Variable-length rail cover

• US 9,248,911 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Khn, Thorsten, Wolgast, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): KWIECINSKI, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US14/047,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20140097662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.5, 244/118.6, 244/121, 244/122.R, 297/463.1, 297/463.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0725 Closing members for covering the slide
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/20 specially adapted for freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0696 Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails

Abstract

A rail cover for a seat rail includes a cover element for completely covering a longitudinal portion of the seat rail. The cover element extends at least in part in a plane of extension that is formed by a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction of the rail cover and includes a first, rigid, longitudinal portion and a second longitudinal portion that follows on from the first longitudinal portion. The first longitudinal portion and the second longitudinal portion are mechanically coupled together by means of a flexible portion, wherein the second longitudinal portion is designed to carry out a pivoting movement in a direction across the plane of extension.

Claims

1. A seat arrangement for a passenger cabin of a means of transport, with the seat arrangement comprising:

a seat rail;

a first seat and a second seat;

a rail cover, the rail cover comprising;

a cover element for completely covering a longitudinal portion of the seat rail;

wherein the cover element extends at least in part in a plane of extension formed by a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction of the rail cover;

wherein the cover element comprises a first, rigid, longitudinal portion and a second longitudinal portion;

wherein the first longitudinal portion and the second longitudinal portion are mechanically coupled together by a flexible portion, the flexible portion being flexible relative to the first rigid longitudinal portion;

wherein the second longitudinal portion is configured to carry out a pivoting movement in a direction across the plane of extension;

wherein the second seat is arranged behind the first seat in the longitudinal direction of the seat rail;

wherein the first seat and the second seat are configured to be moved in an accommodation space of the seat rail in the longitudinal direction of the seat rail; and

wherein the rail cover is arranged to completely cover the accommodation space of the seat rail on a seat-rail longitudinal portion extending from the first seat to the second seat;

wherein the first seat comprises a first leg mechanically coupling the first seat to the seat rail and the second seat comprises a second seat leg mechanically coupling the second seat to the seat rail;

wherein the first longitudinal portion of the rail cover extends in the direction of the seat leg of the first seat;

wherein the second longitudinal portion of the rail cover extends in the direction of the seat leg of the second seat; and

wherein the second longitudinal portion of the rail cover is arranged to carry out the pivoting movement when the second seat is moved in the direction of the first seat, so that as a result of the pivoting movement the second longitudinal portion is moved from a state in which the second longitudinal portion covers the seat rail to state in which the second longitudinal portion does not cover the seat rail;

wherein during the pivoting movement the second longitudinal portion of the rail cover is configured to move along the seat leg of the second seat in the direction of a seat surface of the second seat and pivots about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal direction.

2. The seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the second longitudinal portion comprises a plural number of pivoting elements;

wherein the plural number of pivoting elements are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the rail cover; and

wherein two adjacent pivoting elements of the plural number of pivoting elements are mechanically coupled together by a flexible portion.

3. The seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the flexible portion defines a rotation axis on which the pivoting movement of the second longitudinal portion takes place, said rotation axis extending so as to be parallel to the transverse direction of the rail cover.

4. The seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the rail cover comprises a cable channel extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail cover.

5. The seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cover element is curved in the transverse direction.

6. The seat arrangement of claim 1, wherein the rail cover comprises a fixing element,

wherein the fixing element is arranged on the cover element and extends in the longitudinal direction of the rail cover;

and

wherein the fixing element is configured to fix the rail cover with reference to the seat rail.

7. The seat arrangement of claim 6, wherein a cable channel extends in the fixing element.

8. The seat arrangement of claim 7, comprising a signal transmission line extending from the first seat to the second seat;

and

wherein the signal transmission line extends in the cable channel of the rail cover.

9. The seat arrangement of claim 8, wherein the second seat comprises a cable accommodation space;

wherein the cable accommodation space is configured to accommodate a longitudinal portion of the signal transmission line when the second seat is moved in the direction of the first seat.

10. The seat arrangement of claim 8, comprising an electrical connecting element configured to establish an electrical connection to the signal transmission line for the purpose of transmitting electrical signals;

wherein the electrical connecting element is arranged on the first seat or on the second seat.

11. The seat arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a cover housing arranged on the seat leg of the second seat, said cover housing configured to cover the second longitudinal portion of the rail cover in the state in which the rail cover does not cover the seat rail.

12. An aircraft, comprising a seat arrangement, the seat arrangement comprising:

a seat rail;

a first seat and a second seat;

a rail cover, the rail cover comprising;

a cover element for completely covering a longitudinal portion of the seat rail;

wherein the cover element extends at least in part in a plane of extension formed by a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction of the rail cover;

wherein the cover element comprises a first, rigid, longitudinal portion and a second longitudinal portion;

wherein the first longitudinal portion and the second longitudinal portion are mechanically coupled together by a flexible portion, the flexible portion being flexible relative to the first rigid longitudinal portion;

wherein the second longitudinal portion is configured to carry out a pivoting movement in a direction across the plane of extension;

wherein the second seat is arranged behind the first seat in the longitudinal direction of the seat rail;

wherein the first seat and the second seat are configured to be moved in an accommodation space of the seat rail in the longitudinal direction of the seat rail; and

wherein the rail cover is arranged to completely cover the accommodation space of the seat rail on a seat-rail longitudinal portion extending from the first seat to the second seat;

wherein the first seat comprises a first seat leg mechanically coupling the first seat to the seat rail and the second seat comprises a second seat leg mechanically coupling the second seat to the seat rail;

wherein the first longitudinal portion of the rail cover extends in the direction of the seat leg of the first seat;

wherein the second longitudinal portion of the rail cover extends in the direction of the seat leg of the second seat; and

wherein the second longitudinal portion of the rail cover is arranged to carry out the pivoting movement when the second seat is moved in the direction of the first seat, so that as a result of the pivoting movement the second longitudinal portion is moved from a state in which the second longitudinal portion covers the seat rail to a state in which the second longitudinal portion does not cover the seat rail;

wherein during the pivoting movement the second longitudinal portion of the rail cover is configured to move along the seat leg of the second seat in the direction of a seat surface of the second seat and pivots about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal direction.