Seat arrangement, in particular for an airplane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11312497-B2
Application number	US-201716325778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2017
Priority date	Aug 17, 2016
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat arrangement, in particular designed to be installed in an airplane cabin, comprising:at least one “front” seat and at least one “rear” seat, positioned one behind the other along a longitudinal axis of the airplane cabin and comprising respectively at least one seat that can pass from a “seating” position to a “bunk” position,a transverse passage arranged between the “front” seat and the “rear” seat to allow access to an aisle, characterized in that the seat arrangement comprises movable closure means that can at least partially close off the transverse passage when the closure means are deployed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seating arrangement comprising:
at least one front seat and at least one rear seat, wherein the at least one rear seat is located behind the at least one front seat along a longitudinal axis of an airplane cabin wherein at least one of the at least one front seat or the at least one rear seat is convertible between a seated position and a bed position,
a transverse passage disposed between the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat so as to allow access to an aisle,
wherein the seating arrangement includes a movable closing mechanism that is configured to at least partially close off the transverse passage when the movable closing mechanism is deployed,
wherein the movable closing mechanism comprises a first wall and a second wall, wherein each wall is installed so that each wall is movable relative to at least one of the at least one front seat or the at least one rear seat,
where the first wall is deployable along a first direction between
a stowed position, and
a deployed position in which the first wall closes off at least a part of the transverse passage between the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat,

wherein the second wall is deployable along a second direction between
a stowed position, and
a deployed position, in which the second wall closes off at least a part of the transverse passage between the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat,

wherein an intermediate wall is positioned between the first wall and the second wall such that the first wall is positioned adjacent a first side of the intermediate wall, and the second wall is positioned adjacent an opposing side of the intermediate wall, wherein the intermediate wall comprises a portion of a rigid shell of at least one of the at least one front seat or the at least one rear seat,
wherein the intermediate wall comprises two adjacent troughs that are open in opposing directions,
wherein at least one of the first wall or the second wall is connected to at least one slide cooperating with a first rail that is positioned in one of the two adjacent troughs that is open in a direction of the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat, and
wherein at least one of the first wall or the second wall is connected to at least one slide cooperating with a second rail that is positioned in one of the two adjacent troughs that is open in a direction opposite to the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat.

2. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat is arranged at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the airplane cabin and in a direction toward an aisle of the airplane cabin.

3. The seating arrangement according to the claim 1 , wherein the movable closing mechanism comprises at least one sliding wall.

4. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second direction of deployment of the second wall is opposite the first direction of deployment of the first wall.

5. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first wall or the second wall is connected to at least one slide cooperating with a rail that is affixed to the intermediate wall.

6. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a cover extends above at least one of the first rail or the second rail so as to avoid a risk of pinching fingers when at least one of the first wall or the second wall is handled.

7. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of a lower part of the first wall or the second wall is placed in a side panel of the at least one front seat or the at least one rear seat when at least one of the first wall or the second wall is respectively in the stowed position.

8. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall and the second wall are deployable with a rotational movement, a translational movement, or a combined movement comprising at least one translational movement and at least one rotational movement.

9. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the movable closing mechanism comprises at least one blackout curtain.

10. The seating arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one blackout curtain is mounted on an articulated support that is deployable between
a stowed position, in which the at least one blackout curtain is located inside the at least one front seat, and
a deployed position, in which the at least one blackout curtain closes off at least a part of the transverse passage between the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat.

11. The seating arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the articulated support deploys with a translational movement and a rotational movement with respect to the at least one front seat when the at least one blackout curtain deploys from the stowed position to the deployed position.

12. The seating arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one blackout curtain is mounted on a frame that is deployable between
a stowed position, in which the at least one blackout curtain is located inside the at least one front seat, and
a deployed position, in which the at least one blackout curtain closes off at least a part of the transverse passage between the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat.

13. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the movable closing mechanism comprises at least one of a first curtain or a second curtain;
wherein the at least one first curtain or second curtain comprises a rolled position and an unrolled position;
wherein, in the rolled position, the at least one first curtain or second curtain is insertable into the front seat; and
wherein, in the unrolled position, the at least one first curtain or second curtain closes off at least a portion of the transverse passage between the at least one front seat and the at least one rear seat.

14. The seating arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall and the second wall are movable with respect to one another with at least one degree of freedom.

Assignees

• Safran Seats

Inventors

• Herault Patrick
• Bonnefoy Bastien
• Glain Arthur
• Freienmuth Eric

Classifications

• B64D11/0604

  including a bed, e.g. cocoon type passenger seat modules · CPC title

• B64D11/0641 Primary

  Seats convertible into beds · 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

• B64D11/0606

  with privacy shells, screens, separators or the like (class dividers B64D11/0023) · CPC title