Aircraft seat

• US 8,303,036 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Seats GB, Limited (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Contour Aerospace, Ltd. (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Hankinson, Christopher, Hudswell, Michael Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US12/529,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 297/68, 297/83, 297/84, 297/340, 297/341, 297/342, 297/411.35, 297/411.36, 297/317, 297/318, 297/322
• US Class Current: 297/342
• 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 11/064 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

An aircraft seat having a movable squab and backrest, and a fixed seat chassis is presented. A mechanism for moving the squab and backrest has a linear runner mounted on the seat chassis and includes a linear drive for extending (and retracting) the assembly between a retracted position and an extended position. A first cam track allows adjustment the height of the back edge of the seat squab, the first cam track being generally parallel to the linear runner through the majority of its length and having a rearmost substantially vertical portion. A first cam follower mechanism interconnects a back edge of the seat squab, the first cam track and the linear drive, for motion of the seal squab. A second cam track is provided for adjusting the inclination of the backrest and a second follower is connected to the seatback.

Claims

1. An aircraft seat comprising:

a seat having;

a squab and a backrest, both being movable and

a seat chassis, via which the seat can be fixed to a floor,

a mechanism for moving the squab and the backrest, the mechanism having;

a linear runner mounted on the seat chassis,

a seat frame sub-frame bearingly mounted on the linear runner,

the squab being pivotally mounted on the sub-frame substantially at its front edge and

the bottom of the backrest being pivotally mounted on the squab substantially at the back edge of the squab,

linear drive means for extending and retracting the sub-frame on the runner with respect to the seat chassis between a retracted Taxi, Take-off and Landing position and an extended position,

a first cam track in a first cam track member fast with the seat chassis for adjusting the height of the back edge of the seat squab, the first cam track being generally parallel to the linear runner through the majority of its length and having a rearmost substantially vertical portion,

a first cam follower mechanism interconnecting the back edge of the seat squab, the first cam track, and the linear drive means for linear drive of the sub-frame with height adjustment of the rear edge of the seat squab,

the arrangement being such that while the first cam follower mechanism is co-operating with the rearmost, substantially vertical portion of the cam track, the at least predominant effect of the linear drive means is lowering and raising of the rear of the seat squab with respect to the front of the seat squab,

a second cam track fast with the seat chassis for adjusting the inclination of the backrest and

a second follower connected to the backrest and engaged with the second cam track.

2. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first cam track is a single track in a single first cam track member arranged substantially centrally beneath the seat squab.

3. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second cam track is a pair of tracks in a pair of second cam track members arranged towards the sides of the seat squab.

4. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first cam track is a pair of tracks in a pair of first cam track members arranged towards the sides of the seat squab.

5. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second cam track is a pair of tracks in the pair of first cam track members.

6. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first cam follower mechanism comprises a bell crank pivoted at its elbow to the subframe, linked to the seat squab by an upper link pivoted to one arm of the crank, at which it engages the first cam track and linked to the drive means by a lower link pivoted to the other arm of the crank, the arrangement being such that, beyond a first portion of a stroke, linear movement of the drive means is converted to the linear movement of the sub-frame via the bell crank with or without adjustment of the height of the rear edge of the seat squab in accordance with the inclination of the first cam track with respect to the linear runner.

7. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bell crank is pivoted to the subframe above the linear drive means, with the one arm being directed backwards and the upper link extending upwards to the seat squab and the other arm being directed downwards with the lower link extending backwards to the drive means.

8. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, including a leg rest pivoted to lift it from below the front edge of the seat squab and a mechanism for lifting the leg rest and a lost motion connection between the chassis and the mechanism operating at the end of forwards travel of the seat to cause the mechanism to deploy the leg rest.

9. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, including an arm rest adjacent the seat squab, a mechanism for raising and lowering the arm rest and a lost motion connection between the mechanism and the sub-frame operating at the end of forwards travel of the seat to cause it to lower the arm rest.

10. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linear runner inclines slightly forwards with respect to the floor.