Aircraft seat

• US 9,714,095 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bombardier Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Incorporated
• Inventors: Erhel, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US14/497,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20150008713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 297340, 297316, 297115, 297118, 29718816, 29734424
• 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 11/0627 Seats combined with storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06395 characterised by the arrangement of electric motors for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0641 Seats convertible into beds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a seat, a swivel connected to and rotatably supporting the seat, a swivel frame connected to the swivel, a first lateral rail supporting the swivel frame, the first lateral rail permitting the swivel frame to move in a first direction, and a first longitudinal rail supporting the first lateral rail such that the first lateral rail is movable along the first longitudinal rail, thereby permitting the swivel frame to move in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a seat;

a swivel connected to and rotatably supporting the seat;

a swivel frame connected to the swivel;

a first lateral rail oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft when the seat is positioned in a TTL position, the first lateral rail supporting the swivel frame, the first lateral rail permitting the swivel frame to move in a first direction; and

a first longitudinal rail oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft when the seat is positioned in a TTL position, the first longitudinal rail supporting the first lateral rail such that the first lateral rail is movable along the first longitudinal rail, thereby permitting the swivel frame to move in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The vehicle seat of claim 1, further comprising:

a second lateral rail disposed apart from the first lateral rail, the second lateral rail also supporting the swivel frame; and

a second longitudinal rail disposed apart from the first longitudinal rail, the second longitudinal rail supporting the first and second lateral rails.

3. The vehicle seat of claim 1, further comprising:

a cam positioned on at least one of the swivel or the first longitudinal rail; and

a protrusion positioned on at least one of the swivel or the first longitudinal rail,

wherein, upon rotation of the seat and the swivel, the cam interacts with the protrusion to exert a force displacing the swivel frame in the first direction.

4. The vehicle seat of claim 2, further comprising:

a cam positioned on at least one of the swivel or the first or second longitudinal rails; and

a protrusion positioned on at least one of the swivel or the first or second longitudinal rails,

wherein, upon rotation of the seat and the swivel, the cam interacts with the protrusion to exert a force displacing the swivel frame in the first direction.

5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the cam comprises a plurality of cams and the protrusion comprises a plurality of protrusions.

6. The vehicle seat of claim 3, wherein the interaction between the cam and the protrusion is such that the seat avoids impact with environmental obstacles.

7. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein the first lateral rail is disposed perpendicularly to the first longitudinal rail.

8. The vehicle seat of claim 1, further comprising:

a first truck connecting the swivel frame to the first lateral rail, permitting the swivel frame to slide freely along the first lateral rail.

9. The vehicle seat of claim 8, further comprising:

a second truck disposed between the first lateral rail and the first longitudinal rail, permitting the first lateral rail to slide freely along the first longitudinal rail.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 1, wherein:

the seat has a forward-facing direction parallel with the first longitudinal rail, and

the seat is rotatable to an angle between 0 and 180°

from the forward-facing direction.

11. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a seat;

a swivel connected to and rotatably supporting the seat, the swivel permitting the seat to undergo a swivel movement;

a swivel frame connected to the swivel;

a first lateral rail supporting the swivel frame, the first lateral rail permitting the swivel frame to move in a first direction; and

a first longitudinal rail supporting the swivel frame, the first longitudinal rail permitting the swivel frame to move in a second direction, different from the first direction;

wherein movement of the swivel frame in the first direction and the second direction is independent of the swivel movement.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 11, further comprising:

a second lateral rail disposed apart from the first lateral rail, the second lateral rail also supporting the swivel frame; and

a second longitudinal rail disposed apart from the first longitudinal rail, the second longitudinal rail supporting the swivel frame.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein the seat is lockable in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13, wherein the swivel is lockable to fix the seat in a selected position.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein the vehicle seat is rotatable between 0°

and 180°

from a forward-facing direction.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein the vehicle seat is an aircraft seat.

17. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a seat;

a swivel connected to and rotatably supporting the seat, the swivel permitting rotational positioning of the seat through at least 90 degrees of rotation;

a swivel frame connected to the swivel;

a first lateral rail supporting the swivel frame, the first lateral rail permitting the swivel frame to move in a first direction; and

a first longitudinal rail supporting the swivel frame, the first longitudinal rail permitting the swivel frame to move in a second direction, different from the first direction;

wherein movement of the swivel frame in the first direction and the second direction is independent of the rotational positioning of the seat.

18. The vehicle seat of claim 17, further comprising:

a second lateral rail disposed apart from the first lateral rail, the second lateral rail also supporting the swivel frame; and

a second longitudinal rail disposed apart from the first longitudinal rail, the second longitudinal rail supporting the swivel frame.

19. The vehicle seat of claim 17, wherein the seat is lockable in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.

20. The vehicle seat of claim 17, wherein the swivel is lockable to fix the seat in a selected rotational position.

21. The vehicle seat of claim 17, wherein the vehicle seat is rotatable through at least 180 degrees of rotation.

22. The vehicle seat of claim 17, wherein the vehicle seat is an aircraft seat.