Integrated keyboard tray

• US 9,701,409 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Reyes, Raul, Valdes, Armando, Wolfe, Garrett
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V
• Application Number:
  US14/442,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 108 44, 108 45, 108 5001, 108 5002, 297163
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/004 of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0294 Apparatus with multi-functionalities, e.g. radio and telephone
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00152 Seat back fixtures for removable monitors, e.g. tablet computers
• 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 11/0638 with foldable tables, trays or cup holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1673 Arrangements for projecting a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Described herein are integrated keyboard tray assemblies including a tray table comprising a top surface of substantially planar construction and a body, wherein the top surface may be disposed above the body when the tray table is in an open position. The integrated keyboard tray assemblies also including a passenger seat, wherein a rear portion of the passenger seat may share a pivotal connection with at least the body of the food tray, and a sensor adjacent the tray table and configured to detect a user interaction at the top surface of the tray table when the tray table is in the open position.

Claims

1. An integrated keyboard tray assembly comprising:

a tray table comprising a top surface of substantially planar construction and a body, wherein the top surface is disposed above the body when the tray table is in an open position;

a passenger seat, wherein a rear portion of the passenger seat shares a pivotal connection with at least the body of the tray table; and

a module comprising a sensor, the module pivotably coupled to the tray table adjacent to a perimeter edge of the tray table, wherein the module is configured to pivot between;

a stowed position in which the sensor is inoperable to detect a user interaction at the top surface when the tray table is in the open position an extended position in which the sensor is operable to detect the user interaction at the top surface when the tray table is in the open position.

2. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor and the user interaction at the top surface of the tray table comprises at least one of a discrete input or a continuous input.

3. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 2, wherein the discrete input comprises one or more keyboard inputs on a simulated keyboard.

4. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 3, wherein the simulated keyboard comprises at least one of a stenciled design on the top surface or a laser projection in the form of a keyboard on the top surface.

5. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 2, wherein the continuous input comprises at least one linear movement or at least one non-linear movement of a tracking device in a two-dimensional plane.

6. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 5, wherein the top surface comprises the two-dimensional plane and the tracking device comprises at least one of a human finger or a pointer.

7. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 1, wherein the pivotal connection comprises a pair of hinges releasably attached to the body of the tray table and releasably attached to the rear portion of the passenger seat, and the tray table is disposed between the rear portion of the passenger seat and a front portion of a second passenger seat.

8. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 1, wherein the module further comprises a light source, the light source configured to emit invisible light, and wherein detecting the user interaction at the top surface comprises processing a portion of the invisible light sensed by the sensor.

9. The integrated keyboard tray assembly of claim 8, wherein the module further comprises a laser projector, wherein the laser projector is configured to project a pattern on at least the top surface of the tray table.

10. A table assembly comprising:

a tray table comprising a body and a planar surface, wherein the planar surface is disposed adjacent the body; and

a module comprising a senor, the module pivotably coupled to the body of the tray table at a perimeter edge of the body, wherein the module is configured to pivot between;

a stowed position in which the sensor is inoperable to detect an input at the planar surface and an extended position in which the sensor is operable to detect the input at the planar surface.

11. The table assembly of claim 10, wherein the input comprises an input of a user interacting with the planar surface and the module is configured to process the input of the user and transmit the processed input to an electronic device associated with the table assembly.

12. The table assembly of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a tablet computer, a cell phone, a smart phone, a handheld video game system, a personal digital assistant, a palmtop computer, a DVD player, a data or audio-video media player, a monitor, an e-reader device, or a multi-media enabled device.

13. The table assembly of claim 10, wherein:

a back surface of the module and the planar surface of the tray table are substantially coplanar when the module is in the stowed position; and

a front surface of the module is substantially perpendicular to the planar surface of the tray table when the module is in the extended position.

14. The table assembly of claim 10, wherein the module further comprises a light source, the light source configured to project light onto the planar surface, wherein detecting the input at the planar surface comprises projecting, by the light source, light onto the planar surface and detecting light by the sensor.

15. The table assembly of claim 10, wherein detecting the input at the planar surface is performed when the module is pivoted to the extended position, at least a portion of the module is above the planar surface when the module is in the extended position.

16. The table assembly of claim 10, wherein the planar surface comprises a representative keyboard and the input at the planar surface comprises an input of a user interacting with the representative keyboard.

17. The table assembly of claim 16, wherein the representative keyboard is a stenciled keyboard, a projected laser keyboard, or a printed keyboard comprising photo-luminescent material disposed between the planar surface and the body of the tray table.

18. A passenger seat assembly comprising:

a passenger seat including a seat back; and

an integrated keyboard tray assembly comprising;

a tray table adjustable from at least a stowed position to at least an open position, wherein a top surface of the tray table is nearer the seat back of the passenger seat when in the stowed position; and

a module pivotally coupled to the tray table and configured to at least detect an interaction at the top surface of the tray table, wherein the top surface comprises a representative keyboard and at least part of the interaction is with the representative keyboard and detectable by the module.

19. The passenger seat assembly of claim 18, further comprising a case assembly comprising a case configured to receive a personal electronic device, wherein the case assembly is configured to releasably mount in a mounting assembly of the seat back, and the module is configured to transmit the detected interaction at the top surface to the personal electronic device.

20. The passenger seat assembly of claim 18, wherein:

the module is pivotably coupled to the tray table via a hinge assembly; and

the hinge assembly is configured to enable the module to pivot between a stowed position and an extended position, the module configured to detect the interaction at the top surface when in the extended position.