Passenger seat having a displaceable seat element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018305024-A1
Application number	US-201816017120-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 25, 2018
Priority date	Dec 23, 2015
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A passenger seat comprises a carrier structure, a backrest and a seat element displaceably fastened to the carrier structure, relative to the backrest, in a depth direction of a seating surface of the seat element between a usable position and an out-of-use position. In the usable position, the seat element is arranged, relative to the backrest, so that a front edge of the seat element that faces away from the backrest is arranged at a first distance from a backrest surface of the backrest. In the out-of-use position, the seat element is received, at least partially, in a gap provided between a part of the carrier structure carrying the seat element and an edge of the backrest facing towards the seat element, the front edge of the seat element being arranged at a second, smaller distance from the backrest surface of the backrest than the first distance.

First claim

1 . A passenger seat comprising:
a carrier structure; a backrest; and a seat element fastened to the carrier structure so as to be displaceable, relative to the backrest, in a direction of depth of a seating surface of the seat element between a usable position and an out-of-use position, wherein, in a usable position, said seat element is arranged in such a way, relative to the backrest, that a front edge of said seat element that faces away from the backrest is arranged at a first distance from a backrest surface of said backrest, and wherein, in an out-of-use position, said seat element is received, at least partially, in a gap provided between a part of the carrier structure that carries said seat element and an edge of the backrest that faces towards said seat element, so that the front edge of the seat element is arranged at a second distance from the backrest surface of the backrest that is smaller than the first distance.

2 . The passenger seat according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
wherein the seat element protrudes, in its out-of-use position, into the gap provided between that part of the carrier structure which carries the seat element and that edge of the backrest which faces towards said seat element, and fills up said gap, so that a rear edge of the seat element that faces towards the backrest when said seat element is in its usable position is arranged at a third distance from a rear side of the backrest, or wherein the gap provided between that part of the carrier structure which carries the seat element and that edge of the backrest which faces towards said seat element is closed by a cover attached in an area of a rear side of the backrest.

3 . The passenger seat according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
wherein a front edge, which faces away from the backrest, of that part of the carrier structure which carries the seat element is in alignment with the front edge of said seat element when said seat element is in its out-of-use position, or wherein said seat element comprises a carrier plate comprising a rigid material, and also a seat pad positioned on said carrier plate, wherein said carrier plate is preferably provided with an opening in an area of the gap provided between that part of the carrier structure which carries the seat element and that edge of the backrest which faces towards said seat element.

4 . The passenger seat according to claim 3 , further comprising at least one of:
wherein the carrier plate comprises a first section and a second section displaceable relative to said first section, or wherein the seat pad is compressible or foldable, in an area that faces towards the backrest.

5 . The passenger seat according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a displacing mechanism configured to displace the seat element relative to the backrest between its usable position and its out-of-use position; a delaying mechanism configured to delay a displacing movement of the seat element between its usable position and its out-of-use position; or a damping mechanism configured to dampen the displacing movement of the seat element between its usable position and its out-of-use position, and wherein said damping mechanism comprises at least one of a compressible area of a seat pad belonging to the seat element or at least one oil-pressure damper.

6 . The passenger seat according to claim 5 , wherein
the displacing mechanism comprises a spring arrangement which biases the seat element into its out-of-use position, the spring arrangement including at least one spring which extends substantially parallel to a direction of depth of the seating surface of the seat element, a first end of the spring is fastened to the carrier structure, and a second end of the spring is fastened to said seat element.

7 . The passenger seat according to claim 6 , wherein
the first end of the spring is fastened to the part of the carrier structure which carries the seat element in an area adjacent to the backrest, and the second end of the spring is fastened to a holding element attached to the seat element in an area of an underside of said seat element that faces away from the backrest.

8 . The passenger seat according to claim 6 , wherein
the first end of the spring is fastened the carrier structure in an area that faces a back edge of the seat element, and the second end of the spring is fastened to a fastening face which extends substantially parallel to the back edge of the seat element.

9 . The passenger seat according to claim 5 , wherein
the displacing mechanism comprises a guide apparatus for guiding the seat element upon being displaced between its usable position and its out-of-use position, said guide apparatus comprises a guide element of bar-shaped construction and fastened to the seat element and received in a guide rail attached to that part of the carrier structure which carries said seat element.

10 . The passenger seat according to claim 5 , wherein the displacing mechanism comprises a parallelogram mechanism including:
a first aim that, in a region of its first end, is pivotably connected to a part of the carrier structure which carries the seat element and, in a region of its second end, is pivotably connected to the seat element, and a second arm that extends substantially parallel to the first arm and, in a region of its first end, is pivotably connected to the part of the carrier structure which carries the seat element and, in a region of its second end, is pivotably connected to the seat element.

11 . The passenger seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the seat element in its usable position, and further comprising at least one of
wherein said locking mechanism is configured to allow a displacement of the seat element from its out-of-use position into its usable position, but to prevent a displacement of the seat element from its usable position into its out-of-use position when a force applied to the seat element by a user of the passenger seat is acting upon said seat element, or wherein said locking mechanism is configured to unlock itself automatically when no force applied to the seat element by a user of the passenger seat is acting upon said seat element.

12 . The passenger seat according to claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one of:
a pneumatic cylinder coupled to the seat element, a valve and an actuator, wherein the valve, in an open state, allows an exchange of air between the pneumatic cylinder and an ambient atmosphere such that the seat element is displaceable between its out-of-use position and its usable position, and, by means of the actuator, is movable into a closed state in which the valve prevents an exchange of air between the pneumatic cylinder and an ambient atmosphere such that the seat element is prevented from being displaced from its usable position into its out-of-use position, and wherein the actuator is configured to be moved into an actuated state in which it moves the valve into its closed state when a force applied to the seat element by a user of the passenger seat is acting upon said seat element, the actuator in particular being biased into a non-actuated state; or a tooth rack, a latching element and an actuator, wherein the latching element, in a disengaged position, does not engage with the tooth rack such that the seat element is displaceable between its out-of-use position and its usable position, and, by means of the actuator, is movable into an engaged position in which the latching element engages with the tooth rack such that the seat element is pre

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Blanck Andreas
• Cordes Frank
• Jaffrelot Jean-Baptiste
• Nehl Jan Uwe
• Boerjesson Marcus

Classifications

• B64D11/0647

  Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features · CPC title

• B64D11/0639 Primary

  with features for adjustment or converting of seats · CPC title

• B64D11/0646

  Seats characterised by special features of stationary arms, foot or head rests · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64D11/0696

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