Movable seating system for aircraft

• US 4,723,732 A
• Filed: 09/12/1985
• Issued: 02/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Gorges, Fredrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen
• Application Number:
  US06/775,498
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.1, 244/118.5, 244/118.6, 244/137 R, 244/137 P, 244/137 L, 105/29 R, 105/127, 104/165, 104/287, 410/105, 410/74, 410/75, 410/115, 410/90, 410/91, 410/104, 248/503.1, 297/332-335, 297/344, 297/243, 312/198
• 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

An adjustable seating system particularly adapted for use in a passenger aircraft, where they are a pair of tracks mounted in the floor of the aircraft, and a plurality of seating units mounted to these tracks. Each seating unit has a pair of interconnected traction wheels which have positive engagement with the tracks, so as to avoid skewing of the seating units as these are moved along the tracks. Pivotally mounted locking members lock the rear leg portions of the seating units to the tracks at selected locations. Telescoping track cover members cover the track sections that extend between adjacent seating units.

Claims

1. An adjustable seating system adapted for use in a passenger vehicle, such as a passenger aircraft, said system comprising:

a. a track assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising at least two tracks, each having a related lengthwise axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, with each track comprising;

1. a pair of laterally spaced flange members extending along the lengthwise axis and reaching laterally toward one another to form a related track passageway which extends along the lengthwise axis of the track;

2. the two flange members of each track being formed with lateral recesses which provide enlarged openings which are positioned at regularly spaced intervals along said lengthwise axis, with the enlarged openings being interconnected by narrower openings defined by related retaining flange portions positioned between related adjacent pairs of the enlarged openings;

b. a plurality of seating units mounted to the track assembly along the longitudinal axis;

c. each seating unit having a traction wheel assembly comprising at least two traction wheels, each of which engages a related one of said two tracks, each traction wheel having a peripheral portion with a plurality of protrusions positioned and spaced relative to one another so as to match positioning and spacing of the enlarged openings of its related track, the traction wheels of each traction wheel assembly being operatively interconnected in a manner that rotation of a first one of said traction wheels causes a corresponding rotation of a second one of the traction wheels so that with the two traction wheels engaging their related tracks, rates of travel of the two wheels over their related tracks are equal;

d. each seating unit having at least two mounting and locking assemblies, each of which operatively engages a related one of the two tracks, each mounting and locking assembly comprising;

1. a retaining foot member connected to said seating unit and having at least one foot positioned within the track passageway of its related track, said foot being adapted to engage selected related retaining flange portions of its related track;

2. a locking member having a locking element and being pivotally mounted to said retaining foot member at a first pivot location for movement between a locking position where the locking element is positioned in one of said enlarged openings to prevent fore and aft movement of said mounting and locking assembly, and a release position where said locking element is removed from said one of said enlarged openings;

3. said locking member being arranged relative to said retaining foot member so that with the locking member in its locking position, the foot is positioned beneath at least one of said retaining flange portions;

4. said locking member being further arranged so that movement of the locking member to the locking position causes the locking member to have an operative lifting engagement between its related track and the related foot member to press said retaining foot member upwardly against the retaining flange portions to prevent rattling motion of said mounting and locking assembly;

e. each seating unit having locking and unlocking actuating means operatively connected to the locking members of the seating unit to move the locking members between their locking and release positions;

whereby the seating units can be moved to selected locations by moving the actuating means of the seating units which are to be moved to the unlocking position, and moving the seating units along said track assembly.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of track cover assemblies, each track cover assembly comprising at least two telescoping cover members, with each track cover assembly being positioned over a related track section that extends between adjacent seating units.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the cover members of each track assembly have interengaging stop means which limits telescoping movement of the two track cover members toward and away from one another, one of said cover members being connected to one seating unit and a second of said cover members being connected to a second adjacent seating unit.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein at least some of said track cover members have spaced marking means thereon, corresponding to spacing of the enlarged openings of the track, whereby with one seating unit being properly positioned relative to the track assembly for locking engagement thereto, an adjacent one of said seating units can be positioned in accordance with the marking means on the track cover assembly so as to be properly positioned for locking engagement to the track assembly.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said system is arranged to provide minimum and maximum spacing distances between adjacent seating units, said stop means of the cover assemblies being arranged to limit relative travel between adjacent seating units to said minimum and maximum distances.

