Movable rail assembly for a passenger seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371167-B2
Application number	US-202118274878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2021
Priority date	Feb 10, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A rail assembly includes assembly includes a fixed carriage and a clamping system. The fixed carriage defines a receiving area and a rail at least partially supported within the receiving area. The rail is slidable along an axis relative to the receiving area. The clamping system applies a clamping force on the rail within the receiving area. A movable assembly may be supported on the rail such that the movable assembly is movable along the axis relative to the fixed carriage.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A passenger seat assembly comprising:
a movable assembly comprising a headrest or an in-flight entertainment system; and
a rail assembly for supporting the movable assembly on a seat back, the rail assembly comprising:
a fixed carriage defining a receiving area, the fixed carriage for supporting the rail assembly on the seat back, the receiving area comprising a groove defined in the carriage and an aperture;
a rail at least partially supported within the receiving area and within the groove and the aperture, wherein the rail is slidable along an axis relative to the receiving area along the groove and through the aperture; and
a clamping system configured to apply a clamping force on the rail within the receiving area,
wherein the movable assembly is supported on the rail such that the movable assembly is movable along the axis relative to the fixed carriage.

2. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clamping system comprises:
a clamper at least partially covering the receiving area of the fixed carriage; and
at least one biasing mechanism between the clamper and the fixed carriage and biasing the clamper away from the fixed carriage.

3. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clamping system further comprises:
a clamper at least partially covering the receiving area of the fixed carriage; and
a clamp adjuster connecting the clamper with the fixed carriage, wherein the clamp adjuster is adjustable such that the clamping force is adjustable.

4. The passenger seat assembly of claim 3 , wherein the receiving area is a first receiving area and the rail is a first rail, wherein the fixed carriage comprises a second receiving area, wherein the rail assembly further comprises a second rail partially supported within the second receiving area and slidable along an axis relative to the second receiving area, and wherein the clamper at least partially covers the first rail in the first receiving area and the second rail in the second receiving area.

5. The passenger seat assembly of claim 4 , wherein the clamp adjuster is between the first receiving area and the second receiving area.

6. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rail comprises a reinforcement rail and a sleeve surrounding the reinforcement rail, and wherein the clamping system is configured to engage the sleeve.

7. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rail assembly further comprises stops on opposing ends of the rail.

8. A passenger seat assembly comprising:
a base structure comprising a seat back; and
a rail assembly supported on the seat back, the rail assembly comprising:
a carriage fixed to the seat back and defining a receiving area comprising an aperture and a groove, the aperture defining an axis, and the groove elongated along the axis;
a rail comprising a first end and a second end opposite from the first end, wherein at least a portion of the rail between the first end and the second end is within the receiving area within the groove and extending through the aperture, wherein the rail is movable along the axis of the receiving area such that a position of the first end and the second end along the axis and relative to the carriage is adjustable; and
a clamping system configured to apply a clamping force on the portion of the rail within the receiving area.

9. The passenger seat assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a movable assembly supported by the rail of the rail assembly, wherein the movable assembly comprises at least one of a headrest or an in-flight entertainment system support.

10. The passenger seat assembly of claim 8 , wherein the receiving area is a first receiving area and the rail is a first rail, and wherein the rail assembly further comprises:
a second receiving area defined by the carriage; and
a second rail comprising a first end and a second end opposite from the first end,
wherein at least a portion of the second rail between the first end and the second end is within the second receiving area,
wherein the second rail is movable along an axis of the receiving area such that a position of the first end and the second end along the axis and relative to the carriage is adjustable, and
wherein the clamping system is configured to apply a clamping force on the portion of the second rail within the second receiving area.

11. The passenger seat assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a clamper at least partially covering the first receiving area and the second receiving area; and
a clamp adjuster connecting the clamper with the carriage between the first receiving area and the second receiving area, wherein the clamp adjuster is adjustable such that the clamping force is adjustable.

12. The passenger seat assembly of claim 8 , wherein the clamping system further comprises:
a clamper at least partially covering the receiving area of the carriage;
a biasing member between the clamper and the carriage; and
a clamp adjuster connecting the clamper with the carriage, wherein the clamp adjuster is adjustable such that the clamping force is adjustable.

13. A passenger seat assembly comprising a rail assembly configured to move a movable assembly relative to a seat back, wherein the rail assembly comprises:
a carriage defining a receiving area and for supporting the rail assembly on the seat back, the receiving area comprising an aperture and a groove, the aperture defining an axis, and the groove elongated along the axis;
a rail comprising a first end and a second end opposite from the first end, wherein at least a portion of the rail between the first end and the second end is within the receiving area within the groove and through the aperture, wherein the rail is movable along the axis of the receiving area such that a position of the first end and the second end along the axis and relative to the carriage is adjustable; and
a clamping system configured to apply a clamping force on the portion of the rail within the receiving area, wherein the clamping system comprises:
a clamper at least partially covering the rail in the receiving area and applying the clamping force on the portion of the rail to clamp the portion of the rail with the groove; and
a clamp adjuster connecting the clamper with the carriage, wherein the clamp adjuster is adjustable such that the clamping force is adjustable.

14. The passenger seat assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a base structure and the movable assembly, wherein the carriage is fixed on the base structure, wherein the rail supports the movable assembly such that the movable assembly is movable relative to the base structure, wherein the base structure comprises at least one of a seat diaphragm, a seat shell, or a seat frame, and wherein the movable assembly comprises at least one of a headrest or an in-flight entertainment system support.

15. The passenger seat assembly of claim 13 , wherein the rail assembly further comprises at least one biasing member between the clamper and the carriage that biases the clamper away from the carriage.

16. The passenger seat assembly of claim 13 , wherein the receiving area is a first receiving area and the rail is a first rail, and wherein the rail assembly further comprises:
a second receiving area defined by the carriage; and
a second rail comprising a first end and a second end opposite from the first end,
wherein at least a portion of the second rail between the first end and the second end is within the second receiving area,
wherein the second rail is movable along an axis of the receiving area such tha

Assignees

• Safran Seats Usa Llc

Inventors

• Parker Charles Michael
• Le Foek Nguyen
• Omoragbon Amen

Classifications

• B64D11/00151

  Permanently mounted seat back monitors · CPC title

• B60R2011/0084

  with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position · CPC title

• B60R2011/0017

  Head-rests · CPC title

• B60R11/0235

  of flat type, e.g. LCD · CPC title

• B60N2/821

  with continuous positioning · CPC title