Passenger seat including a net backrest

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019070989-A1
Application number	US-201615767197-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 14, 2015
Publication date	Mar 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Passenger seat assemblies including net backrests are described. An example passenger seat assembly can include a lower frame ( 14 ) configured to support a seat bottom ( 36 ) of the passenger seat. The passenger seat assembly can also include a backrest frame ( 18 ) attached to the lower frame ( 14 ) and configured to support a backrest assembly. The backrest assembly can include a backplate ( 16 ) disposed adjacent an aft side of the backrest frame ( 18 ). The backrest assembly can also include a net material ( 22 ) attached to the backplate ( 16 ) at a first attachment location ( 46 a ) on an aft surface of the backplate ( 16 ), extending around a forward side of the backrest frame ( 18 ), and attached to the backplate ( 16 ) at a second attachment location ( 46 b ) on the aft surface.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A seat frame assembly, comprising:
a frame having a forward side and an aft side; a backplate disposed adjacent to the aft side of the frame, the backplate comprising:
an interior surface that defines a hollow interior of the backplate, the hollow interior surrounding at least a portion the frame; and
an exterior surface comprising a first attachment location and a second attachment location; and
a net material extending between the first attachment location and the second attachment location, the net material at least partially surrounding the frame and the backplate.

2 . The seat frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame is a U-shaped structure comprising:
a first leg; a second leg; and a top extending between the first leg and the second leg.

3 . The seat frame assembly of claim 2 , wherein the hollow interior of the backplate comprises one or more lips extending around a perimeter of the backplate, the one or more lips:
dimensioned to receive the first leg, the second leg, and the top; and configured to surround a portion of the first leg, a portion of the second leg, and a portion of the top.

4 . The seat frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the net material comprises:
a first end comprising a first structure of a first attachment system; and a second end comprising a first structure of a second attachment system.

5 . The seat frame assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first attachment location comprises a second structure of the first attachment system, and the second attachment location comprises a second structure of the second attachment system, each of the first and second attachment systems configured to join respective first structures with respective second structures to tension the net material between the first attachment location and the second attachment location.

6 . The seat frame assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first attachment system and the second attachment system are zippers.

7 . The seat frame assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable lumbar support, at least a portion of which being woven into the net material.

8 . The seat frame assembly of claim 7 , wherein the adjustable lumbar support system comprises a set of cable sets extending between a first leg of the frame and a second leg of the frame, each cable set comprising a plurality of cables.

9 . The seat frame assembly of claim 7 , wherein, for each cable set, a first end of the cable set is attached to the first leg of the frame and a second end of the cable set is attached to a tension mechanism.

10 . A passenger seat assembly, comprising:
a lower frame configured to at least support a seat bottom of the passenger seat; and a backrest frame attached to the lower frame and configured to at least support a backrest assembly of the passenger seat, the backrest assembly comprising:
a backplate disposed adjacent to an aft side of the backrest frame, the backplate comprising a forward surface and an aft surface; and
a net backrest attached to the backplate at a first attachment location on the aft surface, extending around a forward side of the backrest frame, and attached to the backplate at a second attachment location on the aft surface.

11 . The passenger seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein the net backrest comprises a flexible net material that is configured to flexibly extend around the forward side of the backrest frame to retain the backrest frame between the backplate and the net material.

12 . The passenger seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein the net backrest is attached to the backplate at the first attachment location via a first zipper, and the net backrest is attached to the backplate at the second attachment location via a second zipper.

13 . The passenger seat assembly of claim 10 , further comprising one or more armrest support structures, and wherein the backrest frame is attached to the lower frame via the armrest support structures.

14 . The passenger seat of claim 10 , further comprising a lumbar support system, a first part of the lumbar support system disposed in the net backrest adjacent to the forward side of the frame, a second part of the lumbar support system disposed in an armrest support structure attached to the lower frame and the backrest frame.

15 . The passenger seat assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first part comprises a set of cable sets woven into the net backrest, and the second part comprises a set of tension mechanisms connected to the set of cable sets, each tension mechanism configured to independently adjust tension in each respective cable set.

16 . The passenger seat assembly of claim 15 , wherein the lumbar support system further comprises a set of connecting cables extending around a horizontal support member of the lower frame, the set of tension mechanisms connected to the set of cable sets via the set of connecting cables, and wherein pivoting the backrest frame from an upright position to a reclined position reduces tension in the set of cable sets disposed in the net backrest.

17 . The passenger seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein the forward surface of the backplate comprises an interior surface and one or more lip surfaces defining a hollow interior, and wherein the net backrest, when attached at the first attachment location and the second attachment location, holds the interior surface in physical contact with the aft side of the backrest frame, with the one or more lip surfaces extending around a perimeter of the backrest frame.

18 . A method of assembling a passenger seat, the method comprising:
providing a backrest frame comprising an aft side and a forward side; bringing a hollow interior surface of a backplate into contact with a portion of the aft side of the backrest frame; attaching a first end of a net material to an exterior surface of the backplate at a first attachment location; and attaching a second end of the net material to the exterior surface of the backplate at a second attachment location, wherein, after attaching the first end and the second end to the backplate, the net material contacts the forward side of the backrest frame and holds the hollow interior surface of the backplate in contact with the portion of the aft side of the backrest frame.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first end comprises a first side of a zipper, and the first attachment location comprises a second side of the zipper, and wherein attaching the first end of the net material to the exterior surface of the backplate at the first attachment location comprises connecting the first side of the zipper and the second side of the zipper.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising, subsequent to attaching the first end of the net material, stretching the net material around a first portion of the exterior surface of the backplate, the front side of the backrest frame, and a second portion of the exterior surface of the backplate.

Assignees

• Zodiac Seats Us Llc

Inventors

• Klap Paulien
• Van Meurs Odette Elise
• Schalkwijk Thomas Emanuel Frans
• Küppers Anne-Marieke
• De Vries Piet Hans
• Meijs Olmo Merijn

Classifications

• B64D11/0649

  Seats characterised by special features for reducing weight · CPC title

• B60N2/686 Primary

  Panel like structures · CPC title

• B64D11/0647

  Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features · CPC title

• B64D11/06

  Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats (crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04) · CPC title

• B60N2/5858

  by elastic means · CPC title