Latch mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10710486-B2
Application number	US-201615779917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 4, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

Described are latching mechanisms having an eccentric member configured to interact with a support assembly, such that the eccentric member can cause a passenger article to displace relative to the support assembly. Also described are seat assemblies employing latching mechanisms for causing a passenger article to displace into a stowed configuration in the seat assemblies, and methods of stowing a passenger article.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A latch mechanism, comprising:
a support assembly that supports a passenger article and allows the passenger article to move with respect to the support assembly; and
an eccentric member having an axis and a periphery, the periphery comprising a major working surface and a minor working surface connected by a continuous convex working surface of the periphery, the major working surface being farther from the axis than the minor working surface; wherein the eccentric member is configured to be rotatingly connected with the passenger article and arranged to engage with a rigid support surface of the support assembly such that, when the eccentric member is rotated, the eccentric member causes the passenger article to displace relative to the support assembly.

2. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the passenger article comprises a tray table.

3. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein:
the eccentric member is rotatingly connected with a bottom of the passenger article when the passenger article is in an upright position;
the support surface is oriented facing the eccentric member; and
the eccentric member is in contact with the support surface.

4. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , comprising an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration, wherein:
in the unlocked configuration, the minor working surface of the eccentric member is in contact with the support assembly; and
in the locked configuration, the major working surface of the eccentric member is in contact with the support assembly.

5. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a handle that is mechanically linked with the eccentric member such that, when the handle is rotated, the eccentric member is rotated with the handle.

6. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting element that receives the eccentric member, the eccentric member being rotatingly connected with the mounting element, and the mounting element being configured to connect with the passenger article.

7. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the major working surface is a first distance from the axis, and wherein the minor working surface is a second distance from the axis, the first distance being longer than the second distance.

8. The latch mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the first distance is at least 0.25 inches greater than the second distance.

9. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the continuous convex working surface that connects the major working surface and minor working surface is configured to cause the eccentric member to displace relative to the support assembly when the eccentric member is rotated.

10. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a spindle, wherein the spindle is connected with the eccentric member configured to interact with one or more blocking regions and one or more non-blocking regions, such that the spindle can rotate through only a prescribed arc defined by the one or more blocking regions and one or more non-blocking regions.

11. The latch mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the spindle further comprises a pin extending laterally from the spindle, and wherein the pin is configured to interact with the one or more blocking regions and one or more non-blocking regions.

12. The latch mechanism of claim 11 , further comprising one or more grooves configured to interact with the pin, and wherein the latch mechanism further comprises a means for biasing the pin against the one or more grooves such that the grooves resist rotation of the spindle by way of the pin when the pin is in one of the one or more grooves.

13. The latch mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the eccentric member comprises a primary structural eccentric part having a first thickness, and further comprising:
one or more spacing parts connected with the primary structural eccentric part, the one or more spacing parts each having a major working edge and a minor working edge, each major working edge configured to align with the major working surface of the eccentric member, and each minor working edge configured to align with the minor working surface of the eccentric member, such that the combined primary structural eccentric part and one or more spacing parts has a combined thickness greater than the first thickness.

14. A passenger seat assembly, comprising:
a passenger seat;
a support assembly connected with the passenger seat;
a passenger article supported by the support assembly; and
a latch mechanism configured to displace the passenger article with respect to the support assembly, wherein:
the latch mechanism comprises an eccentric member connected to one of the support assembly and the passenger article, the eccentric member being rotatable and having an axis and a periphery, the periphery comprising a major working surface and a minor working surface connected by a continuous convex working surface of the periphery, the major working surface being farther from the axis than the minor working surface; wherein the eccentric member is configured to be rotatingly connected with the passenger article or with the support assembly and arranged to engage with a rigid surface of the other one of the passenger article and the support assembly, such that the eccentric member causes the passenger article to displace relative to the support assembly when the eccentric member is rotated.

15. The passenger seat assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a seatback shroud connected with the passenger seat, where the seatback shroud comprises a pocket configured to at least partially receive the passenger article such that, when the passenger article is moved when the eccentric member is rotated, the passenger article is at least partially received by the pocket.

16. The passenger seat assembly of claim 15 , wherein the passenger article is rotatable relative to the support assembly when the passenger article is not received by the pocket, and wherein the passenger article is secured in an upright position when the passenger article is at least partially received by the pocket.

17. The passenger seat assembly of claim 15 , wherein the passenger article is retained parallel to the passenger seat back when the passenger article is at least partially received by the pocket.

18. The passenger seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the latch mechanism is positioned below the passenger article.

19. The passenger seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the passenger article comprises a tray table.

20. A method of stowing a passenger article of a passenger seat, the method comprising:
with the passenger article aligned with a pocket of a seatback shroud of the passenger seat,
rotating an eccentric member that is rotatingly connected with one of the passenger article or with a support assembly that supports the passenger article, the eccentric member being rotatable and having an axis and periphery, the periphery comprising a major working surface and a minor working surface connected by a continuous convex working surface of the periphery, the major working surface being farther from an axis of the eccentric member than the minor working surface, such that the minor working surface of the eccentric member contacts a rigid support surface of one of the support assembly or the passenger article adjacent to the eccentric member; and
displacing the passenger article relative to the support surface by the rotating, such that the major working surface bears against the support surface causing the passenger article to be received in the pocket.

Assignees

• Safran Seats Usa Llc

Inventors

• Newbold Tyler

Classifications

• B60N3/004 Primary

  of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest · CPC title

• B64D11/0638

  with foldable tables, trays or cup holders · CPC title