Seat track cover

• US 10,450,073 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Schulz, Alexander, Schomacker, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US15/942,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20180281973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 2441186, 2441181, 297232
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/064 Adjustable inclination or position of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0696 Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails

Abstract

A seat track cover for a passenger seat of an aircraft is positionable on a seat track. The seat track cover is mechanically coupled at a first end to a seat leg structure of the passenger seat via a pivot joint. The seat track cover is arranged substantially parallel to the seat track and takes up a covering position which covers a seat track located therebeneath when the passenger seat is in its working position. The seat track cover takes up a stowed position in a second state, wherein, in the stowed position, the seat track cover is pivotable out of the parallel plane with respect to the seat track via a pivoting movement about the pivot of the pivot joint. The transition from the covering position to the stowed position takes place via the pivoting movement about the first end of the seat track cover.

Claims

1. A seat track cover, configured to be positioned on a seat track for a passenger seat of an aircraft, comprising:

the seat track cover having a pivot joint configured to mechanically couple a first end of the seat track cover to a seat leg structure of the passenger seat,

the seat track cover configured to be arranged in a substantially parallel plane to the seat track and to take up a covering position, in a first state, which covers the seat track located therebeneath when the passenger seat is in a working position,

the seat track cover configured to take up a stowed cover position in a second state, wherein, in the stowed cover position, the seat track cover is pivotable out of the parallel plane with respect to the seat track by way of a pivoting movement about a pivot of the pivot joint, and

a transition from the covering position to the stowed cover position taking place via the pivoting movement about the first end of the seat track cover that is configured to mechanically couple to the seat leg structure, and

the pivoting movement being initiated by a triggering mechanism operatively connected to the seat track cover.

2. The seat track cover according to claim 1, wherein the triggering mechanism is activated by a pushing element in a region of an opposite end of the seat track cover from the pivot joint.

3. The seat track cover according to claim 1, wherein the seat track cover is formed from a first and a second segment which are foldable into one another about a second pivot.

4. The seat track cover according to claim 3, wherein an opposite end of the seat track cover from the pivot joint is configured to be movable in a relative manner by guide elements on the seat track cover.

5. The seat track cover according to claim 1, wherein the triggering mechanism is configured to be activated by opening a closure plug for releasing an opposite end of the seat track cover from the pivot joint.

6. The seat track cover according to claim 1, wherein the triggering mechanism is configured to be activated by moving a drive wheel arranged on the seat leg structure in a manner operatively connected to a transmission mechanism for force introduction at the pivot joint.

7. The seat track cover according to claim 1, wherein the triggering mechanism is configured to be activated by moving a fulcrum arranged on the seat leg structure.

8. The seat track cover according to claim 1, wherein the pivot comprises a spring mechanism.

9. A passenger seat having a seat track cover according to claim 1.

10. A seat arrangement for a passenger cabin of an aircraft, the seat arrangement comprising:

at least one seat track;

a first, front passenger seat and a second, rear passenger seat;

at least one track cover having a pivot joint configured to mechanically couple a first end of the seat track cover to a seat leg structure of the second, rear passenger seat,

the seat track cover configured to be arranged in a substantially parallel plane to the seat track and to take up a covering position, in a first state, which covers the seat track located therebeneath when the second, rear passenger seat is in a working position,

the seat track cover configured to take up a stowed cover position in a second state, wherein, in the stowed cover position, the seat track cover is pivotable out of the parallel plane with respect to the seat track by way of a pivoting movement about a pivot of the pivot joint, and

a transition from the covering position to the stowed cover position taking place via the pivoting movement about the first end of the seat track cover that is configured to mechanically couple to the seat leg structure, and

the pivoting movement being initiated by a triggering mechanism operatively connected to the seat track cover;

wherein the second passenger seat is arranged behind the first passenger seat in a longitudinal direction of the at least one seat track;

wherein the first passenger seat and the second passenger seat are configured to be moved, in each case, in the longitudinal direction of the at least one seat track in a receiving space of the at least one seat track in order to reach a stowed position;

wherein the at least one seat track cover is arranged so as to completely cover the receiving space for the at least one seat track between the first seat and the second seat in the working position, and in a stowed seat position, the at least one seat track cover is rotatable about at least one second pivot thereby uncovering the receiving space.

11. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the first, front passenger seat and the second, rear passenger seat each have the seat leg structure with a seat fitting and a seat leg which mechanically couples the first seat or the second seat to the at least one seat track;

wherein a second end of the at least one seat track cover, opposite the first end, projects in a direction of the seat leg of the first, front seat and is releasable from the at least one seat track;

wherein the first end of the at least one seat track cover projects in the direction of the seat leg of the second, rear seat and is rotatably connected to the seat leg structure of the rear seat;

wherein the at least one seat track cover is configured, upon a relative shifting movement of at least one of the first, front seat or of the movable seat leg of the rear seat in a shifting direction, to carry out the pivoting movement such that, as a result of the pivoting movement, the at least one seat track cover is moved from the first state covering the at least one seat track into the second state not covering the at least one seat track.

12. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the at least one seat track comprises a plurality of seat tracks, and the at least one seat track cover comprises a plurality of seat track covers which cover the plurality of seat tracks, the plurality of seat track covers being connected together by a cross connection.

13. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the triggering mechanism is activated by a pushing element in a region of an opposite end of the seat track cover from the pivot joint.

14. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the seat track cover is formed from a first and a second segment which are foldable into one another about a second pivot.

15. The seat arrangement according to claim 14, wherein an opposite end of the seat track cover from the pivot joint is configured to be movable in a relative manner by guide elements on the seat track cover.

16. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the triggering mechanism is configured to be activated by opening a closure plug for releasing an opposite end of the seat track cover from the pivot joint.

17. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the triggering mechanism is configured to be activated by moving a drive wheel arranged on the seat leg structure in a manner operatively connected to a transmission mechanism for force introduction at the pivot joint.

18. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the triggering mechanism is configured to be activated by moving a fulcrum arranged on the seat leg structure.

19. The seat arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the pivot comprises a spring mechanism.