Airplane seat with an adjustable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220949-B2
Application number	US-201414902777-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2013
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft seat comprising an adjusting device, the aircraft seat comprising at least one adjustable seat element. The seat element has an adjustable state and a locked state, the seat element being adjustable by means of manual force application and/or force application by a spring element and/or force application due to the weight of parts of the aircraft seat only in the adjustable state. The adjusting device comprises at least one control element and at least one locking element, the locking element being movable by means of the control element between a locking position in which the seat element is locked, and a neutral position in which the seat element is adjustable. The control element is an electronic and/or electric switch, and the locking element can be moved between the locking position and the neutral position by means of an electrically operated actuator which can be actuated by means of signals from the switch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft seat, comprising:
at least one adjustable seat element,
wherein each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element has an adjustable state and a locked state;
a corresponding at least one adjusting device,
wherein each adjusting device of the at least one adjusting device corresponds to a corresponding adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element; and
one or more control elements,
wherein each control element of the one or more control elements is:
an electronic switch;
an electric switch; or
an electronic and electric switch,

wherein when each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the adjustable state, each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is adjustable by:
(a) application of an external mechanical force to each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element;
(b) application of a spring force to each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element by a spring element;
(c) application of a weight force to each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element due to the weight of at least a portion of the aircraft seat;
(a) and (b);
(a) and (c);
(b) and (c); or
(a), (b), and (c),

wherein when each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the locked state, each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is not adjustable,
wherein each adjusting device of the at least one adjusting device comprises:
a locking element; and
an electrically operated actuator,
wherein the locking element is movable via the electrically operated actuator:
(i) from a locking position to a neutral position; or
(ii) from a locking position to a neutral position, and from the neutral position to the locking position,

wherein each control element of at least one control element of the one or more control elements is configured to actuate the electrically operated actuator via a corresponding signal from each control element of at least one control element of the one or more control elements,

wherein when the locking element of each adjusting device of the at least one adjusting device is in the locking position, the corresponding adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the locked state,
wherein when the locking element of each adjusting device of the at least one adjusting device is in the neutral position, the corresponding adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the adjustable state,
wherein one or more adjusting devices of the at least one adjusting device comprises:
a corresponding one or more override mechanisms,
wherein each override mechanism of the one or more override mechanisms is configured to permit manual movement of the corresponding locking element from the locking position to the neutral position, and from the neutral position to the locking position, independent of whether the corresponding electrically operated actuator is operable.

2. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein the one or more override mechanisms comprise:
a corresponding one or more manual control devices,
wherein each manual control device of the one or more manual control devices is positioned at a distance of less than 15 cm from an effective region of the corresponding locking element, and
wherein the effective region is a region where the corresponding locking element can exert a locking effect or force to achieve the locking position.

3. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein each adjusting device of the at least one adjusting device is configured such that the corresponding locking element automatically moves into the locking position in an event of failure of an electrical supply to the corresponding electrically operated actuator.

4. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one control element of the one or more control elements comprise a plurality of control elements of the at least one control element of the one or more control elements,
wherein the plurality of control elements of the at least one control element of the one or more control elements is configured to actuate the electrically operated actuator, sequentially or simultaneously.

5. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein one control element of the one or more control elements is configured to actuate a plurality of electrically operated actuators of a corresponding plurality of adjusting devices, simultaneously or sequentially.

6. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control panel,
wherein the control panel comprises a plurality of control elements of the one of more control elements.

7. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one control element of the one of more control elements is arranged in an armrest of the aircraft seat.

8. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one adjustable seat element comprises one or more adjustable seat elements selected from the group consisting of:
a backrest, a leg rest, a headrest, an armrest, and a seat surface.

9. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein when each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the adjustable state, each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is adjustable by:
(a);
(c); or
(a) and (c).

10. The aircraft seat according to claim 9 ,
wherein when each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the adjustable state, each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is adjustable by:
(a).

11. The aircraft seat according to claim 9 ,
wherein when each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the adjustable state, each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is adjustable by:
(c).

12. The aircraft seat according to claim 9 ,
wherein when each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the adjustable state, each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is adjustable by:
(a) and (c).

13. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein each locking element is movable via the corresponding electrically operated actuator from the locking position to the neutral position.

14. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein each locking element is movable via the corresponding electrically operated actuator from the locking position to the neutral position, and from the neutral position to the locking position.

15. The aircraft seat according to claim 1 ,
wherein when each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element is in the adjustable state:
(I) a relative position;
(II) an orientation; or
(III) a relative position and an orientation,

of each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element with respect to another adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element;
(I);
(II); or
(I) and (II),

of each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element with respect to a non-adjustable seat element of the aircraft seat; or
(I);
(II); or
(I) and (II),

of each adjustable seat element of the at least one adjustable seat element with respect to a frame of the aircraft seat,
is adjustable by:
(a);
(b);
(c);
(a) and (b);
(a) and (c);
(b) a

Assignees

• Lufthansa Technik Ag

Inventors

• Thomaschewski Oliver

Classifications

• B64D11/0643

  Adjustable foot or leg rests · CPC title

• B60N2/22

  the back-rest being adjustable {(B60N2/2878 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2/995

  Lower-leg-rests, e.g. calf-rests · CPC title

• B60N2/797

  for use as electrical control means, e.g. switches · CPC title

• B64D11/0642

  Adjustable headrests · CPC title