Method of manufacturing a composite leg structure for a lightweight aircraft seat assembly
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a composite support leg for a lightweight aircraft passenger seat, the method comprising:
- forming a composite extrusion using a continuous compression molding process;
obtaining extruded composite frame elements from the composite extrusion;
coupling the extruded composite frame elements together with a core material;
producing a structural box having a seat end and a foot end opposite the seat end by sandwiching the extruded composite frame elements and the core material between a first skin and a second skin, the first skin corresponding to a first side of the structural box, and the second skin corresponding to a second side of the structural box; and
coupling a first end of a composite brace to a front edge of the structural box, the composite brace having a second end opposite the first end and configured for attachment to an aircraft mounting feature behind the structural box, the second end extending away from the seat end of the structural box and extending away from the foot end of the structural box, and the first end including a first flange coupled to the first side of the structural box and a second flange coupled to the second side of the structural box.
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Abstract
An aircraft passenger seat configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention utilizes composite materials to achieve significant weight savings relative to conventional seat designs. The seat includes one or more lightweight composite support legs, a lightweight composite seat pan, and a lightweight composite seat back structure. The support legs are coupled to the seat pan, which is in turn coupled to the seat back structure. The support legs utilize composite frame elements that are formed as continuous compression molded composite extrusions. The seat pan includes composite fore and aft cross beams that are also formed as continuous compression molded composite extrusions. The aft cross beam includes a rear flange that serves as a flexible “hinge” for the seat back structure. The seat can leverage producible and relatively inexpensive composite manufacturing techniques such that the seat can be economically produced for use as an economy class seat.
20 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a composite support leg for a lightweight aircraft passenger seat, the method comprising:
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forming a composite extrusion using a continuous compression molding process; obtaining extruded composite frame elements from the composite extrusion; coupling the extruded composite frame elements together with a core material; producing a structural box having a seat end and a foot end opposite the seat end by sandwiching the extruded composite frame elements and the core material between a first skin and a second skin, the first skin corresponding to a first side of the structural box, and the second skin corresponding to a second side of the structural box; and coupling a first end of a composite brace to a front edge of the structural box, the composite brace having a second end opposite the first end and configured for attachment to an aircraft mounting feature behind the structural box, the second end extending away from the seat end of the structural box and extending away from the foot end of the structural box, and the first end including a first flange coupled to the first side of the structural box and a second flange coupled to the second side of the structural box. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of manufacturing a composite support leg for a lightweight aircraft passenger seat, the method comprising:
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forming a composite extrusion using a continuous compression molding process; obtaining extruded composite frame elements from the composite extrusion; coupling the extruded composite frame elements together with a core material; and producing a structural box having a seat end and a foot end opposite the seat end by sandwiching the extruded composite frame elements and the core material between a first skin and a second skin, the first skin corresponding to a first side of the structural box, the second skin corresponding to a second side of the structural box, and producing the structural box comprises bonding the first skin and the second skin to the extruded composite frame elements and to the core material; and coupling a first end of a composite brace to a front edge of the structural box, the composite brace having a second end opposite the first end and configured for attachment to an aircraft mounting feature behind the structural box, the second end extending away from the seat end of the structural box and extending away from the foot end of the structural box, and the first end including a first flange coupled to the first side of the structural box and a second flange coupled to the second side of the structural box. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification