Modular seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713124-B2
Application number	US-202017001872-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2020
Priority date	Sep 5, 2017
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed is a modular seat for aircraft. The system has a frame that is able to be interconnected with other frames laterally. Since each lateral frame has the same pivot points (when viewed from the side), the linked seats rotate together. The seats also include buckle lugs which enable a particular seat to be used on either side of the aircraft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft chair system comprising:
a first seat frame having (i) a stationary base configured to be securable to an aircraft floor, (ii) a seat portion supported by the stationary base, and (iii) a back portion linked to the seat portion;
the seat portion being translatable forward and the back portion being rotated down to form a bed resting surface;
an upper portion of the seat back having an upper pair of laterally opposed seat-back beams interconnected by at least one transversely-extending member;
a lower portion of the seat back including a lower pair of laterally opposed seat-back beams interconnected by at least one other transversely-extending member, a lower portion of each of the lower beams being pivotally connected to a rear portion of the translatable seat portion;
a first pair of laterally opposed arms together presenting: (i) a first pivot point at a back upper fixed point on the stationary base; (ii) a second pivot point near a middle area of each lower beam; and (iii) a third pivot point at a lower portion of the upper beams; and
a second pair of laterally opposed arms creating a lower pivot point at an upper portion of each of the lower beam members, and an upper pivot point on the upper beam at a location above the third pivot point created by the first pair of laterally opposed arms.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising:
a second seat frame configured to be linked to and rotate with the first seat frame.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the second frame includes a plurality of pivot points each axially aligned with the first, second, and third pivot points established by the first pair of laterally opposed arms as well as the lower and upper pivot points presented by the second pair of laterally opposed arms.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the second frame has a second frame seat and second frame back which are both configured for coplanar rotation along with the first frame seat and first frame back, respectively.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first frame seat is made to be linkable with the second frame seat such that both frames move together.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first frame is made to be linkable to a substantially identical second frame via a single transverse linking mechanism.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the single transverse linking mechanism is secured across a front of each of the seat portion of the first seat and a front of a seat member on the substantially identical second frame.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the seat portion of the first frame includes a release system comprising:
a handle mechanically connected to a pin, actuation of the handle resulting in the pin being unseated from an aperture created in the seat base enabling a forward translation of the seat portion.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first seat frame has a glide-guiding arrangement comprising front and rear glide tracks created between the seat portion and frame respectively, the glide-guiding arrangement terminating forward movement of the first and second seat portions using one of a forward track end and a rear track end.

10. A chair system for aircraft, the system comprising:
a plurality of modular seats, the plurality including one seat frame configured to link to another adjacent seat frame, the one and another seat frames moving together between a first mode and a second mode;
the first mode presenting both frames to support an upright seating mode;
the second mode establishing a substantially horizontal upper surface for supporting a bed;
each of the plurality of seats including seat platform and seat back portions;
each of the seat platform portions being configured to translate forward in transitioning from the first mode to the second mode;
each of the seat back portions comprising an upper beam and a lower beam, the upper beam, during a transition from a first mode to a second mode, translating forward while rotating backward; and
the lower beam being concealed when the system is in the second mode.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the seat portions of the one and another frames translate forward to allow the seat back to collapse and to be substantially in a same plane as the seat portion.

12. A seat system for aircraft, the system comprising:
a stationary seat base configured to be attached on an aircraft fuselage floor, the seat base including lateral supporting frame members on each side of the stationary seat base;
a forwardly-translatable seat frame portion configured to support a seat cushion;
collapsible upper and lower seat back frame portions, the upper seat back frame portion configured to support a back cushion; and
lug sets on an upper back edge of the stationary seat base, the lug sets enabling seat belts to extend through between the seat and back cushions when the seat is in a seating mode, and then concealed underneath the cushions between the lateral supporting members of the seat base when the seat is in a bed mode.

Assignees

• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Ward Barry John

Classifications

• B64D11/0641 Primary

  Seats convertible into beds · CPC title

• A47C1/124

  Separate chairs, connectible together into a row · CPC title

• A47C11/005

  having multiple separate seats · CPC title

• A47C17/16

  {Seating furniture} changeable to beds by tilting or pivoting the back-rest · CPC title

• A47C17/34

  Joining seats, chairs, or couches to form beds · CPC title