Chair with improved cradle motion, particularly for aircrafts

• US 6,641,214 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aviointeriors S.p.A
• Original Assignee: Aviointeriors S.p.A
• Inventors: Veneruso, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US09/564,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20030025371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 297/322, 297/316, 297/317, 297/318, 297/325, 297/329, 297/340, 297/341, 297/342, 297/343, 297/284.4, 297/216.13, 297/216.14, 297/216.15, 297/219.19
• US Class Current: 297/322
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2236 with a transversal pin displaced by a slot or a cam along a predetermined path
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/23 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• 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

Abstract

Chairs employed in economy-class aircraft seating often incline by rotation of the back about a fixed point, usually the rear edge of the fixed seat. While increasing the comfort of one passenger, this form of seat inclination reduces the space available for the passenger seated in the aft seat. A chair with improved cradle motion, particularly for use in aircraft, is described in which inclination may occur with little or no reduction in the space available to surrounding passengers. Inclination is achieved by the contemporaneous forward sliding of the back portion and the seat portion of the chair relative to the fixed seat frame.

Claims

1. A chair, particularly for aircraft, comprising a pair of fixed lateral members on each side of said chair, each said fixed lateral member defining a first slot, a second slot, and a third slot;

a back portion comprising two pins on each side of said back portion slidable along the first and second slots in each said fixed lateral member; and

a seat portion comprising a pin slidable along the third slot in a said fixed lateral member, wherein inclination of the chair is achieved by contemporaneous forward sliding of the back portion and the seat portion relative to the fixed lateral members.

2. A chair according to claim 1, wherein said seat portion contains two pins in correspondence to two slots attached to said fixed lateral member.

3. A chair according to claim 1, wherein the sliding of the back portion and the seat portion relative to the fixed lateral member is obtained by means selected from the group consisting of manual means and motorized means.

4. A chair according to claim 1, wherein the seat portion comprises two pins slidable in correspondence to two slots in the fixed lateral member.

5. A chair, particularly for aircraft, comprising a fixed lateral member defining a first slot and a second slot, wherein the two slots in the fixed lateral member are obliquely aligned with respect to one another;

a back portion comprising two pins slidable in correspondence to the two slots in the fixed lateral member; and

a seat portion comprising a pin slidable along a third slot in the fixed lateral member, wherein inclination of the chair is achieved by contemporaneous forward sliding of the back portion and the seat portion relative to the fixed lateral member.

6. A chair, particularly for aircraft, comprising a fixed lateral member defining a first slot and a second slot;

a back portion comprising a pin slidable along the first slot in the fixed lateral member; and

a seat portion comprising two pins slidable along the second slot in the fixed lateral member, wherein inclination of the chair is achieved by contemporaneous forward sliding of the back portion and the seat portion relative to the fixed lateral member.