Passenger seat canopy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945589-B2
Application number	US-201916713563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2019
Priority date	Jul 14, 2019
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A canopy is configured to be mounted to a passenger seat of a passenger transport vehicle, in particular an aircraft. The canopy is foldable between a retracted storage configuration and an extended operational configuration. In the operational configuration, the canopy forms a hood establishing a passenger's personal space below the canopy. The canopy comprises at least one functional device which is configured for modifying a physical characteristics of the personal space. The at least one functional device in particular includes at least one of a lighting device configured for lighting the personal space and a venting device configured for venting the personal space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A canopy configured to be mounted to a passenger seat of a passenger transport vehicle the canopy being foldable between a retracted storage configuration and an extended operational configuration;
wherein the canopy, in the operational configuration, forms a hood establishing a passenger's personal space below the canopy; and
wherein the canopy comprises:
a foldable upper sheet and a foldable lower sheet defining an internal space in between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration, wherein the foldable lower sheet is at least partly transparent or translucent and wherein the foldable upper sheet is substantially opaque; and
at least one functional device which is configured for modifying a physical characteristics of the personal space, wherein the at least one functional device includes:
a lighting device configured for lighting the personal space by emitting light into the internal space formed between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration.

2. The canopy according to claim 1 , wherein, when the canopy is mounted to a passenger seat and is in its operational configuration, the upper and lower sheets are arranged closer to each other at a front end of the canopy, facing away from the passenger seat, than at a rear end of the canopy next to the passenger seat, wherein the upper and lower sheets are spaced apart less than 2.5 cm from each other at the front end of the canopy and wherein the upper and lower sheets are spaced apart more than 10 cm from each other at the rear end of the canopy.

3. The canopy according to claim 1 , wherein the canopy comprises a plurality of support bars supporting the foldable upper sheet and the foldable lower sheet.

4. The canopy according to claim 3 , wherein the support bars are attached to at least one hinge, which is configured for pivotably supporting the support bars at a passenger seat in a configuration which allows the canopy to change its configuration between the storage configuration and the operational configuration.

5. The canopy according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one functional device further includes a venting device configured for blowing air into the internal space formed between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration, wherein the venting device in particular comprises at least one air input port configured for receiving air to be blown into the personal space.

6. The canopy according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting device includes at least one light source configured for emitting light into the internal space.

7. The canopy according to claim 6 , wherein the lighting device comprises a plurality of light sources, wherein the lighting device in particular is configured such that different portions of the internal space or of the personal space are illuminated by different light sources.

8. The canopy according to claim 7 , wherein the lighting device comprises a plurality of light sources configured for emitting light of different colors, wherein the lighting device in particular comprises at least three independently controllable, in particular dimmable, light sources emitting light of different colors, such as independently controllable light sources emitting red, green, and blue light, respectively.

9. A passenger seat comprising:
a seat back; and
a canopy according to claim 1 , mounted to the seat back;
wherein the lighting device of the canopy comprises at least one light source, configured for emitting light into the internal space between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration, and wherein the at least one light source of the canopy is arranged next to or mounted to the passenger seat.

10. An aircraft comprising:
at least one passenger seat, the passenger seat comprising:
a seat back;
a canopy according to claim 1 , mounted to the seat back;
wherein the lighting device of the canopy comprises at least one light source, configured for emitting light into the internal space between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration, and wherein the at least one light source of the canopy is arranged next to or mounted to the passenger seat.

11. The canopy according to claim 1 , wherein the canopy comprises a plurality of support bars supporting the foldable upper sheet and the foldable lower sheet.

12. A canopy configured to be mounted to a passenger seat of a passenger transport vehicle the canopy being foldable between a retracted storage configuration and an extended operational configuration;
wherein the canopy, in the operational configuration, forms a hood establishing a passenger's personal space below the canopy; and
wherein the canopy comprises:
a foldable upper sheet and a foldable lower sheet defining an internal space in between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration; and
at least one functional device which is configured for modifying a physical characteristics of the personal space, wherein the at least one functional device includes
a venting device configured for venting the personal space by blowing air into the internal space formed between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration; and
wherein the foldable lower sheet is at least partly air-permeable and wherein the foldable upper sheet is substantially air-impermeable.

13. The canopy according to claim 12 , wherein, when the canopy is mounted to a passenger seat and is in its operational configuration, the upper and lower sheets are arranged closer to each other at a front end of the canopy, facing away from the passenger seat, than at a rear end of the canopy next to the passenger seat, wherein the upper and lower sheets are spaced apart less than 2.5 cm from each other at the front end of the canopy and wherein the upper and lower sheets are spaced apart more than 10 cm from each other at the rear end of the canopy.

14. The canopy according to claim 12 , wherein the venting device comprises at least one air input port configured for receiving air to be blown into the internal space formed between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration.

15. The canopy according to claim 12 , wherein the venting device comprises at least one air baffle or nozzle configured for directing the air into the internal space formed between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration.

16. The canopy according to claim 12 , wherein the venting device comprises a fan configured for blowing the air into the internal space formed between the two sheets when the canopy is in its operational configuration.

17. A passenger seat comprising:
a seat back;
a canopy according to claim 12 , mounted to the seat back; and
at least one air duct configured for supplying air to the canopy.

18. An aircraft comprising:
at least one passenger seat, the passenger seat comprising:
a seat back;
a canopy according to claim 12 , mounted to the seat back; and
at least one air duct configured for supplying air to the canopy.

Assignees

• Goodrich Lighting Systems Gmbh

Inventors

• Klaus Martin
• Hessling-Von Heimendahl Andre
• Schulten Robert

Classifications

• B64D11/0606 Primary

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

• B64D11/0626

  with individual temperature or ventilation control · CPC title

• B64D2011/0053

  Cabin passenger reading lights · CPC title

• B60Q3/233

  Seats; Arm rests; Head rests · CPC title

• B60Q3/44

  Spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps · CPC title