AIRCRAFT WITH ANGLED SEATING CONFIGURATION

• US 20200130845A1
• Filed: 09/10/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Cabin, Inc. (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Safran Cabin, Inc. (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Heimbach, Eric, Schuttera, Christopher, Savian, Scott, Scoley, Ian Geoffrey
• Granted Patent: US 10,807,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/143 of the plug type
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/003 Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0601 Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0627 Seats combined with storage means

Abstract

An aircraft that includes a body that defines a cabin interior and a longitudinal axis, and a front row positioned in the cabin interior. The front row includes a first front seat and a second front seat. The first and second front seats are angled away from one another. The first front seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a first acute angle with the longitudinal axis and the second front seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a second acute angle with the longitudinal axis. The first and second acute angles are approximately the same.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a body that defines a cabin interior and a longitudinal axis, and

a front row positioned in the cabin interior, wherein the front row includes a first front seat and a second front seat, wherein the first and second front seats are angled away from one another, wherein the first front seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a first acute angle with the longitudinal axis, wherein the second front seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a second acute angle with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first and second acute angles are approximately the same.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a back row positioned in the cabin interior aft of the front row, wherein the back row includes a first back seat and a second back seat, wherein the first and second back seats are angled away from one another, wherein the first back seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a third acute angle with the longitudinal axis, wherein the second back seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a fourth acute angle with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the third and fourth acute angles are the approximately same.

3. The aircraft of claim 2 wherein the first, second, third and fourth acute angles are approximately the same.

4. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a front bench seat assembly that includes the first front seat and second front seat.

5. The aircraft of claim 4 wherein the front bench seat assembly includes a center portion that separates the first front seat from the second front seat.

6. The aircraft of claim 5 wherein the center portion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

7. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the center portion is generally triangular or generally trapezoidal in shape.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising a cockpit positioned forward of the front row, wherein a first foot space is defined on a first side of the cockpit, and wherein a second foot space is defined on a second side of the cockpit.

9. The aircraft of claim 2 further comprising:

a front bench seat assembly that includes the first front seat and second front seat, wherein the front bench seat assembly includes a center portion that separates the first front seat from the second front seat, wherein the center portion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge, and

a back bench seat assembly positioned aft of the front bench seat assembly, wherein the back bench seat assembly includes the first back seat and second back seat, wherein the back bench seat assembly includes a center portion that separates the first back seat from the second back seat, wherein the center portion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

10. The aircraft of claim 9 further comprising:

a divider member that divides the cabin interior into a cargo hold and a passenger cabin,

a forward door that is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, and

an aft door that is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, wherein pivoting one of the forward door or the aft door from the closed to the open position causes the other of the forward door or the aft door to pivot from the closed position to the open position.

11. The aircraft of claim 10 wherein the body includes a side opening, wherein in their closed positions, the forward and aft doors are positioned in the side opening, wherein the side opening includes a front row access portion, a back row access portion and a cargo hold access portion, wherein in the closed position, the forward door blocks access to the front row access portion, wherein in the closed position, the aft door blocks access to the back row access portion and the cargo hold access portion.

12. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the center portion includes a drawer that is movable between an open and a closed position, wherein the drawer includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

13. The aircraft of claim 6 wherein the center portion includes a cover that is movable between an open and a closed position, wherein the cover includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

14. The aircraft of claim of claim 6 wherein the center portion includes a cushion thereon, wherein the cushion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

15. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the aircraft is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

16. (canceled)

17. An aircraft comprising:

a body that defines a cabin interior and a longitudinal axis,

a front row positioned in the cabin interior, wherein the front row includes a first front seat and a second front seat, wherein the first and second front seats are angled away from one another, wherein the first front seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a first acute angle with the longitudinal axis, wherein the second front seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a second acute angle with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first and second acute angles are approximately the same,

a back row positioned in the cabin interior aft of the front row, wherein the back row includes a first back seat and a second back seat, wherein the first and second back seats are angled away from one another, wherein the first back seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a third acute angle with the longitudinal axis, wherein the second back seat is angled outwardly such that it forms a fourth acute angle with the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth acute angles are the approximately same, and

a cockpit positioned forward of the front row, wherein a first foot space is defined on a first side of the cockpit, and wherein a second foot space is defined on a second side of the cockpit

18. The aircraft of claim 17 further comprising a front bench seat assembly that includes the first front seat and second front seat and a back bench seat assembly that includes the first back seat and second back seat, wherein the front bench seat assembly includes a center portion that separates the first front seat from the second front seat, wherein the center portion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge, wherein the back bench seat assembly includes a center portion that separates the first back seat from the second back seat, and wherein the center portion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.