Movable fastening unit for a seat frame in an aircraft

• US 8,944,380 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Ehlers, Bernd, Herzog, Mark, Schmock, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Xavier, Valentina
• Application Number:
  US12/864,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20110042514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,210 Days
• Field of Search: 244/122.R, 244/118.6, 244/122.AH, 297/445.1, 297/344.16, 297/329, 297/338, 297/216.13
• US Class Current: 244/122.R
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• 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 11/0696 Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails

Abstract

The invention relates to a movable fastening unit for a seat frame in an aircraft. In said fastening unit, a connecting element can be movably mounted on both a seat structure and a floor fixture by means of bearings, thus allowing the seat frame to be moved relative to the floor fixture without having to detach the fixture from the floor.

Claims

1. A seat unit for an aircraft, the seat unit comprising:

an aircraft seat with a seat frame; and

a first and a second movable fixing unit arranged parallel to each other and pivotably attached to the seat frame,

wherein each of the first and second fixing units comprises;

a connecting element;

wherein the connecting element comprises a first bearing arrangement for allowing the connecting element to be movably attached to the seat frame;

wherein the connecting element comprises a second bearing arrangement for allowing the connecting element to be movably attached to a floor affixation device; and

wherein the first and second bearing arrangements are configured to allow movement of the seat frame relative to the floor affixation device from a first seat position to a second seat position;

wherein the first and the second seat positions are stable seat positions from which the seat frame moves only upon application of an external force, the seat frame being positioned at the same relative horizontal orientation with a floor in the first and second seat positions;

wherein the connecting elements are adapted to move on a respective bearing arrangement;

wherein at least one of the fixing units comprises a locking mechanism in a region of one of the bearing arrangements;

wherein the locking mechanism comprises an unlocked and a locked state;

wherein, in the unlocked state, the connecting element is movable on the respective bearing arrangement;

wherein, in the locked state, the locking mechanism is configured to prevent movement of the connecting element on the respective bearing arrangement; and

wherein the locking mechanism comprises a bore hole in conjunction with a locking pin.

2. The seat unit of claim 1, wherein the seat frame is configured to move without undoing the floor affixation device from the floor.

3. The seat unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the bearing arrangements is configured so as to be rotationally held.

4. The seat unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the seat frame or the floor affixation device in conjunction with the connecting element forms the locking mechanism.

5. The seat unit of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism supports locking in first and second different positions.

6. The seat unit of claim 1, wherein, by moving the bearing arrangement, the fixing unit positions the seat frame along a predetermined axis.

7. The seat unit of claim 1, configured for infinitely adjustable positioning of the seat frame.

8. The seat unit of claim 1, wherein the fixing unit further comprises:

the floor affixation device;

a fixation unit;

wherein the fixation unit forms part of the seat frame of the aircraft; and

wherein the connecting element is configured to be attached to the seat frame by means of the fixation unit.

9. The seat unit of claim 1, wherein the aircraft seat comprises a foldable backrest;

wherein, by folding the backrest, the aircraft seat is configured to transform into a table or a storage unit for a passenger seated behind the aircraft seat.

14. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first and second seat positions comprise a first upright seating position and a second upright seating position, respectively.

10. An aircraft comprising a seat unit, the seat unit comprising:

an aircraft seat with a seat frame; and

a first and a second movable fixing unit, arranged parallel to each other and pivotably attached to the seat frame,

wherein each of the first and second fixing units comprises;

a connecting element;

wherein the connecting element comprises a first bearing arrangement for allowing the connecting element to be movably attached to the seat frame;

wherein the connecting element comprises a second bearing arrangement for allowing the connecting element to be movably attached to a floor affixation device; and

wherein the first and second bearing arrangements are configured to allow movement of the seat frame relative to the floor affixation device from a first seat position to a second seat position;

wherein the first and the second seat positions are stable seat positions from which the seat frame moves only upon application of an external force, the seat frame being positioned at the same relative horizontal orientation with a floor in the first and second seat positions;

wherein the connecting elements are adapted to move on a respective bearing arrangement;

wherein at least one of the fixing units comprises a locking mechanism in a region of one of the bearing arrangements;

wherein the locking mechanism comprises an unlocked and a locked state;

wherein, in the unlocked state, the connecting element is movable on the respective bearing arrangement;

the locked state, the locking mechanism prevents movement of the connecting element on the respective bearing arrangement; and

wherein the locking mechanism comprises a bore hole in conjunction with a locking pin.

13. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein by moving the seat unit from a first seat position to a second seat position, a change of seat pitch is caused.

11. A method for changing a spacing of seating in an aircraft having a seat having a first upright seating position, a second upright seating position, and a floor, the method comprising:

transitioning the seat between the first and second upright seating positions,

wherein the step of transitioning the seat repositions the entire seat along a predetermined direction without undoing the seat from an affixation device on the floor while maintaining the same relative horizontal orientation with a floor;

unlocking a locking mechanism of the movable fixing unit; and

locking a locking mechanism of the movable fixing unit,

wherein the locking mechanism comprises a bore hole in conjunction with a locking pin.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of moving the seat changes a spacing of the seat from surrounding seats.