Passenger seat track fitting systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938846-B2
Application number	US-201817279837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2018
Priority date	Sep 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A system for securing a passenger seat to a track can include a fitting coupled with or forming a portion of the passenger seat; a shear plunger coupled with the fitting including a shear plunger body defining a shear plunger locking surface; a guide pin assembly that may include a guide pin movable along a lift axis between a retracted state and an extended state and a locking member extending laterally from the guide pin that may travel in response to a movement of the guide pin from the retracted state to the extended state and may engage the shear plunger locking surface in response to a rotation of the guide pin in the extended state; and a quick install tool operable to raise and twist the guide pin assembly such that the locking member is held in tension against the shear plunger locking surface.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A system for securing a passenger seat to a track, the system comprising:
a fitting coupled with or forming a portion of the passenger seat, the fitting comprising a fitting body defining a fitting opening;
a shear plunger coupled with the fitting, the shear plunger comprising a shear plunger body defining a shear plunger opening and a shear plunger locking surface adjacent at least a portion of the shear plunger opening; and
a guide pin assembly comprising:
a guide pin received at least partially in the fitting opening and movable along a lift axis between a retracted state and an extended state; wherein the guide pin comprises a notch located at or adjacent a proximal segment of the guide pin; and
a locking member extending laterally from the guide pin and sized for traveling through at least the portion of the shear plunger opening in response to a movement of the guide pin from the retracted state to the extended state, wherein the locking member engages the shear plunger locking surface in response to a rotation of the guide pin in the extended state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fitting comprises at least one stud extending from a lower portion of the fitting and configured to contact a lower surface of the track in response to the movement of the guide pin from the retracted state to the extended state to clamp the shear plunger and the fitting to the track.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the guide pin assembly further comprises a biasing member biasing the guide pin toward the retracted state.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fitting opening and the shear plunger opening align as a result of a pivoting of the shear plunger body relative to the fitting body to permit the guide pin to extend at least partially through both the fitting opening and the shear plunger opening in the extended state and in the retracted state.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the guide pin comprises a locking member opening in which the locking member is received.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the guide pin comprises a flared portion at or adjacent a distal segment of the guide pin and a retaining section located between the notch and the flared portion, wherein the retaining section comprises a portion of the guide pin with a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the guide pin adjacent to the retaining section and the guide pin assembly further comprises a retaining member coupled with the retaining section.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a quick install tool operable to raise and twist the guide pin assembly such that the locking member is held in tension against the shear plunger locking surface.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the quick install tool comprises:
a body defining at least one slot; and
a handle positioned to at least partially surround the body and comprising an engaging member sized to engage the notch of the guide pin;
wherein the slot is sized to permit at least one of the engaging member or the locking member to translate along a longitudinal distance of the slot.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the quick install tool comprises:
a handle;
a cam profile;
a cross bar sized to engage the notch of the guide pin; and
a holding member spaced apart from the cross bar to define a space for receiving the guide pin.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the quick install tool is removably attached to the guide pin by placing the holding member around the guide pin and inserting the cross bar into the notch in the guide pin.

Assignees

• Safran Seats Usa Llc

Inventors

• Parker Charles Michael
• Tranier Romain
• Mansouri Reza

Classifications

• B60N2/0806 Primary

  with pin alignment systems, e.g. with at least one of a plurality of locking pins always aligned w.r.t. at least one of a plurality of pin-receiving elements · CPC title

• B64D11/0696 Primary

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