Aircraft cabin seat configuration with enhanced ingress/egress

• US 6,305,644 B1
• Filed: 01/14/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace Incorporated (Spirit Realty Capital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace Incorporated (Spirit Realty Capital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beroth, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAKEL, KEVIN W
• Application Number:
  US09/483,417
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.5, 244/118.6, 297/245, 297/354.B, 297/233, 297/67
• US Class Current: 244/118.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/995 Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00153 Monitors mounted on or in the seat other than the seat back
• 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 11/0604 including a bed, e.g. cocoon type passenger seat modules
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06395 characterised by the arrangement of electric motors for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/064 Adjustable inclination or position of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0641 Seats convertible into beds
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0643 Adjustable foot or leg rests

Abstract

A passenger seat configuration for an aircraft cabin having a fuselage wall with windows therein and an aisle for permitting movement within the cabin. The configuration includes an outboard seating unit for being positioned adjacent the fuselage wall of the aircraft, the outboard seating unit having a primary scat formed of a seat back and seat bottom, and a forwardly spaced-apart ottoman movable with respect to each other to define upright, semi-reclined and fully reclined positions. An inboard seating unit is provided for being positioned adjacent the at least one aisle and between the inboard seating unit and the aisle, the inboard seating unit having a primary seat formed of a seat back and a seat bottom, and a forwardly spaced-apart, free-standing ottoman movable with respect to each other to define upright, semi-reclined and fully reclined positions, the primary seat and ottoman of the inboard seating unit being positioned aft of the primary seat and ottoman of the outboard seating unit. The ottoman of the outboard seating unit and the ottoman of the inboard seating unit are independently movable relative to each other whereby the outboard ottoman is movable to a position relative to any position of the inboard ottoman to thereby provide space between the inboard ottoman and outboard ottoman for the outboard passenger to ingress to and egress from the outboard primary seat between the inboard ottoman and outboard ottoman and forward of the inboard ottoman to the aisle.

Claims

1. A passenger seat configuration for an aircraft cabin having a fuselage wall with windows therein and an aisle for permitting movement within the cabin, and comprising:

(a) an outboard seating unit for being positioned adjacent the fuselage wall of the aircraft, the outboard seating unit having a primary seat formed of a seat back and seat bottom, and a forwardly spaced-apart ottoman movable with respect to each other to define upright, semi-reclined and fully reclined positions;

(b) an inboard seating unit for being positioned adjacent the at least one aisle and between the inboard seating unit and the aisle, the inboard seating unit having a primary seat formed of a seat back and a seat bottom, and a forwardly spaced-apart, free-standing ottoman movable with respect to each other to define upright, semi-reclined and fully reclined positions, the primary seat and ottoman of the inboard seating unit being positioned aft of the primary seat and ottoman of the outboard seating unit; and

(c) the ottoman of the outboard seating unit and the ottoman of the inboard seating unit being independently movable relative to each other whereby the outboard ottoman is movable to a position relative to any position of the inboard ottoman to thereby provide space between the inboard ottoman and outboard ottoman for the outboard passenger to ingress to and egress from the outboard primary seat between the inboard ottoman and outboard ottoman and forward of the inboard ottoman to the aisle.

2. A passenger seat configuration according to claim 1, wherein the ottoman of the outboard seating unit is mounted for a greater degree of movement forwardly away from the outboard primary seat than is the ottoman of the inboard seating unit relative to the inboard primary seat.

3. A passenger seat configuration according to claim 2, wherein said outboard seating unit and said inboard seating unit each have a pitch of 92 inches.

4. A passenger seat configuration according to claim 3, wherein said outboard ottoman is mounted for 20 inches of fore and aft movement, and said the inboard ottoman is mounted for 14 inches of fore and aft movement.

5. A passenger seat configuration according to claim 1, wherein each of said primary seats includes a privacy shell positioned around the back and sides of the seat back.

6. A passenger seat configuration according to claim 5, wherein said privacy shell is stationarily-mounted for movement of the seat back relative thereto among upright, semi-reclined and fully reclined positions.

7. A passenger seat configuration according to claim 6, wherein the seat bottom of the outboard and inboard primary seats each move in a forward direction as the seat back reclines and the ottomen of the respective outboard and inboard seating units move aft into engagement with its respective seat bottom to form a fully reclined sleeping surface.

8. A passenger seat configuration according to claim 6, wherein each ottoman includes a stanchion supporting a table.