Seat beam clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019291616-A1
Application number	US-201616316858-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 18, 2016
Publication date	Sep 26, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A beam clamp ( 124 ) for a passenger seat includes a keyhole ( 126 ) configured to flex outwardly from an un-flexed position to a flexed position. The diameter of the keyhole in the un-flexed position is less than the diameter of the keyhole in the flexed position. A method of assembling the passenger seat includes assembling a seat base and connecting a seat back to the seat base. Assembling the seat base includes flexing the keyhole of the beam clamp outwards from the un-flexed position to the flexed position and inserting a support beam within the keyhole in the flexed position.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A passenger seat comprising:
a seat back; and a seat base connected to the seat back, the seat base comprising a beam clamp comprising a keyhole configured to flex outwardly from an un-flexed position to a flexed position, wherein a diameter of the keyhole in the un-flexed position is less than the diameter of the keyhole in the flexed position.

2 . The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the seat base further comprises a support beam defining a support beam diameter, and wherein in the flexed position, the diameter of the keyhole is greater than the support beam diameter.

3 . The passenger seat of claim 2 , wherein the support beam is positioned within the keyhole of the beam clamp, and wherein in the un-flexed position, the beam clamp clamps the support beam positioned within the keyhole.

4 . The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the keyhole is biased towards the un-flexed position.

5 . The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the seat base comprises a spreader, and wherein the beam clamp is a component of the spreader.

6 . The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the seat base comprises a seat leg, and wherein the beam clamp is a component of the seat leg.

7 . The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the keyhole comprises a beam-receiving portion and a cam-receiving portion.

8 . The passenger seat of claim 7 , further comprising a cam positioned within the cam-receiving portion of the keyhole, wherein the cam is rotatable to flex the keyhole between the un-flexed position and the flexed position.

9 . The passenger seat of claim 8 , wherein the cam is removably positioned within the cam-receiving portion.

10 . A passenger seat base comprising:
a support beam defining a support beam diameter; and a beam clamp comprising a keyhole comprising a beam-receiving portion and a cam-receiving portion, the beam-receiving portion configured to flex outwardly from an un-flexed position to a flexed position, wherein a diameter of the beam-receiving portion in the un-flexed position is less than the support beam diameter.

11 . The passenger seat base of claim 10 , further comprising a cam removably positioned in the cam-receiving portion, the cam rotatable between a flexed position and an un-flexed position.

12 . The passenger seat base of claim 10 , wherein the diameter of the beam-receiving portion of the keyhole in the flexed position is greater than the support beam diameter.

13 . The passenger seat base of claim 10 , wherein the beam-receiving portion is biased towards the un-flexed position.

14 . The passenger seat base of claim 10 , further comprising a cam positioned within the cam-receiving portion of the keyhole, wherein the cam is rotatable to flex the beam-receiving portion between the un-flexed position and the flexed position.

15 . A method of assembling a passenger seat comprising:
assembling a seat base, wherein assembling the seat base comprises:
flexing a keyhole of a beam clamp outwards from an un-flexed position to a flexed position; and
inserting a support beam within the keyhole in the flexed position; and
connecting a seat back to the seat base.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein flexing the keyhole of the beam clamp outwards comprises:
positioning a cam within the keyhole; and rotating the cam within the keyhole from an un-flexed position to a flexed position.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein assembling the seat base further comprises returning the keyhole to the un-flexed position after inserting the support beam within the keyhole.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein returning the keyhole to the un-flexed position further comprises rotating a cam positioned within the keyhole from a flexed position to an un-flexed position.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein assembling the seat base further comprises removing the cam from the keyhole after rotating the cam from the flexed position to the un-flexed position.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein a diameter of the keyhole in the un-flexed position is less than a support beam diameter of the support beam, and wherein the diameter of the keyhole in the flexed position is greater than the support beam diameter of the support beam.

Assignees

• Safran Seats Usa Llc

Inventors

• Gilbert Klay E

Classifications

• B61D33/00

  Seats · CPC title

• B63B2029/043

  Seats; Arrangements thereof on vessels · CPC title

• B60N2/242

  Bus seats · CPC title

• F16B2/18

  using cams, levers, eccentrics, or toggles {(for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1418, F16B7/1427, F16B7/1454)} · CPC title

• F16B3/00

  Key-type connections; Keys (F16B2/00 takes precedence; for rods or tubes mutually F16B7/00) · CPC title