Aircraft Interior Bushing

Abstract

An aircraft interior bushing is disclosed comprising in one form interoperating bushing portions. Each bushing portion in one form comprising a recessing portion, a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, a perimeter portion wherein the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, a support arm receiver, and a support arm. Each support arm comprises a first end coupled to the bushing, and a second end comprising a conduit receiver. In one form, the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the interoperating bushings to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the bushing assembly once the conduit is installed and fixed to the conduit receiver.

Therefore I claim: 
     
         1 . An aircraft interior bushing comprising:
 a. a recessing portion,   b. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel,   c. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the radial dimension of the recessing portion,   d. a first support arm receiver positioned at a first radial position;   e. a second support arm receiver positioned at a second radial position;   f. a support arm comprising
 i. a first end coupled to the bushing at either of the support arm receivers, 
 ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, 
 iii. a surface defining a clamp receiver, and 
   g. wherein the bushing is operably configured to support a conduit offset a distance from the surface defining the void in the panel to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the surface defining the void in the panel once the conduit is affixed to the conduit receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 1  wherein:
 a. the first support arm receiver is positioned at the first radial position wherein the support arm receiver is aligned tangential to the radially inner surface of the bushing; and 
 b. the second support arm receiver is positioned at the second radial position and is aligned in the second direction tangential to the radially inner surface of the bushing. 
 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 1  wherein the conduit receiver supports a conduit at a radially inward distance from the surface defining a void in a panel, and transversely outward from the plane defining the outer surface of the bushing, to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the surface defining the void in the panel once the conduit is installed and fixed to the conduit receiver. 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 1  wherein the bushing comprises a transversely opposing pair of interoperating portions, and each interoperating portion is substantially identical. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 1  further comprising at least one offset ring operably configured to be positioned between an inner surface of the recessing portion of one of the bushings and the panel. 
     
     
         6 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 5  wherein the offset ring comprises a tapered portion operably configured to interoperate with a flared portion of the surface defining a void in the panel. 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one connector portion provided on the first end of the support arm comprises:
 a. a first connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially parallel to and substantially concentric with an central axis of the bushing perpendicular to an outer surface of the bushing; and 
 b. a second connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the bushing parallel to the outer surface of the bushing. 
 
     
     
         8 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a plural saddle comprising:
 a. at least two receiving surfaces operably configured to independently receive and hold a conduit; 
 b. at least one clamp receiver operably configured to receive a conduit clamp and retain the conduit in contact with the clamp receiver; and 
 c. wherein the plural saddle is operably configured to be removably coupled to the support arm. 
 
     
     
         9 . The aircraft bushing as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a conduit offset clamp removably coupled to the second end of the support arm and operably configured to maintain the conduit at an offset distance from the conduit receiver. 
     
     
         10 . An aircraft interior bushing assembly comprising:
 a. a first bushing comprising
 i. a recessing portion, 
 ii. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, 
 iii. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, 
 iv. a support arm receiver; 
   b. a support arm coupled the first bushing, the support arm comprising
 i. a first end coupled to the first bushing, 
 ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, 
 iii. a clamp receiver, and 
   c. wherein the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the void in the panel to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the panel once the conduit is installed and fixed to the support arm.   
     
     
         11 . The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in  claim 10  further comprising:
 a. a second bushing comprising
 i. a recessing portion, 
 ii. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact the surface defining the void in the panel, 
 iii. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, 
 iv. a support arm receiver; 
 
 b. a support arm coupled the second bushing, the support arm comprising
 i. a first end coupled to the second bushing, 
 ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, 
 iii. a clamp receiver, and 
 
 c. a plurality of fastener receivers in the second bushing operatively configured such that the first bushing may be positioned different rotational orientation than the second bushing. 
 
     
     
         12 . The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in  claim 10  wherein the pair of interoperating bushings are each substantially identical to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in  claim 10  further comprising at least one offset ring operably configured to be positioned between an inner surface of the recessing portion of one of the bushings and the panel. 
     
     
         14 . The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in  claim 13  wherein the offset ring comprises a tapered portion operably configured to interoperate with a flared portion of the surface defining a void in the panel. 
     
     
         15 . The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in  claim 10  wherein the at least one connector portion provided on the first end of the support arm comprises:
 a. a first connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially parallel to and substantially concentric with an central axis of the bushing perpendicular to an outer surface of the bushing; and 
 b. a second connector portion, operably configured to align the conduit substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the bushing parallel to the outer surface of the bushing. 
 
     
     
         16 . The aircraft bushing assembly as recited in  claim 10  further comprising a conduit offset clamp removably coupled to the second end of the support arm and operably configured to maintain the conduit at an offset distance from the conduit receiver. 
     
     
         17 . An aircraft interior bushing assembly comprising:
 a. a first bushing comprising
 i. a recessing portion, 
 ii. a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, 
 iii. a perimeter portion wherein the radial dimension of the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, 
 iv. a first support arm receiver at a first circumferential position of the first bushing; 
 v. a second support arm receiver at a second circumferential position of the first bushing; 
   b. a support arm coupled to the first bushing at either the first or second support arm receivers, the support arm comprising
 i. a first end coupled to the first bushing, 
 ii. a second end comprising a conduit receiver, 
 iii. a clamp receiver, and 
   c. wherein the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the void in the panel to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the panel once the conduit is installed and fixed to the support arm.