Aircraft passenger seat

• US 8,616,643 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: British Airways PLC (International Consolidated Airlines Group SA)
• Original Assignee: British Airways PLC (International Consolidated Airlines Group SA)
• Inventors: Darbyshire, Martin, Alford, Dan, Schatell, Marc, Wyss, Alen, Lovingood, John, Sutcavage, Walter, Round, Matthew, Hall, Gregory, Waldrip, Dennis Isaac, Herring, III, Asa Dancy
• Primary Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US13/557,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20120313406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 297/69, 297/78, 297/83, 297/88, 297/188.08, 297/340, 297/341, 297/342, 297/343, 297/411.3, 297/411.31, 297/411.45, 297/423.25, 297/423.26, 297/423.35, 297/423.39, 297/423.44, 297/423.45
• 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 11/0604 including a bed, e.g. cocoon type passenger seat modules
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0606 with privacy shells, screens, separators or the like class dividers B64D11/0023
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0646 Seats characterised by special features of stationary arms, foot or head rests

Abstract

An aircraft passenger seat having a primary seat (1) having a seat back (3) and a seat pan (4), and a secondary support surface (5) located or locatable opposite the primary seat (1), the passenger seat being able to adopt each of an upright configuration, a reclined configuration and a substantially flat configuration, such that in the reclined configuration, the primary seat (1) is reclined relative to the upright configuration and the secondary support surface (5) is angled upwardly towards the primary seat (1) to support the lower leg(s) of a passenger seated in the primary seat (1); and in the substantially flat configuration, the secondary support surface (5) is substantially horizontal and the seat back (3), the seat pan (4), and the secondary support surface (5) form a substantially flat and continuous surface where the secondary support surface (5) is rotatable about an axis between the reclined and substantially flat configurations, the axis being translated between the reclined and substantially flat configurations.

Claims

1. An aircraft passenger seat comprising a seat back, a seat pan and a frame, the seat being positionable in each of an upright configuration, a reclined configuration in which the sear back is reclined relative to the upright configuration and a substantially flat configuration in which the seat back and the seat pan form a substantially flat and continuous surface, wherein the seat back is guided so as to recline as the seat back moves forward relative to the frame, the seat back being connected to the seat pan by:

a. a pivotal connection between the seat back and the seat pan; and

b. a mechanism for governing the angle between the seat back and the seat pan as the seat back reclines,

wherein the mechanism includes a torque member connected to a rearward end of the seat pan and arranged to rotate relative to the seat pan as the seat back approaches the substantially flat configuration, so as to lift the rearward end of the seat pan so that the seat pan assumes a substantially horizontal position.

2. The seat of claim 1, wherein the torque member is pivotally connected to the seat pan at a second pivotal connection spatially separated from said pivotal connection.

3. The seat of claim 2, wherein a pin is provided on the torque member and is moveable along a cam track within the cam mechanism.

4. The seat of claim 1, wherein the seat pan is pivotally connected to a carriage reciprocally moveable in a substantially horizontal direction relative to the frame.

5. The seat of claim 4, including means for driving the carriage reciprocally in said substantially horizontal direction relative to the frame.

6. The seat of claim 4, wherein the carriage is supported by the frame.

7. The seat of claim 4, wherein the seat back is guided by engagement with the frame.

8. The seat of claim 7, wherein the frame comprises a guide track arranged to guide the reclining of the seat back as the seat back moves forward relative to the frame.

9. The seat of claim 8, wherein the seat back is guided by forward and rearward members moveable along the guide track.

10. The seat of claim 1, wherein the frame includes an open-ended support track and the seat back includes a support member arranged to enter the support track as the seat back approaches the substantially flat configuration, so as to provide additional support for the seat back.

11. The seat of claim 1, including a storage drawer fitted under the mechanism such that the storage drawer can be pulled out when the seat is in the substantially flat configuration.

12. An aircraft passenger seat comprising a seat back, a seat pan and a frame, the seat being positionable in each of an upright configuration, a reclined configuration in which the seat back is reclined relative to the upright configuration and a substantially flat configuration in which the seat back and the seat pan form a substantially flat and continuous surface, wherein the seat back is guided so as to recline as the seat back moves forward relative to the frame, the seat back being connected to the seat pan by:

a. a pivotal connection between the seat back and the seat pan; and

b. a mechanism for governing the angle between the seat back and the seat pan as the seat back reclines;

wherein the mechanism comprises a torque member pivotally attached to a rear of the seat pan, and wherein the torque mechanism rotates and lifts the rear of the seat pan as the seat approaches the substantially flat configuration.