Railroad passenger seat

• US 6,719,366 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coach & Car, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jon Lane
• Inventors: Lane, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/126,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20020153758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 297/95, 297/101, 297/103
• US Class Current: 297/95
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/203 taking a position opposite to the original one
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/242 Bus seats
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 33/0007 Details; Accessories

Abstract

A passenger seat having a walk-over seat back mounted for movement on a pair of rotatable shafts through a pair of of levers mounted on each end of the shafts. The levers contact each other at opposite seat positions to support the seat back. The pair of shafts include a torsion section at each end portion capable of undergoing plastic deformation upon a lock mechanism detecting predetermined deceleration forces. A lever and link element are operatively connected between the seat cushion frame to permit movement. The seat cushion is removable secured to the seat cushion frame.

Claims

1. A passenger seat comprising

a main seat frame having a plurality spaced of horizontal cross members,

a seat cushion frame arranged to be operatively affixed to said main frame and having a seat back frame mounted for movement between a first position and second position,

said seat cushion frame further having a plurality of spaced horizontal cross frame members,

said seat cushion frame being coupled for movement with said seat back frame between said first position and said second position,

one of said plurality of cross frame members resting on one of said plurality of cross frame members in said first position of said seat frame,

said plurality of spaced horizontal cross members comprises a pair of spaced horizontal cross members,

said plurality of spaced cross members of said seat cushion frame comprises a pair of end cross members and at least one horizontal intermediate member extending in parallel relationship between said end cross members, and

one of said pair of end cross members of said seat cushion frame resting on one of said pair of cross member of said main frame and said at least one intermediate cross member of said seat cushion frame resting on said second of said pair of end cross members in said first position of said seat cushion frame.

2. The passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 wherein another one of said plurality of said cross members of said seat cushion frame rests directly on another one of said plurality of cross members of said main seat frame in said first position of said seat back frame.

3. The passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 wherein the second of said pair of end cross members of said seat cushion frame rests on the other of said pair of cross members of said main frame in said second position of said seat back frame.

4. The passenger seat assembly according to claim 3 wherein said at least one intermediate cross member of said seat cushion frame contacts said one of said pair of end cross members of said main seat frame in said second position of said seat back frame.

5. The passenger seat assembly according to claim 3 wherein said at least one intermediate cross member of said seat cushion frame contacts said one of said pair of end cross members of said main seat frame in said second position of said seat back frame.

6. A passenger seat comprising

a moveable seat cushion frame having lower frame members,

said seat cushion frame being supported on seat frame having upper support surfaces, and

said lower frame members of said seat cushion frame directly resting on said upper support surfaces,

said seat cushion frame includes a seat back frame moveable between first and second seating positions, and

said seat cushion frame is supported on a pair of adjacent levers having a predetermined length, said levers being pivotally attached to said seat frame, and said levers abutting each other substantially along said predetermining length in each of said first and second seating positions for supporting said seat cushion frame.

7. The passenger seat according to claim 6 wherein said seat cushion frame includes at generally a horizontal pair of said lower frame members, said pair of lower frame members having lower surfaces for contacting said upper support surfaces.

8. The passenger seat according to claim 6 wherein said upper support surfaces are formed by a pair of spaced cross members of said main seat frame.

9. A passenger seat comprising a moveable seat cushion frame having lower frame members,

said seat cushion frame being supported on said seat frame having upper support surfaces, and

said lower frame members of said seat cushion frame directly resting on said upper support surfaces,

said seat cushion frame includes a seat back frame moveable between first and second seating positions,

said seat cushion frame is supported on a pair of adjacent levers, said levers being pivotally attached to said seat frame, and said levers abutting each other in each of said first and second seating positions for supporting said seat cushion frame,

said seat cushion frame includes a generally horizontal pair of said lower frame members, said pair of lower frame members having lower surfaces for contacting said upper support surfaces,

said seat frame includes a pair of spaced frame members extending the width of said seat cushion frame and a pair of intermediate frame members extending the width of said seat cushion frame at a position between said pair of spaced frame members, one of said pair of frame members and one of said pair of intermediate frame members respectively resting on said support surfaces of said spaced cross members of said main seat frame in said first seating position.

10. The passenger seat according to claim 9 wherein said other of pair of said spaced frame members and the other of pair of said intermediate frame members respectively rest on said support surface of said pair of cross members in said second seating position.

11. A passenger seat comprising

a seat frame having a pair of opposite ends,

a seat back,

a plurality of shafts extending generally between opposite ends of said seat frame, said plurality of shafts terminating with end portions extending beyond said seat frame at each of said pair of opposite ends,

said plurality of shafts mounting said seat back for movement to oppositely facing positions of said seat back,

energy dissipation means being positioned on each end of said end portions of said plurality of shafts, and

said energy dissipation means being formed on each of said end portions of said plurality of shafts,

said energy dissipation means includes locking means for arresting movement of said plurality of shafts in response to deceleration forces,

said energy dissipation means further includes a narrowed shaft section formed at each of said pair of end portions of said plurality of shafts, said narrowed shaft section being capable of undergoing plastic deformation in response to deceleration forces to dissipate energy.

12. The passenger seat according to claim 11 wherein said locking means and said narrowed shaft sections of said pair of plurality of end portions are respectively positioned with a hollow block.

13. A passenger seat comprising,

a seat frame having a pair of opposite ends,

a seat cushion frame and seat back being operatively connected to said seat frame,

at least one rotatably mounted shaft extending between opposite ends of said seat frame and being operatively connected to said seat back to permit movement of said seat back between a first seating position and a second seating position in response to rotation of said at least one shaft,

lever means being fixedly connected to said at least one shaft and said seat cushion frame and being moveable in response to said movement of said seat back, and

said lever means includes a lever arm attached to said at least one shaft at each end and a link element operatively attached between said lever arm and said cushion frame, said lever arm and said link element undergoing movement in response to rotation of said at least one shaft to move said cushion frame,

said link element being pivotally attached to said seat frame, and

said lever arm includes a pin at one end, said link element having a slot formed along a generally straight longitudinal axis for receiving said pin, said pin being moveable in said slot during rotation of said at least one shaft.

14. The passenger seat according to claim 13 wherein said at least one shaft includes a pair of rotatably mounted shafts, said lever means having a lever arm mounted at each end of said pair of shafts and a respective link element operatively operative connected to said lever means and said seat cushion frame.

15. The passenger seat according to claim 14 further including a pair of levers fixedly attached respectively to said pair of shafts at each end and being attached to said seat bask, said pair of levers contacting each other at said first seating position and said section position of said seat back.

16. A passenger seat comprising

a seat cushion having a bottom member forming flat lower surfaces,

a cushion frame having a plurality of frame members forming upper surfaces,

said flat lower surfaces and said flat upper surfaces arranged to contact each other, at least a portion of said flat lower surfaces and said flat upper surfaces having respective hook securement elements and interconnecting loop securement elements for removaby securing said seat cushion to of said cushion frame,

said bottom member being a seat pan forming said lower surface, and

said strips of respective hook securement elements and interconnecting loop elements being attached to said lower surface.