Seatback articulation assembly and method

• US 10,450,072 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: De La Garza, Javier Valdes
• Primary Examiner(s): McPartlin, Sarah B
• Application Number:
  US15/824,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20190161193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 297341, 297342
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/064 Adjustable inclination or position of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0641 Seats convertible into beds
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0643 Adjustable foot or leg rests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0648 Lower frame constructions

Abstract

A passenger seat including an adjustable seat pan and a seatback segmented into at least lower and upper portions, wherein a drive link moveable in response to seat pan motion moves between cam followers on the lower and upper seatback portions to drive movement of the seatback portions to control the angle therebetween to achieve various angular relationships in various sitting and sleeping positions of the passenger seat.

Claims

1. A seatback articulation assembly for a passenger seat, comprising:

an adjustable seat pan;

a lower seatback pivotally connected to the adjustable seat pan;

an upper seatback pivotally connected to the lower seatback; and

a link pivotally connected at one end to the adjustable seat pan, the link comprising a contoured free end disposed between a lower seatback cam follower and an upper seatback cam follower, the contoured free end comprising opposing first and second cam surfaces along which the respective lower and upper seatback cam followers travel as the link moves to control an angular relationship between the lower seatback and the upper seatback, the opposing first and second cam surfaces asymmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the contoured free end, and the first cam surface facing in a first direction and the second cam surface facing in a second direction opposite the first direction.

2. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein the lower seatback cam follower is a vertically oriented roller disposed on the lower seatback near a pivotal connection point of the lower seatback and the upper seatback.

3. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper seatback comprises a bracket, wherein the upper seatback cam follower is a vertically oriented roller disposed on the bracket, and wherein the bracket comprises a first range limiter adapted to engage the lower seatback to limit angular travel of the upper seatback relative to the lower seatback in a first direction, and a second range limiter adapted to engage the lower seatback to limit angular travel of the upper seatback relative to the lower seatback in a second direction opposite the first direction.

4. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein the link comprises a linear portion disposed between the contoured free end and a pivotal attachment point of the link and the adjustable seat pan.

5. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein the contoured free end comprises a bulge adapted to drive the lower and upper seatback cam followers apart to increase an angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback, and wherein the lower and upper seatback cam followers come together as the lower and upper seatback cam followers move away from the bulge to lessen the angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback.

6. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein the seatback is configured to move between an upright sitting position and a flat bed position through at least one intermediate sitting position, and wherein a maximum angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback is realized in the at least one intermediate sitting position and no angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback is realized in the flat bed position.

7. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein the adjustable seat pan is pivotally connected to a drive rail configured to horizontally translate relative to a static seat frame member, and wherein horizontal translation of the drive rail induces an angular change in the adjustable seat pan thereby causing movement of the link relative to the lower and upper seatback cam followers.

8. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein a pivotal connection point of the adjustable seat pan and the lower seatback is disposed near a top of a backend of the adjustable seat pan, and a pivotal connection point of the adjustable seat pan and the link is disposed near a bottom of the backend of the adjustable seat pan such that the pivotal connection point of the adjustable seat pan and the lower seatback is spaced apart from the pivotal connection point of the adjustable seat pan and the link.

9. The seatback articulation assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper seatback comprises a headrest.

10. A passenger seat, comprising:

a seat pan adjustable in at least one of horizontal position and angle;

a lower seatback pivotally connected at one end to the seat pan;

an upper seatback pivotally connected at one end to the lower seatback; and

a contoured link pivotally connected at one end to the seat pan, the link comprising a contoured free end disposed between a lower seatback cam follower and an upper seatback cam follower, the contoured free end comprising first and second cam surfaces along which the respective lower and upper seatback cam followers travel in response to link movement therebetween; and

a drive rail pivotally connected to the seal pan, the drive rail configured to translate horizontally relative to a static seal frame member, wherein horizontal translation of the drive rail induces an angular change in the seal pan thereby driving movement of the contoured link relative to the lower and upper seatback cam followers.

11. The passenger seat of claim 10, wherein the first and second cam surfaces are asymmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the contoured free end, and wherein the first cam surface faces forward relative to the passenger seat and the second cam surface faces rearward relative to the passenger seat.

12. The passenger seat of claim 10, wherein the lower seatback cam follower is a vertically oriented roller disposed on the lower seatback, and the upper seatback cam follower is a vertically oriented roller disposed on the upper seatback.

13. The passenger seat of claim 10, wherein the upper seatback comprises a bracket comprising a first range limiter adapted to engage the lower seatback to limit angular travel of the upper seatback relative to the lower seatback in a first direction, and a second range limiter adapted to engage the lower seatback to limit angular travel of the upper seatback relative to the lower seatback in a second direction opposite the first direction.

14. The passenger seat of claim 10, wherein the contoured free end comprises a bulge adapted to drive the lower and upper seatback cam followers apart to increase an angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback, and wherein the lower and upper seatback cam followers come together as the lower and upper seatback cam followers move away from the bulge to lessen the angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback.

15. A method of controlling an angle between segments of a segmented seatback, the method comprising:

providing a segmented seatback comprising a lower seatback pivotally connected at one end to an adjustable seat pan and at an opposing end to an upper seatback;

providing a link pivotally connected at one end to the adjustable seat pan, the link comprising a contoured free end disposed between a lower seatback cam follower disposed on the lower seatback and an upper seatback cam follower disposed on the upper seatback, the contoured free end comprising opposing first and second cam surfaces along which the respective lower and upper seatback cam followers travel in response to link movement therebetween; and

changing an angle of the adjustable seat pan to induce movement of the link relative to the lower and upper cam followers thereby changing an angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback;

wherein the segmented seatback is configured to move between an upright sitting position and a flat bed position through at least one intermediate sitting position, wherein a maximum angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback is realized in the at least one intermediate sitting position and no angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback is realized in the flat bed position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the opposing first and second cam surfaces are asymmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the contoured free end, and wherein the contoured free end comprises a bulge adapted to drive the lower and upper seatback cam followers apart to increase an angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback, and wherein the lower and upper seatback cam followers come together as the lower and upper seatback cam followers move away from the bulge to lessen the angle between the lower seatback and the upper seatback.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the lower seatback cam follower is a vertically oriented roller disposed on the lower seatback and the upper seatback cam follower is a vertically oriented roller disposed on the upper seatback.