Aircraft seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11401038-B1
Application number	US-202117341096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 7, 2021
Priority date	Jun 7, 2021
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A seat drivetrain assembly for an aircraft seat is disclosed. The assembly may include a seatback drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate a seatback frame of a seat frame of the aircraft seat between a first position and at least a second position. The assembly may include a seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate a seat pan frame of the seat frame of the aircraft seat between a first position and at least a second position. The assembly may include an actuator sub-assembly configured to cause one of the seatback drivetrain sub-assembly or the seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly to actuate one of the seatback frame or the seat pan frame of the aircraft seat between the first position and the at least second position.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A seat drivetrain assembly for an aircraft seat comprising:
a seatback drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate a seatback frame of a seat frame of the aircraft seat between a first position and at least a second position, the seatback drivetrain sub-assembly comprising:
a first gear coupled to a portion of the seatback frame, the first gear including teeth along at least a portion of an exterior surface of the first gear;
a second gear including teeth protruding radially from a center of the second gear, the second gear coupled to a portion of the seat frame of the aircraft seat via an axle, the axle configured to rotate to cause the second gear to rotate about an axis to cause the teeth of the second gear to engage with the teeth of the first gear to cause the first gear to actuate the seatback frame between the first position and the at least second position; and
one or more rack-and-pinion assemblies, each rack-and-pinion assembly including a pinion gear and a gear rack, the gear rack configured to couple to a surface of a base assembly of the aircraft seat, the pinion gear configured to engage with the gear rack to cause the seatback frame to translate between a first position and at least a second position;

a seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate a seat pan frame of the seat frame of the aircraft seat between the first position and at least the second position, the seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly comprising:
a spreader including a groove, the groove having an arc-shape; and
a cam-and-follower sub-assembly including a cam and a follower, the cam-and-follower sub-assembly configured to engage with the groove of the spreader and translate along an arc-shaped groove when the seat pan frame actuates between the first position and the at least second position; and

an actuator sub-assembly configured to cause one of the seatback drivetrain sub-assembly or the seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly to actuate one of the seatback frame or the seat pan frame of the aircraft seat between the first position and the at least second position, the actuator sub-assembly comprising an actuator coupled to the seat frame.

2. The seat drivetrain assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first gear includes a sector gear.

3. The seat drivetrain assembly of claim 2 , wherein the exterior surface of the first gear is arc-shaped.

4. The seat drivetrain assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second gear includes a spur gear.

5. The seat drivetrain assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator sub-assembly further comprises:
a ball-and-screw nut assembly including a ball screw and a ball nut.

6. The seat drivetrain assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a leg rest drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate a leg rest frame of the aircraft seat between a first position and at least a second position.

7. The seat drivetrain assembly of claim 6 , wherein the leg rest frame section is coupled to a portion of the seat pan frame via a two-part hinge assembly, the two-part hinge assembly including a first component coupled to the portion of the seat pan frame and a second component coupled to the leg rest frame.

8. The seat drivetrain assembly of claim 6 , wherein the leg rest drivetrain sub-assembly comprises:
a link coupled to a portion of the leg rest frame section and a portion of the first gear.

9. The aircraft seat of claim 1 , wherein the first position includes a taxi, take-off, or landing (TTL) position, the at least the second position including at least one non-TTL position.

10. An aircraft seat comprising:
a base assembly couplable to a floor of an aircraft cabin;
a seat drivetrain assembly configured to actuate the aircraft seat between a first position and at least a second position; and
a seat frame coupled to the base assembly via the seat drivetrain assembly, the seat frame including a seatback frame and a seat pan frame, the seat frame further including a leg rest frame coupled to a portion of the seat pan frame,
the seat drivetrain assembly comprising:
a seatback drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate the seatback frame between a first position and at least a second position, the seatback drivetrain sub-assembly comprising:
a first gear coupled to a portion of the seatback frame, the first gear including teeth along at least a portion of an exterior surface of the first gear;
a second gear including teeth protruding radially from a center of the second gear, the second gear coupled to a portion of the seat frame via an axle, the axle configured to rotate to cause the second gear to rotate about an axis to cause the teeth of the second gear to engage with the teeth of the first gear to cause the first gear to actuate the seatback frame between the first position and the at least second position; and
one or more rack-and-pinion assemblies, each rack-and-pinion assembly including a pinion gear and a gear rack, the gear rack configured to couple to a surface of the base assembly of the aircraft seat, the pinion gear configured to engage with the gear rack to cause the seatback frame to translate between a first position and at least a second position;

a seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate the seat pan frame of the seat frame of the aircraft seat between a first position and at least a second position, the seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly comprising:
a spreader including a groove, the groove having an arc-shape; and
a cam-and-follower sub-assembly including a cam and a follower, the cam-and-follower sub-assembly configured to engage with the groove of the spreader and translate along the arc-shaped groove when the seat pan frame actuates between the first position and the at least second position; and

an actuator sub-assembly configured to cause one of the seatback drivetrain sub-assembly or the seat pan drivetrain sub-assembly to actuate one of the seatback frame or the seat pan frame between the first position and the at least second position, the actuator sub-assembly comprising an actuator coupled to the seat frame.

11. The aircraft seat of claim 10 , wherein the first gear includes a sector gear and the second gear includes a spur gear.

12. The aircraft seat of claim 10 , wherein the actuator sub-assembly further comprises:
a ball-and-screw nut assembly including a ball screw and a ball nut.

13. The aircraft seat of claim 10 , further comprising:
a leg rest drivetrain sub-assembly configured to actuate the leg rest frame between a first position and at least a second position.

14. The aircraft seat of claim 13 , wherein the leg rest drivetrain sub-assembly comprises:
a link coupled to a portion of the leg rest frame and a portion of the first gear.

15. The aircraft seat of claim 10 , wherein the first position includes a taxi, take-off, or landing (TTL) position, the at least the second position including at least one non-TTL position.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Warwick Michael R G
• Davis Lyle T

Classifications

• B64D11/0643

  Adjustable foot or leg rests · CPC title

• B64D11/0641

  Seats convertible into beds · CPC title

• B64D11/064 Primary

  Adjustable inclination or position of seats · CPC title

• B64D11/06395

  characterised by the arrangement of electric motors for adjustment · CPC title