Airplane seat assembly having beverage cup holder

• US 5,954,394 A
• Filed: 12/16/1996
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thaddeus Czyzewski
• Original Assignee: Thaddeus Czyzewski
• Inventors: Czyzewski, Thaddeus
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US08/767,370
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 297/146, 297/155, 297/162, 297/188.04, 297/188.05, 248/311.2, 248/228.1
• US Class Current: 297/188.05
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/001 of tables or trays
• 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 11/0638 with foldable tables, trays or cup holders

Abstract

An airplane seat assembly comprises an airplane seat and a beverage cup holder. The airplane seat is configured to be mounted in an airplane cabin in side-by-side relationship with another similar seat. The airplane seat comprises a seat portion and a back portion extending up from the seat portion. The beverage cup holder has a holder body shaped and configured for holding at least one beverage container. The holder body is operatively connected to the airplane seat for pivotal movement between a stowed position in which the holder body is positioned adjacent a side of the back portion of the airplane seat and a use position in which the holder body extends generally rearwardly from the back portion of the airplane seat. The holder body is configured to support a beverage container when the holder body is in its use position.

Claims

1. An airplane seat assembly comprising an airplane seat, a beverage cup holder, and a tray table, the airplane seat being adapted to be mounted in an airplane cabin in side-by-side relationship with another similar seat, the airplane seat comprising a seat portion and a back portion extending up from the seat portion, the beverage cup holder having a holder body shaped and adapted for holding at least one beverage container, the holder body being operatively connected to the airplane seat for pivotal movement between a stowed position in which the holder body is positioned adjacent a side of the back portion of the airplane seat and a use position in which the holder body extends generally rearwardly from the back portion of the airplane seat, the holder body being adapted to support a beverage container when the holder body is said use position, the tray table being operatively connected to the airplane seat for pivotal movement of the tray table between a stowed position and a use position, the tray table having an upper surface, the tray table being configured such that said upper surface is generally horizontal and extends rearwardly from the back portion of the airplane, seat when the tray table is in said use position, the tray table further being configured such that said upper surface is adjacent to and facing the back portion of the airplane seat when the tray table is in said stowed position.

2. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the holder body is pivotally connected to the back portion of the airplane seat via a pivot arm, the pivot arm being pivotally moveable relative to the airplane seat about a horizontal axis between a retracted position and an extended position when the back portion is in a generally vertical position, the pivot arm being in its retracted position when the holder body is in said stowed position and being in said extended position when the holder body is in said use position.

3. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the holder body has a cup receiving face, the holder body being pivotally connected to the pivot arm for rotation of the holder body relative to the pivot arm about a longitudinal axis of the holder body between a cup supporting position and a turned position, the cup receiving face facing upwardly when the holder body is in said cup supporting position and facing laterally when the holder body is in said turned position, the holder body being in said use position when the pivot arm is in its extended position and the holder body is in said cup supporting position, the holder body being in said stowed position when the pivot arm is in said retracted position and the holder body is in said turned position.

4. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the cup receiving face is generally flat.

5. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein the holder body has a generally circular rim at said cup receiving face sized and adapted for receiving a beverage container.

6. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the rim is the periphery of a cup receiving hole extending through the holder body.

7. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the rim is the periphery of a cup receiving recess formed in the cup receiving face of the holder body.

8. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the holder body is pivotally connected to the pivot arm for rotation of the holder body relative to the pivot arm about an axis spaced from the holder body'"'"'s center of gravity.

9. An airplane seat assembly comprising an airplane seat and a beverage cup holder, the airplane seat being adapted to be mounted in an airplane cabin in side-by-side relationship with another similar seat, the airplane seat comprising a seat portion and a back portion extending up from the seat portion, the beverage cup holder having a holder body shaped and adapted for holding at least one beverage container, the holder body being operatively connected to the airplane seat for pivotal movement between a stowed position in which the holder body is positioned adjacent a side of the back portion of the airplane seat and a use position in which the holder body extends generally rearwardly from the back portion of the airplane seat, the holder body being adapted to support a beverage container when the holder body is in its use position, the holder body being pivotally connected to the back portion of the airplane seat via a pivot arm, the pivot arm being pivotally moveable relative to the airplane seat about a horizontal axis between a retracted position and an extended position when the back portion is in a generally vertical position, the pivot arm being in said retracted position when the holder body is in said stowed position and being in said extended position when the holder body is in said use position.

10. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein the holder body has a cup receiving face, the holder body being pivotally connected to the pivot arm for rotation of the holder body relative to the pivot arm about a longitudinal axis of the holder body between a cup supporting position and a turned position, the cup receiving face facing upwardly when the holder body is in said cup supporting position and facing laterally when the holder body is in said turned position, the holder body being in said use position when the pivot arm is in said extended position and the holder body is in said cup supporting position, the holder body being in said stowed position when the pivot arm is in said retracted position and the holder body is in said turned position.

11. An airplane seat assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein the longitudinal axis of the holder body is spaced from the holder body'"'"'s center of gravity.

12. A vehicle seat assembly comprising a vehicle seat and a beverage cup holder, the vehicle seat being adapted to be mounted in a vehicle, the vehicle seat comprising a seat portion and a back portion extending up from the seat portion, the beverage cup holder having a holder body shaped and adapted for holding at least one beverage container, the holder body being operatively connected to the vehicle seat for pivotal movement between a stowed position in which the holder body is positioned adjacent a side of the back portion of the vehicle seat and a use position in which the holder body extends generally rearwardly from the back portion of the vehicle seat, the holder body being adapted to support a beverage container when the holder body is in said use position, the holder body being pivotally connected to the back portion of the vehicle seat via a pivot arm, the pivot arm being pivotally moveable relative to the vehicle seat about a horizontal axis between a retracted position and an extended position when the back portion is in a generally vertical position, the pivot arm being in said retracted position when the holder body is in said stowed position and being in said extended position when the holder body is in said use position, the holder body having a cup receiving face, the holder body being pivotally connected to the pivot arm for rotation of the holder body relative to the pivot arm about a longitudinal axis of the holder body between a cup supporting position and a turned position, the cup receiving face facing upwardly when the holder body is in said cup supporting position and facing laterally when the holder body is in said turned position, the holder body being in said use position when the pivot arm is in said extended position and the holder body is in said cup supporting position, the holder body being in said stowed position when the pivot arm is in said retracted position and the holder body is in said turned position.

13. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein the longitudinal axis of the holder body is spaced from the holder body'"'"'s center of gravity.

14. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein the cup receiving face is generally flat.

15. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein the holder body has a generally circular rim at said cup receiving face sized and configured for receiving a beverage container.

16. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein the rim is the periphery of a cup receiving hole extending through the holder body.

17. A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein the rim is the periphery of a cup receiving recess formed in the cup receiving face of the holder body.