Flexible aircraft seat configurations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11155353-B2
Application number	US-201916717739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2019
Priority date	Jan 12, 2017
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

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;
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;
wherein:
the one or more seating fixtures comprises sixteen passenger seats;
the sixteen passenger seats are arranged into four seating rows, wherein the four seating rows comprise a first seating row, a second seating row, a third seating row, and a fourth seating row;
the first seating row comprises four passenger seats facing a front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row comprises four passenger seats facing a back end of the rotorcraft;
the third seating row comprises four passenger seats facing the front end of the rotorcraft;
the fourth seating row comprises four passenger seats facing the front end of the rotorcraft; and
the second seating row and the third seating row face each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel of the rotorcraft is removable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more seating fixtures comprises a plurality of passenger seats and a plurality of tables.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotorcraft comprises one or more exits, and wherein the one or more seating fixtures are arranged such that at least one of the one or more exits is accessible from each of the one or more seating fixtures.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the one or more seating fixtures are further arranged such that there is no more than one intervening seating fixture between each of the one or more seating fixtures and a particular exit of the one or more exits.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the one or more seating fixtures are further arranged such that one or more aisles are formed through the one or more seating fixtures, wherein at least one of the one or more exits is accessible from each of the one or more aisles.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more puck fasteners in the floor panel are arranged such that the one or more seating fixtures can be coupled to the floor panel using a plurality of seating arrangements.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein color coding is used to identify the particular puck fasteners of the one or more puck fasteners that are used for each of the plurality of seating arrangements.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising one or more plugs for covering one or more unused puck fasteners, wherein the one or more plugs are configured to be embedded flush with the floor panel of the rotorcraft.

10. An apparatus, comprising:
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;
wherein:
the one or more seating fixtures comprises nineteen passenger seats;
the nineteen passenger seats are arranged into 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 three passenger seats facing a front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row comprises four passenger seats facing the front end of the rotorcraft;
the third seating row comprises four passenger seats facing a back end of the rotorcraft;
the fourth seating row comprises four passenger seats facing the front end of the rotorcraft;
the fifth seating row comprises four passenger seats facing the front end of the rotorcraft; and
the third seating row and the fourth seating row are arranged facing each other.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the floor panel of the rotorcraft is removable.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the rotorcraft comprises one or more exits, and wherein the one or more seating fixtures are arranged such that at least one of the one or more exits is accessible from each of the one or more seating fixtures.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more seating fixtures are further arranged such that there is no more than one intervening seating fixture between each of the one or more seating fixtures and a particular exit of the one or more exits.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more seating fixtures are further arranged such that one or more aisles are formed through the one or more seating fixtures, wherein at least one of the one or more exits is accessible from each of the one or more aisles.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more puck fasteners in the floor panel are arranged such that the one or more seating fixtures can be coupled to the floor panel using a plurality of seating arrangements.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein color coding is used to identify the particular puck fasteners of the one or more puck fasteners that are used for each of the plurality of seating arrangements.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising one or more plugs for covering one or more unused puck fasteners, wherein the one or more plugs are configured to be embedded flush with the floor panel of the rotorcraft.

18. An apparatus, comprising:
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;
wherein:
the one or more seating fixtures comprises twenty passenger seats;
the twenty passenger seats are arranged into four seating rows, wherein the four seating rows comprise a first seating row, a second seating row, a third seating row, and a fourth seating row;
the four seating rows each comprise five passenger seats;
the first seating row, the third seating row, and the fourth seating row each face a front end of the rotorcraft;
the second seating row faces a back end of the rotorcraft; and
the second seating row and the third seating row face each other.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more seating fixtures comprises a plurality of passenger seats and a plurality of tables.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the rotorcraft comprises one or more exits, and wherein the one or more seating fixtures are arranged such that at least one of the one or more exits is accessible from each of the one or more seating fixtures.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations 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

• B64D11/0696 Primary

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

• 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