6. The system as recited in claim 3, further comprising a power unit adapted to operatively engage and cause rotation of at least one traction wheel of one of said traction wheel assemblies of one of said seating units to cause movement of said one of said seating units.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a power unit adapted to operatively engage and cause rotation of at least one traction wheel of one of said traction wheel assemblies of one of said seating units to cause movement of said one of said seating units.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising roller means positioned adjacent each mounting and locking assembly, each of said roller means being positioned relative to its related mounting and locking assembly in a manner that movement of said locking member to its release position brings said roller means into bearing engagement with its related track to facilitate movement of its related seating unit.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said actuating means comprises a manually operated lever means positioned adjacent its related seating unit.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each locking member has a downwardly facing cam surface which engages an upwardly facing surface of said track member, said cam surface being arranged in a manner that rotational movement of said locking member to its locking position causes camming engagement of said can surface to raise said retaining foot member.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said mounting and locking assemblies comprises actuating rod means pivotally connected to said locking member at a second pivot location spaced from said first pivot location, with said actuating rod means being operatively connected to said locking and unlocking actuating means.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein said cam surface is positioned intermediate said first and second pivot locations on said locking member.

13. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein said locking and unlocking actuating means comprises manually operable handle means, and said actuating rod means is pivotally connected to said handle means whereby operation of the handle means acts through said rod means to cause movement of said locking member.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said actuating means comprises a lever member operatively connected to said locking member at a location adjacent its related track, said lever member being configured and arranged so that in its locking position, the lever member fits over and covers a section of said track adjacent to its related mounting and locking assembly.

15. An adjustable seating system for use in a passenger aircraft, said system comprising:

a. a track assembly mounted to a floor of said aircraft and extending along a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said track assembly comprising at least two tracks, each having a related lengthwise axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, with each track comprising;

1. a pair of laterally spaced flange members extending along the lengthwise axis and reaching laterally toward one another to form a related track passageway which extends through the lengthwise axis of the track;

18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein there are a plurality of track cover assemblies, each track cover assembly comprising at least two telescoping cover members, with each track cover assembly being positioned over a related track section that extends between adjacent seating units.

23. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the two traction wheels of each seating unit are mounted at a forward portion of the undercarriage of their related seating unit, and said two traction wheels are interconnected by a laterally extending shaft extending across a forward portion of the undercarriage beneath the seating portion of the seating unit.

24. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said locking member is further arranged so that movement of the locking member about a first pivot location to the locking position causes the locking member to have an operative lifting engagement between its related track and the related foot member to press the retaining foot member upwardly against the retaining flange portions to prevent rattling motion of said mounting and locking assembly.

26. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein each of said mounting and locking assemblies comprises actuating rod means pivotally connected to said locking member at a second pivot location spaced from said first pivot location, with said actuating rod means being operatively connected to said locking and unlocking actuating means.

27. The systems as recited in claim 24, wherein said cam surface is positioned intermediate said first and second pivot locations on said locking member.

28. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein said locking and unlocking actuating means comprises manually operable handle means, and said actuating rod means is pivotally connected to said handle means whereby operation of the handle means acts through said rod means to cause movement of said locking member.

29. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said locking and unlocking actuating means comprises manually operable handle means connected to the related seating unit.

33. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

a. providing a plurality of track cover assemblies, each track cover assembly comprising at least two telescoping cover members, with each track cover assembly being positioned over a related track section that extends between adjacent seating units, the cover members of each track assembly have interengaging stop means which limits telescoping movement of the two track cover members toward and away from one another, one of said cover members being connected to one seating unit and a second of said cover members being connected to a second adjacent seating unit;

b. said method further comprising moving one of said selected seating units to cause movement of other of said seating units by interaction of track cover assemblies connecting said selected seating units.

35. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

a. providing at least some of said track cover members with spaced marking means thereon, corresponding to spacing of the enlarged openings of the track;

b. positioning one of said selected seating units relative to the track assembly for locking engagement thereto and locking said one of said selected seating units in place;

c. positioning a second adjacent one of said seating units in accordance with the marking means of an adjacent one of the track cover assemblies so as to be properly positioned for locking engagement to the track assembly.

37. The assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein said track engaging lifting portion is, relative to said locking element, positioned closer to said pivot location in a horizontal direction, whereby said track engaging lifting portion operates on a relatively short lever arm to move said retaining foot member upwardly.

39. The assembly as recited in claim 35, wherein said track engaging liftng portion is positioned, relative to horizontal positioning, between said pivot location and said locking element.

