Seat assembly with sacrificial backrest breakover feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021261259-A1
Application number	US-202016795743-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 20, 2020
Priority date	Feb 20, 2020
Publication date	Aug 26, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft passenger seat assembly and backrest unit attachable to a seat assembly, the backrest being pivotally attached or fixed, and the backrest unit including at least one frame member having adjacent weakened and intact sections provided along a peripheral edge, the weakened section having a first failure load and the intact section having a second failure load greater than the first failure load such that, when a load on a backside of the backrest unit exceeds the first failure load, the weakened section fails and the intact section deforms allowing a portion of the backrest unit to tilt forward beyond an upright sitting position to absorb impact energy.

First claim

1 . An aircraft passenger seat assembly, comprising:
a support frame; a seat bottom unit mounted on the support frame; and a backrest unit pivotally mounted to the support frame, the backrest unit configured to pivot relative to the support frame between an upright position and a reclined position, the backrest unit including at least one frame member having a weakened section and an adjacent intact section positioned along a peripheral edge of the at least one frame member, the weakened section having a first failure load and the intact section having a second failure load greater than the first failure load such that, when a load on a backside of the backrest unit exceeds the first failure load, the weakened section is configured to fail and the intact section is configured to deform thereby allowing a portion of the backrest unit above the weakened and intact sections to move forward beyond the upright position; wherein the weakened section and the intact section are positioned relative to each other such that the weakened section is configured to open responsive to force on the backrest unit exceeding the second load failure thereby causing the intact section to deform.

2 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one frame member is a tubular body and the weakened section is an elongated cut coupled together with at least one spot weld configured to break thereby allowing the cut to open.

3 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the tubular body has adjacent sides and the weakened section is an elongated cut extending along a portion of at least two of the adjacent sides.

4 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the weakened section and the adjacent intact section together form an annular section around the peripheral edge of the tubular body.

5 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the backrest unit pivots about a first pivot axis and the weakened and intact sections are positioned spaced above the first pivot axis.

6 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one frame member is a U-shaped frame member having spaced apart ends pivotally attached to the support frame, wherein the weakened and intact sections are symmetrically provided on each of the spaced apart ends positioned above the respective pivotally attached spaced ends.

7 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the support frame is stationary and comprises:
at least two leg modules; at least two section assembly modules; and at least two beam elements connecting the at least two leg modules and the at least two section assembly modules in spaced-apart relation to each other; wherein the backrest unit is pivotally mounted between two of the at least two section assembly modules.

8 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the backrest unit includes an upper portion supporting a headrest unit.

9 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one frame member is a metal part.

10 . An aircraft passenger seat assembly, comprising:
a support frame; a seat bottom unit mounted on the support frame; and a backrest unit mounted to the support frame, the backrest unit providing a fixed sitting position, the backrest unit including at least one frame member having a weakened section and an adjacent intact section positioned along a peripheral edge of the at least one frame member, the weakened section having a first failure load and the intact section having a second failure load greater than the first failure load such that, when a load on a backside of the backrest unit exceeds the first failure load, the weakened section is configured to fail and the intact section is configured to deform thereby allowing a portion of the backrest unit above the weakened and intact sections to move forward beyond the fixed sitting position; wherein the weakened section and the adjacent intact section are positioned relative to each other such that the weakened section is configured to open responsive to force on the backrest unit exceeding the second load failure thereby causing the intact section to deform.

11 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one frame member is a tubular body and the weakened section is an elongated cut coupled together with at least one spot weld configured to break thereby allowing the cut to open.

12 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the tubular body has adjacent sides and the weakened section is an elongated cut extending along a portion of at least two of the adjacent sides.

13 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the weakened section and the adjacent intact section together form an annular section around the peripheral edge of the tubular body.

14 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one frame member is a U-shaped frame member having spaced apart ends attached to the support frame, wherein the weakened and intact sections are symmetrically provided on each of the spaced apart ends positioned above the respective attached spaced ends.

15 . The aircraft passenger seat assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one frame member is a metal part.

16 . A backrest unit pivotally attachable to a support frame and providing an upright sitting position and a reclined sitting position of the backrest unit relative to the support frame, the backrest unit comprising:
at least one frame member having a weakened section and an adjacent intact section positioned along a peripheral edge of the at least one frame member; wherein the weakened section has a first failure load and the intact section has a second failure load greater than the first failure load such that, when a load on the least one frame member exceeds the first failure load, the weakened section is configured to fail and the intact section is configured to deform thereby allowing a portion of the backrest unit above the weakened and intact sections to move forward beyond the upright sitting position; wherein the weakened section and the adjacent intact section are positioned relative to each other such that the weakened section is configured to open responsive to force on the backrest unit exceeding the second load failure thereby causing the intact section to deform.

17 . The backrest unit according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one frame member is a tubular body and the weakened section is an elongated cut coupled together with at least one spot weld configured to break thereby allowing the cut to open.

18 . The backrest unit according to claim 17 , wherein the tubular body has adjacent sides and the weakened section is an elongated cut extending along a portion of at least two of the adjacent sides.

19 . The backrest unit according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one frame member is a U-shaped frame member having spaced apart ends, and wherein the weakened and intact sections are symmetrically provided on each of the spaced apart ends.

20 . The backrest unit according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one frame member is a metal part.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• D'Alessio Bradford
• Suhre Ryan
• Puglisi Stephen

Classifications

• B64D11/0639

  with features for adjustment or converting of seats · 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

• B64D11/064

  Adjustable inclination or position of seats · CPC title

• B60N2/42709

  involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure · CPC title