Seat track assembly for use in an air vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11753172-B2
Application number	US-202117380813-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2021
Priority date	Jul 20, 2021
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

A seat track assembly for use in a vehicle. The seat track assembly includes a floor joist including a main body extending in a longitudinal direction, a seat track channel defined in the main body, and at least one support flange extending in a lateral direction from the main body. A raceway is on the at least one support flange, wherein the raceway extends longitudinally along the floor joist, and has an interior sized to receive wiring therein. The seat track assembly also includes a track cover including a top plate. The raceway is positioned between the at least one support flange and the top plate, and the top plate extends past the raceway in the lateral direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat track assembly for use in a vehicle, the seat track assembly comprising:
a floor joist comprising a main body extending in a longitudinal direction, a seat track channel defined in the main body, and at least one support flange extending in a lateral direction from the main body;
a raceway on the at least one support flange, wherein the raceway extends longitudinally along the floor joist, and comprises an interior sized to receive wiring therein; and
a track cover comprising a top plate, wherein the raceway is positioned between the at least one support flange and the top plate, and wherein the top plate extends past the raceway in the lateral direction;
wherein the main body comprises a first retaining lip that defines a top opening in the seat track channel, the track cover comprising a first coupling member oriented for insertion through the top opening to selectively engage the first retaining lip; and
wherein the raceway comprises a second retaining lip that defines a top opening providing access to the interior, the track cover comprising a second coupling member oriented for insertion through the top opening to selectively engage the second retaining lip.

2. The seat track assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one support flange extends past the raceway in the lateral direction, the portion of the at least one support flange adapted to support at least one of a floor panel or a floor covering of the vehicle.

3. The seat track assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the top plate has a flat profile.

4. The seat track assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the raceway and the track cover are formed separately, and are selectively coupleable to and uncoupleable from the floor joist.

5. A vehicle comprising:
a floor joist comprising a main body extending in a longitudinal direction, a seat track channel defined in the main body, and at least one support flange extending in a lateral direction from the main body;
a raceway extending in the longitudinal direction on the at least one support flange, wherein the raceway comprises an interior sized to receive wiring therein;
a flooring, at least a portion of which being adjacent the raceway in the lateral direction, wherein the flooring comprises a floor panel on the at least one support flange, and a floor covering on the floor panel; and
a track cover comprising a top plate, wherein the raceway is positioned between the at least one support flange and the top plate, and wherein the top plate extends, in the lateral direction, past the raceway
wherein the main body comprises a first retaining lip that defines a top opening in the seat track channel, the track cover comprising a first coupling member oriented for insertion through the top opening to selectively engage the first retaining lip; and
wherein the raceway comprises a second retaining lip that defines a top opening providing access to the interior, the track cover comprising a second coupling member oriented for insertion through the top opening to selectively engage the second retaining lip.

6. The vehicle in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the track cover extends over the floor covering to facilitate providing a substantially flush surface across the flooring.

7. The vehicle in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the floor covering extends over and covers the top plate of the track cover.

8. The vehicle in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the track cover comprises a coupling member oriented to selectively engage at least one of the floor joist or the raceway.

9. The vehicle in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the raceway comprises a main section defining the interior, and a lip section extending in the lateral direction from the main section, wherein the floor panel is positioned between the at least one support flange and the lip section.

10. The vehicle in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the raceway and the track cover are formed separately, and are selectively coupleable to and uncoupleable from the floor joist.

11. An aircraft comprising:
a floor joist comprising a main body extending in a longitudinal direction, a seat track channel defined in the main body, and at least two support flanges extending in a lateral direction from the main body;
a first row of seats and a second row of seats each coupled to the floor joist within the seat track channel, the first row and the second row spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction;
raceways extending in the longitudinal direction on the at least one support flange, wherein each raceway comprises an interior sized to receive wiring therein;
a flooring, at least a portion of which being adjacent the raceway in the lateral direction, wherein the flooring comprises a floor panel on the at least one support flange, and a floor covering on the floor panel; and
a track cover comprising a top plate, wherein each raceway is positioned between the at least one support flange and the top plate, and wherein the top plate extends, in the lateral direction, past each raceway and onto the floor covering to cover each raceway.

12. The aircraft in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the track cover having a length that extends in the longitudinal direction between the first row and the second row of seats over the seat track channel.

13. The aircraft in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the track cover extends in the lateral direction to facilitate providing a substantially flush surface across the interior of the raceway.

14. The aircraft in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the track cover comprises a coupling member oriented to selectively engage at least one of the floor joist or the raceway.

15. The aircraft in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the top plate comprises a top surface having a flat profile.

16. The aircraft in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the raceway and the track cover are formed separately, and are selectively coupleable to and uncoupleable from the floor joist.

17. The seat track assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the track cover comprises a coupling member oriented to selectively engage at least one of the floor joist or the raceway.

18. The seat track assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the raceway comprises a main section defining the interior, and a lip section extending in the lateral direction from the main section.

19. The seat track assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the track cover extends in the lateral direction to facilitate providing a substantially flush surface across the interior of the raceway.

20. The seat track assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the top plate comprises a top surface having a flat profile.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Matsuoka Alexander J
• Reyes Mario A
• Frick Michael-Lee Edward
• Kreiger Colin
• Grether Martin

Classifications

• B64C1/20 Primary

  specially adapted for freight · CPC title

• B64D11/0696 Primary

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

• H02G3/383

  in floors · CPC title

• H02G3/0431

  Wall trunking · CPC title

• B60N2/01558

  with key and slot · CPC title