Consolidated seat back breakover mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018237142-A1
Application number	US-201615756951-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2016
Priority date	Sep 11, 2015
Publication date	Aug 23, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described is a breakover mechanism for a passenger seat that includes a frame member with a rear portion attached to two opposing sides of a seat back of the passenger seat wherein the frame member is at least partially disposed under a seat pan of the passenger seat, at least one moving portion attached to a forward portion of the frame member, a carriage portion fixedly attached to the seat pan; and a single point mechanism attached to the carriage portion. Once a threshold loading condition occurs, the single point mechanism changes states to facilitate movement of the moving portion relative to the carriage portion.

First claim

1 . A breakover mechanism for a passenger seat comprising:
a frame member with a rear portion attached to two opposing sides of a seat back of the passenger seat wherein the frame member is at least partially disposed under a seat pan of the passenger seat, the frame member comprising a clevis fitting; at least one moving portion attached to a forward portion of the frame member, the at least one moving portion comprising a lug fitting; a carriage portion fixedly attached to the seat pan; and a single point mechanism attached to the carriage portion wherein, once a threshold loading condition occurs, the single point mechanism changes states to facilitate movement of the moving portion relative to the carriage portion, wherein the lug fitting of the at least one moving portion engages the clevis fitting of the frame member.

2 . The breakover mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the threshold loading condition comprises a crash condition.

3 . The breakover mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the single point mechanism comprises a tension pin.

4 . The breakover mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the tension pin comprises a first end attached to the carriage portion and a second end attached to the at least one moving portion.

5 . The breakover mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the tension pin comprises a notch and the tension pin changes states when the tension pin fails under a tensile load.

6 . The breakover mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the at least one moving portion slides in a fore/aft direction of the passenger seat relative to the carriage portion.

7 . The breakover mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the carriage portion comprises protrusions that engage corresponding channels of the at least one moving portion such that the protrusions slide through the channels in the fore/after direction.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The breakover mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the lug fitting comprises a spherical bearing for engaging a pin attached to the clevis fitting.

10 . The breakover mechanism of claim 1 , wherein an engagement between the lug fitting and the clevis fitting comprises a first primary fastener and a second failsafe fastener.

11 . The breakover mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the single point mechanism comprises an inertia weight assembly.

12 . The breakover mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the inertia weight assembly comprises a pivoting arm, a weight disposed at a first end of the pivoting arm, a roller at a second end of the pivoting arm, and a pivot point disposed between the first end and the second end.

13 . The breakover mechanism of claim 12 , wherein the inertia weight assembly changes states when the weight moves forward due to the threshold loading condition and causing the pivoting arm to rotate about the pivot point.

14 . The breakover mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the at least one moving portion comprises two pivot arms that each rotate about a vertical axis of the passenger seat relative to the carriage portion.

15 . The breakover mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the at least one moving portion comprises two pivot arms that each comprise a rear slot that interfaces with the frame member.

16 . A passenger seat comprising:
a seat back comprising an upper portion and a lower portion; a seat pan; and a breakover mechanism configured to facilitate rotation of the seat back, wherein the breakover mechanism comprises:
a frame member with a rear portion attached to two opposing sides of the lower portion of the seat back wherein the frame member is at least partially disposed under the seat pan;
a slide rail attached to a forward portion of the frame member;
a slide carriage fixedly attached to the seat pan; and
a tension pin attached to a rear side of the slide carriage wherein, once a threshold loading condition occurs, the tension pin changes states to facilitate movement of the slide rail relative to the slide carriage.

17 . The passenger seat of claim 16 , wherein the tension pin comprises a first end attached to the slide carriage and a second end attached to the slide rail.

18 . The passenger seat of claim 16 , wherein the tension pin comprises a notch and the tension pin changes states when the tension pin fails under a tensile load.

19 . A passenger seat comprising:
a seat back comprising an upper portion and a lower portion; a seat pan; and a breakover mechanism configured to facilitate rotation of the seat back, wherein the breakover mechanism comprises:
a frame member with a rear portion attached to two opposing sides of the lower portion of the seat back wherein the frame member is at least partially disposed under the seat pan;
two pivot arms that are each attached to a forward portion of the frame member;
a carriage frame fixedly attached to the seat pan; and
an inertia weight assembly attached to the carriage frame wherein, once a threshold loading condition occurs, the inertia weight assembly changes states to facilitate movement of the two pivot arms relative to the carriage frame.

20 . The passenger seat of claim 19 , wherein the inertia weight assembly comprises a pivoting arm, a weight disposed at a first end of the pivoting arm, a roller at a second end of the pivoting arm, and a pivot point disposed between the first end and the second end.

21 . The passenger seat of claim 20 , wherein the inertia weight assembly changes states when the weight moves forward due to the threshold loading condition and causing the pivoting arm to rotate about the pivot point.

22 . The passenger seat of claim 19 , wherein:
the breakover mechanism comprises a first link and a second link; and the breakover mechanism comprises a retracted configuration where the first and second links are parallel with one another.

23 . The passenger seat of claim 22 , wherein the inertia weight assembly presses a hinge between the first and second links to move the breakover mechanism from the retracted configuration to a deployed configuration where the first and second links are nonparallel with one another.

Assignees

• Zodiac Seats Us Llc

Inventors

• Malligere Girish J
• Madrid Nahum
• Murray Michael T
• Willey Michael

Classifications

• B60N2/42781

  mechanical triggering · 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

• B60N2/42772

  characterised by the triggering system · CPC title

• B64D11/0619 Primary

  with energy absorbing means specially adapted for mitigating impact loads for passenger seats, e.g. at a crash · CPC title

• B60N2/4221

  due to impact coming from the front · CPC title