Flexible aircraft seat configurations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10604262-B2
Application number	US-201715405271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2017
Priority date	Jan 12, 2017
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise: a floor panel for a rotorcraft; one or more puck fasteners in the floor panel, wherein each puck fastener comprises an attachment fitting and a plurality of internal flanges, wherein the plurality of internal flanges within each puck fastener are adjacent; and one or more seating fixtures coupled to the floor panel using the one or more puck fasteners.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a floor panel for a rotorcraft, the floor panel including seat attachment provisions; and
a plurality of passenger seats coupled to seat attachment provisions of the floor panel, wherein:
the plurality of passenger seats comprises exactly eighteen passenger seats;
the plurality of passenger seats is arranged into exactly five seating rows, wherein the five seating rows comprise a first seating row, a second seating row, a third seating row, a fourth seating row, and a fifth seating row;
the first seating row comprises exactly one passenger seat facing a front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats facing a back end of the rotorcraft;
the third seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats facing the front end of the rotorcraft;
the fourth seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats facing the back end of the rotorcraft;
the fifth seating row comprises exactly five passenger seats facing the front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row and the third seating row face each other; and
the fourth seating row and the fifth seating row face each other;

wherein at least one of the seat attachment provisions does not have a seat attached thereto.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of passenger seats is arranged such that an aisle is formed through the second seating row, the third seating row, and the fourth seating row.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of passenger seats is arranged such that an aisle is formed through at least one of the second seating row, the third seating row, and the fourth seating row.

4. An apparatus, comprising:
a floor panel for a rotorcraft, the floor panel including seat attachment provisions; and
a plurality of passenger seats coupled to seat attachment provisions of the floor panel, wherein:
the plurality of passenger seats comprises exactly nineteen passenger seats;
the plurality of passenger seats is arranged into exactly five seating rows, wherein the five seating rows comprise a first seating row, a second seating row, a third seating row, a fourth seating row, and a fifth seating row;
the first seating row faces a front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row faces a back end of the rotorcraft;
the third seating row faces the front end of the rotorcraft;
the fourth seating row faces the back end of the rotorcraft;
the fifth seating row faces the front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row and the third seating row face each other; and
the fourth seating row and the fifth seating row face each other;

wherein at least one of the seat attachment provisions does not have a seat attached thereto.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the first seating row comprises exactly three passenger seats; and
the second seating row, the third seating row, the fourth seating row, and the fifth seating row each comprise exactly four passenger seats.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of passenger seats is arranged such that an aisle is formed through the second seating row, the third seating row, the fourth seating row, and the fifth seating row.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the first seating row comprises exactly two passenger seats;
the second seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats;
the third seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats;
the fourth seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats; and
the fifth seating row comprises exactly five passenger seats.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the one or more passenger seats are arranged such that an aisle is formed through the second seating row, the third seating row, and the fourth seating row.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more passenger seats are further arranged such that the aisle extends through the first seating row.

10. A rotorcraft comprising:
a floor panel for a rotorcraft, the floor panel including seat attachment provisions; and
a plurality of passenger seats coupled to seat attachment provisions of the floor panel, wherein:
the plurality of passenger seats comprises exactly nineteen passenger seats;
the plurality of passenger seats is arranged into exactly five seating rows, wherein the five seating rows comprise a first seating row, a second seating row, a third seating row, a fourth seating row, and a fifth seating row;
the first seating row faces a front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row faces a back end of the rotorcraft;
the third seating row faces the front end of the rotorcraft;
the fourth seating row faces the back end of the rotorcraft;
the fifth seating row faces the front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row and the third seating row face each other; and
the fourth seating row and the fifth seating row face each other;

wherein at least one of the seat attachment provisions does not have a seat attached thereto.

11. The rotorcraft of claim 10 , wherein:
the first seating row comprises exactly three passenger seats; and
the second seating row, the third seating row, the fourth seating row, and the fifth seating row each comprise exactly four passenger seats.

12. The rotorcraft of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of passenger seats is arranged such that an aisle is formed through the second seating row, the third seating row, the fourth seating row, and the fifth seating row.

13. The rotorcraft of claim 10 , wherein:
the first seating row comprises exactly two passenger seats;
the second seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats;
the third seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats;
the fourth seating row comprises exactly four passenger seats; and
the fifth seating row comprises exactly five passenger seats.

14. The rotorcraft of claim 13 , wherein the one or more passenger seats are arranged such that an aisle is formed through the second seating row, the third seating row, and the fourth seating row.

15. The rotorcraft of claim 14 , wherein the one or more passenger seats are further arranged such that the aisle extends through the first seating row.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Carr Timothy Brian
• Perryman Richard Theodore
• Wilkerson Darrell W
• Mosier Bobby Howard
• Leachman Joseph Daniel
• Senn Jr Ernest Edward
• Dennison William D

Classifications

• B64C1/18

  Floors · CPC title

• B64D11/06

  Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats (crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04) · CPC title

• B64D11/0601

  Arrangement of seats for non-standard seating layouts, e.g. seats staggered horizontally or vertically, arranged in an angled or fishbone layout, or facing in other directions than the direction of flight · CPC title

• B64D11/0693 Primary

  Width modification of seat assemblies, e.g. for class modification · CPC title

• B64D11/0696 Primary

  Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails · CPC title