41. The assembly as recited in claim 37, wherein said locking and lifting member comprises a stabilizing portion which is positioned on said locking and lifting member so as to be movable upwardly as said locking and lifting member moves from the second release position to the first position, said stabilizing portion in said first position being engaged with a matching stabilizing element connected to said foot member to restrain movement of said foot member in said assembly.

42. The assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein said track engaging lifting portion is, in the second locking and lifting position, positioned at a level beneath said first pivot location, in a manner that in moving from the second to the first position, said lifting portion has a substantial horizontal component of movement to provide better mechanical advantage for said track engaging lifting portion.

43. The assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein said track engaging lifting portion is positioned, relative to horizontal positioning, between said pivot location and said locking element.

44. The assembly as recited in claim 33, further comprising actuating rod means operatively connected to said locking and lifting member at an engaging location spaced from said pivot location at a distance greater than a distance at which said track engaging lifting portion is spaced from said pivot location.

45. The assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein said locking and lifting member comprises a stabilizing portion which is positioned on said locking and lifting member so as to be movable upwardly as said locking and lifting member moves from the second release position to the first position, said stabilizing portion in said first position being engaged with a matching stabilizing element connected to said foot member to restrain movement of said foot member in said assembly.

46. The assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein:

a. said track engaging lifting portion is, relative to said locking element, positioned closer to said pivot location in a horizontal direction, whereby said track engaging lifting portion operates on a relatively short lever arm to move said retaining foot member upwardly; and

b. actuating rod means operatively connected to said locking and lifting member at an engaging location spaced from said pivot location at a distance greater than a distance at which said track engaging lifting portion is spaced from said pivot location.

47. The assembly as recited in claim 43, wherein said locking and lifting member comprises a stabilizing portion which is positioned on said locking and lifting member so as to be movable upwardly as said locking and lifting member moves from the second release position to the first position, said stabilizing portion in said first position being engaged with a matching stabilizing element connected to said foot member to restrain movement of said foot member in said assembly.

16. the two flanges of each track being formed with lateral recesses which provide enlarged openings which are positioned at regularly spaced intervals along said lengthwise axis, with the enlarged openings being interconnected by narrower openings defined by related retaining flange portions positioned between related adjacent pairs of the enlarged openings;

b. a plurality of seating units mounted to the track assembly along the longitudinal axis, each seating unit comprising an undercarriage and a seating portion mounted to the undercarriage, said undercarriage having two forward legs, each to be supported from a related one of the two tracks, and two rear legs, each to be supported from a related one of the two tracks;

c. each forward leg having a track engaging forward foot to secure the forward leg to its related track;

d. each seating unit having a traction wheel assembly positioned forwardly of the rear legs and comprising at least two traction wheels, each of which engages a related one of said two tracks in bearing engagement, each traction wheel having a peripheral portion with a plurality of protrusions positioned and spaced relative to one another so as to match positioning and spacing of the enlarged openings of its related track, the traction wheels of each traction wheel assembly being operatively interconnected in a manner that rotation of a first one of said traction wheels causes a corresponding rotation of a second one of the traction wheels so that with the two traction wheels engaging their related tracks, rates of travel of the two wheels over their related tracks are equal;

e. each seating unit having at least two mounting and locking assemblies, each of which is mounted at a lower end of a related one of the two rear legs to operatively engage a related one of the two tracks, each mounting and locking assembly comprising;

1. a retaining foot member connected to its said related rear leg and having at least one rear foot positioned within the track passageway of its related track, said rear foot being adapted to engage selected related retaining flange portions of its related track;

2. a locking member having a locking element and being mounted to said retaining foot member for movement between a locking position where the locking element is positioed in one of said enlarged openings to prevent fore and aft movement of said mounting and locking assembly, and a release position where said locking element is removed from said one of said enlarged openings;

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the cover members of each track assembly have interengaging stop means which limits telescoping movement of the two track cover members toward and away from one another, one of said cover members being connected to a first one of said seating unit and a second of said cover members being connected to a second adjacent seating unit.

17. said locking member being arranged relative to said retaining foot member so that with the locking member in its locking position, the foot is positioned beneath at least one of said retaining flange portions;

f. said undercarriage comprising roller means positioned adjacent each mounting and locking assembly, each of said roller means being positioned relative to its related mounting and locking assembly in a manner that movement of said locking member to its release position brings said roller means into bearing engagement with its related track to facilitate movement of its related seating unit;

g. each seating unit having locking and unlocking actuating means operatively connected to the locking members of the seating unit to move the locking members between their locking and release positions;

whereby the seating units can be moved to selected locations by moving the actuating means of the seating units which are to be moved to the unlocking position, and moving the seating units along said track assembly.

20. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein at least some of said track cover members have spaced marking means thereon, corresponding to spacing of the enlarged openings of the track, whereby with one seating unit being properly positioned relative to the track assembly for locking engagement thereto, an adjacent one of said seating units can be positioned in accordance with the marking means on the track cover assembly so as to be properly positioned for locking engagement to the track assembly.

21. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said system is arranged to provide minimum and maximum spacing distances between adjacent seating units, said stop means of the cover assemblies being arranged to limit relative travel between adjacent seating units to said minimum and maximum distances.

22. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a power unit adapted to operatively engage and cause rotation of at least one traction wheel of one of said traction wheel assemblies of one of said seating units to cause movement of said one of said seating units.

25. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein each locking member has a downwardly facing cam surface which engages an upwardly facing surface of said track member, said cam surface being arranged in a manner that rotational movement of said locking member to its locking position causes camming engagement of said cam surface to raise said retaining foot member.

30. A mounting and locking assembly particularly adapted to secure an object, such as a seating unit, to a passenger aircraft, where there is a track having a lengthwise axis, said track comprising:

a. a pair of laterally spaced flange members extending along the lengthwise axis and reaching laterally toward one another to form a related track passageway which extends along the lengthwise axis of the track;

b. the two flanges of each track being formed with lateral recesses which provide enlarged openings which are positioned at regularly spaced intervals along said lengthwise axis, with the enlarged openings being interconnected by narrower openings defined by related retaining flange portions positioned between related adjacent pairs of the enlarged openings;

said mounting and locking assembly comprising;

a. a retaining foot member adapted to be connected to said object and having at least one foot positioned within the track passageway of its related track, said foot being adapted to engage selected related retaining flange portions of its related track;

b. a locking member having a locking element and being pivotally mounted to said retaining foot member at a first pivot location for movement between a locking position where the locking element is positioned in one of said enlarged openings to prevent fore and aft movement of said mounting and locking assembly, and a release position where said locking element is removed from said one of said enlarged openings;

c. said locking member being arranged relative to said retaining foot member so that with the locking member in its locking position, the foot is positioned beneath at least one of said retaining flange portions;

d. said locking member being further arranged so that movement of the locking member to the locking position causes the locking member to have an operative lifting engagement between its related track and the related foot member to press said retaining foot member upwardly against the retaining flange portions to prevent rattling motion of said mounting and locking assembly;

e. said locking member having a downwardly facing cam surface which engages an upwardly facing surface of said track member, said cam surface being arranged in a manner that rotational movement of said locking member to its locking position causes camming engagement of said cam surface to raise said retaining foot member;

f. said mounting and locking assembly comprising actuating rod means pivotally connected to said locking member at a second pivot location spaced from said first pivot location; and

g. said cam surface being positioned intermediate said first and second pivot locations on said locking member.

34. The method as recited in claim 30, further comprising:

a. providing at least some of said track cover members with spaced marking means thereon, corresponding to spacing of the enlarged openings of the track;

b. positioning one of said selected seating units relative to the track assembly for locking engagement thereto and locking said one of said selected seating units in place;

c. positioning a second adjacent one of said seating units in accordance with the marking means of an adjacent one of the track cover assemblies so as to be properly positioned for locking engagement to the track assembly.

38. The assembly as recited in claim 34, wherein said track engaging lifting portion is, in the second locking and lifting position, positioned at a level beneath said first pivot location, in a manner that in moving from the second to the first position, said lifting portion has a substantial horizontal component of movement to provide better mechanical advantage for said track engaging lifting portion.

31. A method of adjusting seating locations in a passenger aircraft, where there is:

a. a track assembly mounted to a floor of said aircraft and extending along a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said track assembly comprising at least two tracks, each having a related lengthwise axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, with each track comprising;

32. a pair of laterally spaced flange members extending along the lengthwise axis and reaching laterally toward one another to form a related track passageway which extends along the lengthwise axis of the track;

