Tray table assembly

• US 10,308,362 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Trimble, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brindley, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/522,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20170355465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 3121381, 220244, 220246, 220813, 220811, 220812, 108 40, 108 42, 108 46
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/004 of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0638 with foldable tables, trays or cup holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Described are tray table assemblies having a table body (114) and a biasing mechanism (144). The table body can be movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The table body in the stowed configuration can be positioned so that at least a portion of the table body can be situated within a cavity (142) defined along a downwardly projecting lip (140). The table body in the deployed configuration can extend transverse to the orientation of the table in the stowed configuration. The biasing mechanism can bias the table body into the cavity in the stowed configuration.

Claims

1. A tray table assembly configured to be coupled with or incorporated into a passenger seat back and comprising:

a table body movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, the table body in the stowed configuration positioned so that at least a portion of the table body is situated within a cavity defined along and behind a downwardly projecting lip that extends flush with a rear face of an upper part of the passenger seatback; and

a biasing mechanism configured in a biasing state to exert a biasing force to bias the table body into the cavity when the table body is in or approaching the stowed configuration and configured in an overcome state, in which the biasing force is overcome, to permit the table body to be rotated past the downwardly projecting lip.

2. The tray table assembly of claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring, and wherein the table body in the deployed configuration extends transverse to the orientation of the table in the stowed configuration.

3. The tray table assembly of claim 1, wherein the table body comprises a first leaf hinged with a second leaf.

4. The tray table assembly of claim 1, wherein the table body comprises a single panel.

5. A passenger seat comprising:

a seat back having a front a rear, and an upper part;

a lip projecting downwardly along the rear of the seat back and extending in line with a rear face of the upper part of the seat back;

a cavity defined at least partially by the lip and behind the lip;

a table body movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, the table body in the stowed configuration positioned so that at least a portion of the table body is situated within the cavity; and

a biasing mechanism in a biasing state exerting a biasing force biasing the table body into the cavity when the table body is in the stowed configuration, the biasing mechanism permitting the table body to be rotated past the downwardly projecting lip in an overcome state in which the biasing force is overcome.

6. The passenger seat of claim 5, wherein the table body comprises a first leaf and a second leaf.

7. The passenger seat of claim 6, wherein first leaf comprises a tab and the second leaf comprises a notch, the notch sized to receive the tab in the deployed configuration, and the notch sized to receive one or more fingers of a person in the stowed position so as to facilitate pulling the table body from the stowed configuration.

8. The passenger seat of claim 5, wherein the table body comprises a single leaf.

9. The passenger seat of claim 8, wherein the single leaf comprises a groove in a side of the single leaf facing away from the front of the seat back, the groove sized to receive one or more fingers of a person in the stowed position so as to facilitate pulling the table body from the stowed position.

10. The passenger seat of claim 5, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

11. The passenger seat of claim 5, wherein the biasing mechanism is located at least partially within the table body.

12. The passenger seat of claim 5, the table body is pivotally coupled with the seat back so as to at least partially rotate in moving between the deployed and stowed configurations, the table body in the deployed configuration extending transverse to the seat back.

13. The passenger seat of claim 5, further comprising a shroud coupled with the seat back, the shroud comprising the lip.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, along a seat back, a table body rotated into an aligned position beneath a cavity defined by and behind a downwardly projecting lip that extends even with a rear face of an upper part of the seat back; and

biasing, from the aligned position beneath the cavity, at least a portion of the table body upward into the cavity by a biasing force provided by a biasing mechanism configured to be overcome to permit rotation of the table body past the downwardly projecting lip.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, along the seat back, the table body translated from at least partially within the cavity into a disengaged position beneath the cavity in response to a downward force exerted on the table body with sufficient magnitude to overcome a biasing force provided by the biasing mechanism; and

providing, in a position transverse to the seat back, the table body rotated from the disengaged position.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a flat surface of the table body by a first leaf of the table body rotating about hinges coupling the first leaf of the table body with a second leaf of the table body.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the table body translated toward the seat back into a ready configuration in response to a pushing force exerted on the table body with sufficient magnitude to overcome a biasing force provided by the biasing mechanism;

wherein receiving the table body rotated into the aligned position comprises receiving the table body rotated from the ready configuration.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the table body comprises a first leaf and a second leaf.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the table body comprises a single leaf.