Electromechanical actuation system for aircraft passenger suites and method

• US 9,193,465 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Udriste, Daniel I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badawi, Medhat
• Application Number:
  US13/671,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/0601 Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0606 with privacy shells, screens, separators or the like class dividers B64D11/0023
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06395 characterised by the arrangement of electric motors for adjustment
• 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 11/0642 Adjustable headrests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0643 Adjustable foot or leg rests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0644 Adjustable arm rests
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0696 Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails

Abstract

An electromechanical actuation system for an aircraft passenger suite for allowing passenger-initiated adjustment of a passenger seat and related passenger accoutrements including a suite control unit configured to receive command signals from a user interface, and a first line replacement unit comprising a first integral electronic control unit and a second line replacement unit coupled to the first line replacement, wherein the first electronic control unit controls operation of the first line replacement unit and the second line replacement unit in response to command signals received from the suite control unit.

Claims

1. An electromechanical actuation system for an aircraft passenger suite for allowing passenger-initiated adjustment of a passenger seat and related passenger accoutrements, comprising:

(a) a suite control unit configured to receive command signals from a user interface; and

(b) a first line replacement unit comprising a first integral electronic control unit and a second line replacement unit coupled to the first line replacement;

(c) wherein the first electronic control unit controls operation of the first line replacement unit and the second line replacement unit in response to command signals received from the suite control unit, wherein;

the second line replacement unit includes a second integral electronic control unit, and the second electronic control unit controls operation of the second line replacement unit in response to user commands received from the suite control unit when the first electronic control unit becomes inoperative.

2. The electromechanical actuation system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second line control units are selected from the group consisting of electromechanical actuators, light assemblies, pumps and vibrators.

3. The electromechanical actuation system according to claim 1, further comprising a third line replacement unit, wherein the second electronic control unit controls operation of the second line replacement unit and the third line replacement unit in response to control signals received from the suite control unit when the first electronic control unit becomes inoperative.

4. The electromechanical actuation system according to claim 1, wherein the suite control unit, the first line replacement unit and the second line replacement unit are connected in series via a controller area network bus.

5. An electromechanical actuation system for a plurality of aircraft passenger suites for allowing passenger-initiated adjustment of a passenger seat and related passenger comfort accessories, comprising:

(a) a passenger seat having seat back recline, legrest rotation, seat pan extension, seat forward/aft translation, armrest height travel, headrest height adjustment and lumbar inflation/deflation adjustment assemblies;

(b) passenger-initiated actuators electromechanically connected to the adjustment assemblies for moving the adjustment assemblies, and adapted for preventing spacial interference between motions of two or more of the adjustment assemblies taking place during a time interval;

(c) a plurality of seat control units for controlling the passenger-initiated actuators, wherein a selected seat control unit comprises an initial primary seat controller, the initial primary seat controller including a mechanical assembly, an electrical assembly and an electronic processor, electronic memory and a communication capability, and further wherein at least one of the other of the plurality of control units includes an integral electronic control unit and is adapted to assume the role of a substitute primary seat controller in the event of a malfunction in the initial primary seat controller, the initial primary seat controller and the other of the plurality of control units being arranged in series via a network bus; and

(d) a passenger control panel for permitting a passenger seated in one of the seats to control the passenger seat adjustment assemblies.

6. The electromechanical actuation system according to claim 5, further comprising a vertically adjustable privacy divider positioned between first and second laterally-adjacent seat suites, wherein the primary seat controller includes passenger priority sequencing that allows a first passenger seated in the first seat to control the position of the privacy divider to the exclusion of a second passenger seated in the second seat while activating a privacy divider control, and that allows the second passenger seated in the second seat to control the position of the privacy divider while activating a privacy divider control to the exclusion of the first passenger seated in the first seat.

7. The electromechanical actuation system according to claim 5, further including an obstacle sensor that functions, when an obstacle is encountered during movement of a seat adjustment assembly, to command the passenger-initiated actuator to stop moving, move the seat a predetermined distance in an opposite direction, and stop.

8. An electromechanical actuation system for an aircraft passenger suite for allowing passenger-initiated adjustment of a passenger seat and related passenger accoutrements, comprising:

(a) a suite control unit configured to receive command signals from a user interface; and

(b) a first line replacement unit comprising a first integral electronic control unit and a second line replacement unit coupled to the first line replacement;

(c) wherein the first electronic control unit controls operation of the first line replacement unit and the second line replacement unit in response to command signals received from the suite control unit,

(d) wherein the electromechanical actuation system further comprises a third line replacement unit,

(e) wherein the second electronic control unit controls operation of the second line replacement unit and the third line replacement unit in response to control signals received from the suite control unit when the first electronic control unit becomes inoperative.