Vehicle seating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11691737-B2
Application number	US-202117324975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2021
Priority date	Nov 20, 2018
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle seat including: a seat back; a seat pan; and one or more side support elements is disclosed. Each side support element is moveable with respect to the seat back between: a stowed configuration, in which the side support element is stowed flush with, or is stowed within or behind the seat back; and a deployed configuration, in which the side support element extends outwardly from the seat back, generally in the same direction that the seat back faces, so as to offer support to the side of a vehicle user sitting in the vehicle seat. A row of two or more such vehicles seats is also disclosed, in which all of the seats of the row face in the same direction, and adjacent seats within the row are connected to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle seat comprising:
a seat back, which comprises a backing structure and a cushion, the cushion being mounted on said backing structure;
a seat pan; and
one or more side support elements, each side support element being hingeably coupled to the seat back and moveable manually with respect to the seat back between:
a stowed configuration, in which the side support element is stowed within the seat back, between said cushion and said backing structure; and
a deployed configuration, in which the side support element extends outwardly from the seat back, generally in the same direction that the seat back faces, so as to offer support to the side of a vehicle user sitting in the vehicle seat.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the seat back is elongate in a length direction, each side support element being hingeably coupled to the seat back so as to be articulated about a respective hinge axis that is generally parallel to said length direction.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein, to move from said stowed configuration to said deployed configuration, each side support element folds out from the seat back.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein each side support element has a supporting face, which offers support to the side of a user sitting in the vehicle seat, when the side support element in question is in the deployed configuration,
wherein the seat back has a supporting face, which offers support to the back of a user sitting in the vehicle seat;
wherein the supporting face of a given side support element is directed generally orthogonally of the supporting face of the seat back, when the given side support element is in the deployed configuration, and is directed generally parallel to the supporting face of the seat back, when the given side support element is in the stowed configuration.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the cushion comprises:
a cushion central portion, which is attached to said backing structure; and
a respective cushion side portion for each side support element, each cushion side portion being free of the backing structure, so that the cushion side portion in question can be moved away from the backing structure, thereby assisting the user in accessing the corresponding side support element.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 5 , wherein each cushion side portion is hingeably joined to said cushion central portion.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein each side support element is hingeably coupled to the cushion along a respective side edge thereof.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7 , wherein each side support element is joined to the cushion by a respective living hinge.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein each side support element is integrally joined to the cushion.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein each side support element is hingeably coupled to said backing structure.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , wherein the seat back is elongate in a length direction and extends from the seat pan in said length direction; and
wherein each side support element is elongate and extends at least the majority of the extent of the seat back in said length direction.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one arm rest;
wherein each side support element, when in the deployed configuration, abuts and is supported by a corresponding one of the arm rests.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , comprising at least one arm rest, each of which is elongate, having a length in a length direction, wherein the extent of each side support element in said length direction, when in the deployed configuration, is greater than one quarter, and preferably greater than one third, of the length of the corresponding arm rest.

14. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 , configured as an aircraft passenger seat.

15. A row of two or more of the vehicle seats according to claim 1 , all of said seats facing in the same direction, adjacent seats within the row being connected to each other.

16. The row of seats according to claim 15 , further comprising a seat base, to which said seats are attached,
wherein said seat base comprises one or more connectors, which are configured to engage with corresponding features on a floor of a vehicle, so as to enable the row to be installed within the vehicle.

17. The row of vehicle seats according to claim 15 , wherein neighboring seats are separated by at least one of the side support elements when in the deployed configuration.

18. The row of seats according to claim 15 , further comprising one or more armrests, neighboring seats within the row having one of said armrests disposed between them.

Assignees

• Universal Movement Ltd
• Safran Seats

Inventors

• Miles Luke
• Jamson Hugo Benedict
• Fan Cheuk Wah Vincent

Classifications

• B64D11/0639

  with features for adjustment or converting of seats · CPC title

• B64D11/0606 Primary

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

• B60N2/99 Primary

  adjustable · CPC title

• B60N2/986 Primary

  Side-rests (B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence) · CPC title

• B64D11/0647

  Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features · CPC title