Tray table

• US 8,336,957 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Roy, Philippe, Wegenka, Jeffrey P.
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/989,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20110204683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 297/163, 297/165, 297/167
• US Class Current: 297/163
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/24 for particular purposes or particular vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/004 of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest
• 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: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A tray table assembly comprises a table body, at least one arm, and at least one table stop. The at least one arm is pivotally coupled to the table body. The at least one arm is also pivotally coupled to a pivot shaft interior to at least one location where a passenger seat back is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft. The at least one table stop is fixedly coupled to the pivot shaft adjacent the location where the at least one arm is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft. The tray table assembly may be coupled to a passenger seat back comprising a recess and may be configured to substantially fit within the recess.

Claims

1. A tray table assembly comprising:

(a) a table body comprising at least one shaft;

(b) at least one arm comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally coupled to the at least one shaft and the second end is configured to pivotally couple to a pivot shaft in a location interior to at least one location where a passenger seat back is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft; and

(c) at least one table stop comprising an end, wherein the at least one table stop is configured to couple to the at least one arm, and wherein the end of the at least one table stop is configured to fixedly couple to the pivot shaft in a location adjacent the location where the second end of the at least one arm is configured to pivotally couple to the pivot shaft;

wherein the table body further comprises at least one rotation limiting pin and the at least one arm further comprises a rotation limiting pin receiver, wherein a side of the rotation limiting pin receiver is configured to contact the at least one rotation limiting pin when the table body is positioned at a released table body angle.

2. The tray table assembly of claim 1, wherein the pivot shaft is coupled to a fixed structure and transfers a turning force from the at least one table stop to the fixed structure.

3. The tray table assembly of claim 1, wherein the tray table assembly is configured to substantially fit within a recess formed in the passenger seat back.

4. The tray table assembly of claim 1, wherein the table body has a thickness that is not greater than approximately one-half inch.

5. The tray table assembly of claim 1, wherein the table body is oriented approximately 90 degrees from a vertical axis when the table body is positioned at the released table body angle and the at least one arm is positioned at a released arm angle.

6. A passenger seat comprising:

(a) a pivot shaft;

(b) a passenger seat back comprising a recess, wherein the passenger seat back is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft in at least one location; and

(c) a tray table assembly comprising;

(i) a table body comprising at least one shaft;

(ii) at least one arm comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally coupled to the at least one shaft and the second end is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft in a location interior to the at least one location where the passenger seat back is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft; and

(iii) at least one table stop comprising an end, wherein the at least one table stop is configured to couple to the at least one arm, and wherein the end of the at least one table stop is fixedly coupled to the pivot shaft in a location adjacent the location where the second end of the at least one arm is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft;

wherein the table body further comprises at least one rotation limiting pin and the at least one arm further comprises a rotation limiting pin receiver, wherein a side of the rotation limiting pin receiver is configured to contact the at least one rotation limiting pin when the table body is positioned at a released table body angle.

7. The tray table assembly of claim 6, wherein the pivot shaft is coupled to a fixed structure and transfers a turning force from the at least one table stop to the fixed structure.

8. The tray table assembly of claim 6, wherein the tray table assembly is configured to substantially fit within the recess of the passenger seat back.

9. The tray table assembly of claim 6, wherein the table body has a thickness that is not greater than approximately one-half inch.

10. The tray table assembly of claim 6, wherein the passenger seat back is configured to pivot relative to the pivot shaft while the tray table assembly remains stationary at the released table body angle and a released arm angle.

11. A method of assembling a tray table assembly comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a passenger seat comprising a pivot shaft, a passenger seat back comprising a recess, and a latch adjacent the recess, wherein the passenger seat back is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft in at least one location;

(b) providing a tray table assembly comprising;

(i) a table body comprising at least one shaft and a projection;

(ii) at least one arm comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally coupled to the at least one shaft; and

(iii) at least one table stop comprising an end;

(c) pivotally coupling the second end of the at least one arm to the pivot shaft in a location interior to the at least one location where the passenger seat back is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft;

(d) fixedly coupling the end of the at least one table stop to the pivot shaft in a location adjacent the location where the second end of the at least one arm is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft;

(e) rotating the table body and the at least one arm upward until the table body and the at least one arm are positioned within the recess in the passenger seat back;

(f) engaging the latch with the projection on the table body;

(g) releasing the latch from the projection on the table body;

(h) rotating the table body downward until the table body reaches a released table body angle; and

(i) rotating the at least one arm downward until the at least one arm reaches a released arm angle;

wherein the table body further comprises at least one rotation limiting pin and the at least one arm further comprises a rotation limiting pin receiver, wherein a side of the rotation limiting pin receiver contacts the at least one rotation limiting pin when the table body reaches the released table body angle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the table body is oriented approximately 90 degrees from a vertical axis when the table body reaches the released table body angle and the at least one arm reaches the released arm angle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the pivot shaft is coupled to a fixed structure and transfers a turning force from the at least one table stop to the fixed structure when the at least one arm reaches the released arm angle.