Cradle recline mechanism for fixed-shell aircraft seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10167083-B2
Application number	US-201514676009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2014
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A fixed-shell aircraft passenger seat including a seat bottom pivotably attached to a seatback, a fixed-shell positioned behind the seatback, left and right spreaders guiding the seat bottom forward and lower as the seat bottom moves to a reclined sitting position, a linkage arm linked with movement of the seat bottom, and a locking gas spring arranged between the linkage arm and a fixed seat frame member for counterbalancing passenger weight to return the seat bottom to upright and prevent over acceleration into a cradle recline sitting position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft passenger seat, comprising:
a seat bottom having a front edge and a rear edge;
a seatback pivotably attached to the seat bottom proximate the rear edge and positioned forward of a fixed-shell; and
a cradling recline mechanism directly coupled to a movable pivot axis of the seat bottom proximate the seatback, the cradling recline mechanism including an arcuate side rail, connected to the seat bottom, and a linkage arm coupled to a fixed frame member and the arcuate side rail that glides along a roller track, articulating the seat bottom between a first position and a second position by guiding the movable pivot axis along a curvature of the roller track;
whereby, as the seat bottom moves from the first position to the second position, the cradling recline mechanism causes the seat bottom to translate forward and lower, wherein the rear edge of the seat bottom lowers more than the forward edge of the seat bottom such that the seat bottom is inclined to a greater degree when in the second position as compared to the seat bottom when in the first position, and causes the seatback to translate forward, lower, and recline.

2. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the cradling recline mechanism comprises a first roller configured to roll along the roller track.

3. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 2 , wherein the first roller is a seat bottom attachment roller, and the cradling recline mechanism further comprises an idler roller positioned forward of the seat bottom attachment roller in the roller track.

4. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein the seat bottom attachment roller is positioned at a rearwardmost end of the roller track when the seat bottom is in the first position, and the idler roller is positioned at a forwardmost end of the roller track when the seat bottom is in the second position.

5. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the seat bottom is horizontal in the first position and inclined in the direction of the front edge in the second position.

6. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the roller track includes a geared pinion timing axle meshed with teeth on the arcuate side rail to keep opposite sides of the seat bottom parallel.

7. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , further comprising a locking gas spring arranged such that maximum force is exerted on the linkage arm of the cradling recline mechanism when the seat bottom is in the second position, and when the seat bottom is in the first position the locking gas spring is fully extended and pushes against the linkage arm with minimum force.

8. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 7 , wherein the locking gas spring is arranged between the linkage arm and the fixed frame member for counterbalancing passenger weight to return the seat bottom to the first position and prevent over acceleration into the second position.

9. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the curvature of the roller track is an arc.

10. An aircraft passenger seat configured for cradle recline movement, comprising:
a fixed seat frame;
a seat bottom having a front edge and a rear edge;
a seatback pivotably connected to the seat bottom proximate the rear edge such that seat bottom movement drives seatback movement between an upright sitting position of the aircraft passenger seat and a reclined sitting position of the aircraft passenger seat;
a seat bottom guide mechanism for articulating the seat bottom between the upright sitting position and the reclined sitting position, the seat bottom guide mechanism including a curved rail, with a bearing block that glides along the curved rail connected to the fixed seat frame, wherein the bearing block is connected to the seat bottom such that as the seat bottom moves from the upright sitting position to the reclined sitting position, the seat bottom guide mechanism causes the seat bottom to move forward and lower such that the rear edge of the seat bottom moves to a position lower than the front edge by following a trajectory first moving forward then downward, and causes the seatback to translate forward, lower, and recline; and
a passenger weight counterbalancing mechanism arranged between the seat bottom guide mechanism and the fixed seat frame for counterbalancing passenger weight to return the seat bottom to the upright sitting position and to prevent over acceleration into the reclined sitting position.

11. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 10 , wherein the curved rail includes a first end positioned higher than a second end.

12. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 10 , wherein the seat bottom is horizontal when in the upright sitting position and inclined in the direction of the front edge when in the reclined sitting position.

13. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 10 , wherein the seatback bears against a fixed shell as the aircraft passenger seat moves between the upright and reclined sitting positions.

14. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 10 , wherein the seat bottom guide mechanism further comprises a linkage arm fixed at one end for movement with the seat bottom and pivotably attached proximate an opposite end thereof to the fixed seat frame positioned beneath the seat bottom.

15. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 14 , wherein the passenger weight counterbalancing mechanism comprises a locking gas spring arranged such that maximum force of the locking gas spring is exerted on the linkage arm when the seat bottom is in the reclined sitting position, and when the seat bottom is in the upright sitting position the locking gas spring is fully extended and pushes against the linkage arm with minimum force.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Henshaw Robert J

Classifications

• B64D11/064 Primary

  Adjustable inclination or position of seats · CPC title