2. the two flanges of each track being formed with lateral recesses which provide enlarged openings which are positioned at regularly spaced intervals along said lengthwise axis, with the enlarged openings being interconnected by narrower openings defined by related retaining flange portions positioned between related adjacent pairs of the enlarged openings;

b. a plurality of seating units mounted to the track assembly along the longitudinal axis, each seating unit comprising an undercarriage and a seating portion mounted to the undercarriage, said undercarriage having two forward legs, each to be supported from a related one of the two tracks, and two rear legs, each to be supported from a related one of the two tracks;

said method comprising;

a. providing each forward leg having a track engaging forward foot to secure the forward leg to its related track;

b. providing each seating unit with a traction wheel assembly positioned forwardly of the rear legs and comprising at least two traction wheels, each of which engages a related one of said two tracks in bearing engagement, each traction wheel having a peripheral portion with a plurality of protrusions positioned and spaced relative to one another so as to match positioning and spacing of the enlarged openings of its related track,

c. interconnecting the traction wheels of each traction wheel assembly in a manner that rotation of a first one of said traction wheels causes a corresponding rotation of a second one of the traction wheels so that with the two traction wheels engaging their related tracks, rates of travel of the two wheels over their related tracks are equal;

d. providing each seating unit with at least two mounting and locking assemblies, each of which is mounted at a lower end of a related one of the two rear legs to operatively engage a related one of the two tracks, each mounting and locking assembly comprising;

1. a retaining foot member connected to its said related rear leg and having at least one rear foot positioned within the track passageway of its related track, said rear foot being adapted to engage selected related retaining flange portions of its related track;

2. a locking member having a locking element and being pivotally mounted to said retaining foot member at a first pivot location for movement between a locking position where the locking element is positioned in one of said enlarged openings to prevent fore and aft movement of said mounting and locking assembly, and a release position where said locking element is removed from said one of said enlarged openings;

3. said locking member being arranged relative to said retaining foot member so that with the locking member in its locking position, the foot is positioned beneath at least one of said retaining flange portions;

e. providing said undercarriage with roller means positioned adjacent each mounting and locking assembly, each of said roller means being positioned relative to its related mounting and locking assembly in a manner that movement of said locking member to its release position brings said roller means into bearing engagement with its related track to facilitate movement of its related seating unit;

f. providing each seating unit with locking and unlocking actuating means operatively connected to the locking members of the seating unit to move the locking members between their locking and release positions;

g. changing locations of selected seating units by operating the locking and unlocking actuating means of said selected seating units to cause the locking members of said selected seating units to the release position;

h. moving said selected seating units to desired locations, and positioning each of the selected seating units relative to the tracks to permit locking engagement of the locking members;

i. operating the locking and unlocking actuating means of the selected seating units to place the locking members of the selected seating units into the locking position.

36. A mounting and locking assembly particularly adapted to secure an object, such as a seating unit, to a passenger aircraft, where there is a track having a lengthwise axis, said track comprising:

a. a pair of laterally spaced flange members extending along the lengthwise axis and reaching laterally toward one another to form a related track passageway which extends along the lengthwise axis of the track;

b. the two flanges of each track being formed with lateral recesses which provide enlarged openings which are positioned at regularly spaced intervals along said lengthwise axis, with the enlarged openings being interconnected by narrower openings defined by related retaining flange portions positioned between related adjacent pairs of the enlarged openings;

said mounting and locking assembly comprising;

a. a retaining foot member adapted to be connected to said object and having at least one foot positioned within the track passageway of its related track, said foot being adapted to engage selected related retaining flange portions of its related track;

b. a locking and lifting member pivotally mounted to said retaining foot member at a first pivot location for pivoting movement about a generally horizontal pivot axis between a first locking and lifting position and a second release position, said locking and lifting member having a locking element spaced laterally from said pivot location in a manner to be movable with said locking and lifting member about said pivot location upwardly to said second release position and downwardly to said first locking and lifting position, said locking and lifting member having a track engaging lifting portion which is spaced from said locking element and which, during movement of the lifting and locking member from the second release position to the first locking and lifting position, moves with the locking and lifting member about said pivot location to come into lifting engagement with said track to move said retaining foot member upwardly against the retaining flange portions to prevent rattling motion of said assembly, said locking and lifting member being characterized in that said locking element resists primarily fore and aft movement of said locking and lifting member, and said lifting portion primarily withstands vertical loading on said assembly; and

c. said locking member being arranged relative to said retaining foot member so that with the locking member in its locking position, the foot is positioned beneath at least one of said retaining flange portions.

40. The assembly as recited in claim 36, further comprising actuating rod means operatively connected to said locking and lifting member at an engaging location spaced from said pivot location at a distance greater than a distance at which said track engaging lifting portion is spaced from said pivot location.