Method and System for Flexible Seat Arrangement in Airplanes

• US 20110309195A1
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bishop GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bishop GmbH
• Inventors: BISHOP, Peter, Sodore, Oumarou
• Granted Patent: US 8,944,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.6
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0696 Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails

Abstract

The invention provides a method for adapting a seat row arrangement in an airplane in order to set seat row distances, wherein the currently desired pattern of seat row positions is stored in a control device and wherein the seat rows are mounted on seat tracks (4) extending in the longitudinal direction and can be locked therein against longitudinal movements by a locking mechanism (12, 13) associated with each seat row, wherein each seat row whose position is to be changed is, under control of the control device, unlocked by releasing the locking mechanism for the seat row, is moved automatically on its seat tracks to the predetermined position by operating drive means under the control of the control device, and is locked there on the seat tracks by the control device by actuating the locking mechanism, characterized in that at least one cable (6) which is extending in the longitudinal direction along the cabin is driven by a motor to move back and forth in a manner controlled by the control device, each seat row or group of seat rows to be moved is subsequently moved by selectively coupling it to the cable (6) under the control of the control device for controlled time intervals such that the seat row follows the movement of the cable during coupling intervals whereby the movements of the cable integrated over the coupling intervals equal the total movement of the seat row or group of seat rows to the position according to the desired pattern of positions.

Claims

1. Method for adapting a seat row arrangement in an airplane according to a currently desired pattern of seat row positions in the longitudinal direction over a passenger cabin of the airplane in order to set seat row distances, if appropriate differing in some sections of the cabin, wherein the currently desired pattern of seat row positions is stored in a control device and wherein the seat rows are mounted on seat tracks (4) extending in the longitudinal direction and can be locked therein against longitudinal movements by a locking mechanism (12, 13) associated with each seat row, in which method each seat row whose position is to be changed in order to obtain the currently desired pattern of seat row positions is, under control of the control device, unlocked by releasing the locking mechanism for the seat row, is moved automatically on its seat tracks to the position predetermined by the currently desired pattern of seat row positions by operating drive means under the control of the control device, and is locked there against longitudinal movement on the seat tracks by the control device by actuating the locking mechanism, characterized in that

at least one cable (6) which is extending in the longitudinal direction along the cabin is driven by a motor to move back and forth in a manner controlled by the control device,

each seat row or group of seat rows to be moved is subsequently moved by selectively coupling it to the cable (6) under the control of the control device for controlled time intervals such that the seat row follows the movement of the cable during coupling intervals whereby the movements of the cable integrated over the coupling intervals equal the total movement of the seat row or group of seat rows to the position according to the desired pattern of positions.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that for each seat row to be moved the coupling intervals are adjusted by the control device in such a manner that the starting and end point in time of each coupling interval correspond to a point in time in which the cable is at rest.

3. Method according claim 2, characterized in that for each seat row to be moved the cables for driving the seat row are driven to perform a periodical, oscillating back and forth movement with a variable amplitude and frequency which is selected by the control device such that the sum of the amplitudes over the coupling periods results in the desired distance of movement to the position of the seat row according to the desired pattern of positions.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that for each seat track (4) a cable (6) is provided which is driven to move back and forth in the seat track, and that for each leg of a seat row that is slidably mounted on one of the seat tracks a locking mechanism (12, 13) for locking and unlocking the seat leg on the seat track against longitudinal movements is provided.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that for each locking (12, 13) mechanism the position of the locking mechanism relative to attachment holes (5) in the seat track is sensed and transmitted to the control device, wherein the control device is adapted to determine whether the locking mechanism is in alignment with attachment holes corresponding to a final position of the seat leg according to the desired pattern of seat row positions, wherein the control device upon receipt of the signal indicating the alignment actuates the locking mechanism to lock the seat leg on the seat track.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the releasing of the locking mechanism to unlock a seat leg from the associated seat track is effected by moving a clutch body (12) upward such that pins (13) projecting from the lower surface of the clutch body are moved out of engagement with attachment holes (5) on the seat track, wherein this upward movement of the clutch body at the same time causes a coupling engagement with the reciprocating cable by moving clamping bodies (18) attached to the clutch body into engagement with the cable, wherein opposing clamping bodies (18) engage and clamp the cable between each other.

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that signal exchange between the control device on one hand and the motor for driving the cable, the locking mechanisms and coupling mechanisms on the other hand is effected by wireless radio transmission of signals.

8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device is adapted such that the number of seat rows which are coupled at the same time to the cable to be moved thereby is limited to a predetermined threshold.

9. System for adapting a seat row arrangement in an airplane according to a currently desired pattern of seat row positions in the longitudinal direction over a passenger cabin of the airplane in order with clamping members (18) being arranged in relation to the associated cable (6) such that the clamping members are out of coupling engagement with the cable when the clutch body of the locking mechanism is in its locked position on the seat track, and that the clamping members (18) are in coupling engagement with the cable (6) when the clutch body is moved upward to an unlocked position with its pins out of engagement with the attachment holes. to set seat row distances, this system comprising a control device, a plurality of seat rows mounted on seat tracks (4) longitudinally extending in the cabin floor, each leg of a seat row that is mounted on a seat track having a locking mechanism (12, 13) capable of unlocking and locking the seat leg against longitudinal movements in the seat track, a cable (6) driven by drive means for a reciprocating movement in the longitudinal direction, at least one coupling mechanism associated with each seat row for selective coupling of the seat row to the cable under the control of the control device, wherein the control device is adapted to perform a method according to claim 1.

10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that each locking mechanism includes a clutch body (12) having pins (13) projecting from its lower surface, which pins are arranged to be engageable with attachment holes (5) disposed along each seat track, the clutch body being mounted to be moveable in vertical direction up and down to move the pins (13) out of or into engagement with attachment holes (5) to thereby unlock or lock the associated seat leg in the seat track (4), the clutch body further being equipped.

11. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the drive means include at least one motor linear electric at the front end of the cabin and one motor linear electric at the backward end of the cabin, wherein the cables extend in longitudinal direction between the motor linear electric and are driveable for a reciprocating movement by the two linear electric motors.

12. System according to claim 9, characterized in that each locking mechanism on a driven seat leg is provided with an optical sensor which delivers sensing signals to the control device which allow the control device to determine the locations of attachment holes within the seat track.