AIRPLANE SEAT ASSEMBLY

• US 3,762,766 A
• Filed: 06/04/1971
• Issued: 10/02/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Seating Company
• Original Assignee: Alexander A. Karrip, Chester J. Barecki
• Inventors: Barecki, Chester J., Karrip, Alexander A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zugel, Francis K.
• Application Number:
  US05/149,946
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217,DIG.3,219,284,452,193,445,456,455.7 5/348,335
• US Class Current: 297/217.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0629 the storage means being specially adapted for emergency equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0638 with foldable tables, trays or cup holders
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/064 Adjustable inclination or position of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0644 Adjustable arm rests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0646 Seats characterised by special features of stationary arms, foot or head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0647 Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic

Abstract

An airplane seat assembly is provided with a unique seat cushion for selectively varying the height of the seat, automatic return means for the back and seat, an indicating means to designate the seat number, and a disappearing headphone set which can be adjusted to accommodate the height of the user. The seat includes an inflatable bag which is interposed between the seat cushion and the seat base, and the inflatable bag includes a check valve which permits air to enter the bag but prevents the escape of air. The bag is filled with a resilient plastic material which expands the bag when the seat is not occupied to draw air into the bag through the check valve. When the seat is occupied, the valve can be opened to release a desired quantity of air to lower the level of the seat to accommodate the height of the user. The seat cushion is removably secured to the base to permit the withdrawal of the bag for use in emergencies. The seat is controlled by a constant rate torsional leaf spring so that it will raise when the occupant rises, and the back is hydraulically returned to the upright position when the seat is raised. The seat indicator includes an indica-carrying wheel rotatably mounted behind an opening in a panel mounted adjacent the headrest, and a spring urged plate engages flats on the wheel to releasably lock the wheel against rotation. When the seat designation is to be changed, the shaft on which the presser plate is mounted may be pushed against the urging of the spring to disengage the plate from the wheel to permit rotation thereof. The headphone set includes a plurality of telescopingly related tubes which are pivotally secured to each other. The tubes can be withdrawn from a channel or guide tube mounted in the back, and the extended tubes can be pivoted to position the earphone adjacent the ear of the user.

Claims

1. An airplane seat assembly including a frame, a generally upwardly extending back portion mounted on the frame, and a seat portion mounted on the frame, wherein the improvement comprises:

said seat portion having a rigid base, a cushion secured to the base and extending thereabove, an air-tight, inflatable box-like bag interposed between the cushion and the base, resilient filler material capable of retaining air when expanded and expelling air when flattened and located within the bag and urging said bag to an expanded condition of maximum height and air capacity;

unidirectional valve means on said bag for permitting air to flow into said bag to expand it under the urging of said filler material; and

hand actuatable release means associated with said valve and accessible to an occupant of said seat for opening said valve to expel air fRom said bag and said filler material under pressure from the weight of said occupant to adjust the height of said occupant in said seat;

said cushion being removably secured to the base to permit removal of the bag from between the cushion and the base, said base including a generally rectangular metal pan having a generally planar bottom and upwardly extending side walls, said bag being generally rectangular and received within said side walls of said pan, said cushion further being generally rectangular and having a top, bottom and side walls, said assembly further comprising a cover extending over the top and side walls of said cushion and over the sides of said pan, said cushion being removably secured to the bottom of said base;

said valve means extending through the side wall of said pan.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising blow tube means associated with said bag for inflating the bag by mouth when the bag is removed from the seat portion to provide greater buoyancy when said bag is used as a flotation cushion.

3. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising double-faced interlocking tape release means removably securing said cover to said base.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said bag further comprises a looped strap secured to one side thereof and extending beyond it to provide a pair of arm loops.