreover, the top portion () is utilized for further securing the self-locating tie-down member () to the socket member ().

Growing community of inventors

Lake Stevens, WA, United States of America

Jay Wallace Colacecchi