Aircraft cabin equipped with means for controlling the power consumed by seat actuators

• US 20050231038A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Actuation Systems
• Original Assignee: Precilec Co.
• Inventors: Marin-Martinod, Thierry, Robert, Jean-Claude
• Granted Patent: US 7,365,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06395 characterised by the arrangement of electric motors for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/064 Adjustable inclination or position of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0643 Adjustable foot or leg rests
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving

Abstract

The aircraft cabin comprises:

• • at least two seats (14A, 14B, 14C) which each comprise at least two elements which can be moved relative to each other and at least one actuator (24, 26) for the relative displacement of these movable elements,
  • at least one central power control unit (20) in the cabin in order to allocate a total available power level to each seat. Each seat (14A, 14B, 14C) comprises means (30, 32, 34) for reading at least one item of morphological information of the passenger sitting in the seat, and means (18B) for transmitting information to the central power control unit (20) in accordance with the or each item of morphological information. The central power control unit (20) is capable of allocating to each seat (14A, 14B, 14C) a total available power level in accordance with the or each item of morphological information.

Claims

1. Aircraft cabin comprising:

at least two seats which each comprise at least two elements which can be moved relative to each other and at least one actuator for the relative displacement of these movable elements,

at least one central power control unit in the cabin in order to allocate a total available power level to each seat, wherein each seat comprises means for reading at least one item of morphological information of the passenger sitting in the seat, and means for transmitting information to the central power control unit in accordance with the or each item of morphological information,

and in that the central power control unit is capable of allocating to each seat a total available power level in accordance with the or each item of morphological information.

2. Cabin according to claim 1, wherein the reading means comprise a sensor for measuring the weight of the passenger.

3. Cabin according to claim 1, wherein the reading means comprise a sensor for measuring the size of at least a portion of the passenger.

4. Cabin according to claim 1, wherein it comprises means for calculating, for each seat, a maximum nominal power level that can be consumed by the or each actuator of the seat based on the or each item of morphological information and the features of the or each actuator, and the central power control unit is capable of allocating to each seat a total available power level whose value depends on the maximum nominal power levels calculated for each seat.

5. Cabin according to claim 4, wherein the total available power level allocated to each seat becomes higher as the or each maximum nominal power level calculated for the seat becomes higher.

6. Cabin according to claim 4, wherein each seat comprises a local power control unit to which means for reading at least one item of morphological information are connected, and in that each local power control unit comprises suitable means for calculating the maximum nominal power level that can be consumed by the or each actuator of the seat based on the or each item of morphological information and the features of the or each actuator.

7. Cabin according to claim 6, wherein each local power control unit comprises means for transmitting information to the central power control unit in accordance with the or each maximum nominal power level that can be consumed by an actuator.

8. Cabin according to claim 6, wherein the central power control unit comprises means for transmitting an allocated total available power level to each local power control unit and each local power control unit is capable of controlling the or each actuator so that the total power consumed is less than the total available power allocated.