Passenger seat arrest mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084187-B2
Application number	US-202017921612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2020
Priority date	Apr 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

Described are devices and methods for arresting forward motion of a passenger seat back in a controlled manner using an energy absorbing element connected between structural elements of a pivotally-attached passenger seat back. The energy absorbing element includes an interference element and an energy absorbing element that are operably connected with each other so that, in an upright configuration, the combination of the energy absorbing element and the interference element resists movement of the passenger seat back with respect to the first structural element of the passenger seat back, and in transition to a folded-forward configuration, the interference element deforms the energy absorbing element to slow forward movement of the passenger seat back.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An arrest mechanism for a passenger seat back, comprising:
an energy absorbing element connected to a first structural element of a passenger seat back;
an interference element connected to a second structural element of the passenger seat back; wherein the energy absorbing element and the interference element are operably connected with each other such that:
in a first configuration corresponding to an upright passenger seat back, the energy absorbing element resists movement of the interference element, and a combination of the energy absorbing element and the interference element resists relative movement of the second structural element of the passenger seat back with respect to the first structural element of the passenger seat back; and
during transition from the first configuration to a second configuration corresponding to a forward-folded passenger seat back, the interference element deforms the energy absorbing element to slow relative movement of the second structural element of the passenger seat back with respect to the first structural element of the passenger seat back, wherein the energy absorbing element comprises a deformable coil, the interference element positioned to cause the deformable coil to unwind in response to transitioning from the first configuration to the second configuration, the deformable coil comprising a constant force spring that is configured to exert a consistent counterforce in response to the deformable coil being unwound.

2. The arrest mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the deformable coil is configured to plastically deform in unwinding in response to transitioning from the first configuration to the second configuration.

3. A passenger seat, comprising:
a seat frame configured to connect with a passenger compartment;
a first structural element of a passenger seat back connected with the seat frame;
a second structural element of the passenger seat back rotatably connected with the first structural element such that the passenger seat back can rotate forward relative to the seat frame; and
an arrest mechanism, comprising:
an energy absorbing element connected to one of the first structural element or the second structural element;
an interference element connected to the other one of the first structural element or the second structural element; wherein the energy absorbing element and the interference element are operably connected with each other such that:
in a first configuration corresponding to the passenger seat back being upright, the energy absorbing element resists movement of the interference element, and a combination of the energy absorbing element and the interference element resists relative movement of the second structural element of the passenger seat back with respect to the first structural element of the passenger seat back; and
during transition to a second configuration corresponding to the passenger seat back being folded forward, the interference element deforms the energy absorbing element to slow relative movement of the second structural element of the passenger seat back with respect to the first structural element of the passenger seat back, wherein the energy absorbing element comprises a deformable coil, the interference element positioned to cause the deformable coil to unwind in response to transitioning from the first configuration to the second configuration, the deformable coil comprising a constant force spring that is configured to exert a consistent counterforce in response to the deformable coil being unwound.

4. The passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein the deformable coil is configured to plastically deform in unwinding in response to transitioning from the first configuration to the second configuration.

5. The passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein the passenger seat further comprises a shoulder harness configured to restrain a passenger.

6. The passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein the interaction of the interference element and energy absorbing element exerts a counterforce of at least 17.8 kN against the second structural element during transition from the first configuration to the second configuration.

7. The passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein a counterforce exerted against the second structural element during transition from the first configuration to the second configuration by the interaction of the interference element and energy absorbing element is consistent to within a range of 17.8 kN to 18.9 kN across an entire range of motion of the second structural element.

8. The passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein the energy absorbing element is mounted to the first structural element and the interference element is mounted to the second structural element.

9. The passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein the energy absorbing element is mounted to the second structural element and the interference element is mounted to the first structural element.

10. The passenger seat of claim 3 , wherein the energy absorbing element does not resist a second transition of the arrest mechanism from the second configuration to the first configuration after the energy absorbing element has been deformed by interaction with the interference element.

11. A method of arresting passenger seat back movement, comprising:
with an arrest mechanism connected with a first structural element of a passenger seat back and connected with a second structural element of the passenger seat back that is rotatably connected with the first structural element, the arrest mechanism comprising an energy absorbing element connected to one of the first structural element or the second structural element and an interference element connected to the other one of the first structural element or the second structural element,
in a first configuration corresponding to the passenger seat back being upright, resisting relative movement of the second structural element of the passenger seat back with respect to the first structural element of the passenger seat back via the energy absorbing element resisting initial deformation by the interference element; and
during transition to a second configuration corresponding to the passenger seat back being folded forward, resisting relative movement of the second structural element with respect to the first structural element in response to a force exerted on the second structural element causing the second structural element to pivot with respect to the first structural element thereby causing the interference element to deform the energy absorbing element, wherein the energy absorbing element comprises a deformable coil that comprises a constant force spring that exerts a consistent counterforce in response to the deformable coil being unwound, the method further comprising:
resisting movement of the second structural element by the deformable coil unwinding in response to force exerted by the interference element on the deformable coil.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the deformable coil is configured to plastically deform in unwinding in response to transitioning from the first configuration to the second configuration.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the passenger seat further comprises a shoulder restraint connected with the second structural element, the method further comprising:
in response to a deceleration event, slowing forward movement of a passenger seated in the passenger seat by restraining the passenger via the shoulder restraint while resisting movement of the second structural element via the arrest mechanism.

Assignees

• Safran Seats Usa Llc

Inventors

• Bentley Paul R
• Kinard Marc W

Classifications

• B64D11/062

  Belts or other passenger restraint means for passenger seats · CPC title

• B60N2/42709

  involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure · CPC title

• B60N2/4221

  due to impact coming from the front · CPC title

• B60N2/688

  Particular seat belt attachment and guiding · CPC title

• B60N2/42745

  of the back-rest (B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888) · CPC title