Aircraft bench seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022001990-A1
Application number	US-201917289699-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2019
Priority date	Oct 29, 2018
Publication date	Jan 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bench seat assembly that includes a first seat that includes a seat portion and a back, a second seat that includes a seat portion and a back, and a center portion positioned between the first and second seats. The first seat is bifurcated by a first vertical plane, the second seat is bifurcated by a second vertical plane, and the center portion is bifurcated by a center vertical plane. The first seat is angled outwardly such that the first plane defines a first acute angle with the center plane and the second seat is angled outwardly such that the second plane defines a second acute angle with the center plane. The first acute angle and the second acute angle are approximately the same.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bench seat assembly comprising:
a first seat that includes a seat portion and a back, wherein the first seat is bifurcated by a first vertical plane, a second seat that includes a seat portion and a back, wherein the second seat is bifurcated by a second vertical plane, and a center portion positioned between the first and second seats, wherein the center portion is bifurcated by a center vertical plane, wherein the first seat is angled outwardly such that the first plane defines a first acute angle with the center plane, wherein the second seat is angled outwardly such that the second plane defines a second acute angle with the center plane, and wherein the first acute angle and the second acute angle are approximately the same.

2 . The bench seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the center portion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

3 . The bench seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the center portion includes a drawer that is movable between an open and a closed position, wherein the drawer includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

4 . The bench seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the center portion includes a cover that is movable between an open and a closed position, wherein the cover includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

5 . The bench seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the center portion includes a cushion thereon, wherein the cushion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

6 . The bench seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the center portion is generally triangular or generally trapezoidal in shape.

7 . The bench seat assembly of claim 1 wherein the center portion includes a baby seat thereon.

8 . An aircraft comprising:
a body that defines a cabin interior and a longitudinal axis, a front bench seat assembly positioned in the cabin interior, wherein the front bench seat assembly includes
a first seat that includes a seat portion and a back, wherein the first seat is bifurcated by a first vertical plane,
a second seat that includes a seat portion and a back, wherein the second seat is bifurcated by a second vertical plane, and
a center portion positioned between the first and second seats, wherein the center portion is bifurcated by a center vertical plane, wherein the first seat is angled outwardly such that the first plane defines a first acute angle with the center plane, wherein the second seat is angled outwardly such that the second plane defines a second acute angle with the center plane, and wherein the first acute angle and the second acute angle are approximately the same.

9 . The aircraft of claim 8 wherein the center portion includes a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge has a greater dimension than the rear edge.

10 . The aircraft of claim 8 further comprising a back bench seat assembly positioned in the cabin interior aft of the front bench seat assembly, wherein the back bench seat assembly includes
a first seat that includes a seat portion and a back, wherein the first seat is bifurcated by a third vertical plane,
a second seat that includes a seat portion and a back, wherein the second seat is bifurcated by a fourth vertical plane, and
a center portion positioned between the first and second seats, wherein the center portion is bifurcated by the center vertical plane, wherein the first seat is angled outwardly such that the third plane defines a third acute angle with the center plane, wherein the second seat is angled outwardly such that the fourth plane defines a fourth acute angle with the center plane, and wherein the third acute angle and the fourth acute angle are approximately the same.

11 . The aircraft of claim 10 further comprising:
a divider member that divides the cabin interior into a cargo hold and a passenger cabin,
a forward door that is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, and
an aft door that is pivotable between a closed position and an open position, wherein pivoting one of the forward door or the aft door from the closed to the open position causes the other of the forward door or the aft door to pivot from the closed position to the open position.

12 . The aircraft of claim 11 wherein the body includes a side opening, wherein in their closed positions, the forward and aft doors are positioned in the side opening, wherein the side opening includes a front row access portion, a back row access portion and a cargo hold access portion, wherein in the closed position, the forward door blocks access to the front row access portion, wherein in the closed position, the aft door blocks access to the back row access portion and the cargo hold access portion.

13 . The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the divider member separates the passenger cabin from the cargo hold such that a passenger in the passenger cabin cannot access the cargo hold when the front and aft doors are in the closed positions.

14 . The aircraft of claim 13 further comprising a cockpit positioned forward of the front bench seat assembly, wherein a first foot space is defined on a first side of the cockpit, and wherein a second foot space is defined on a second side of the cockpit.

15 . The aircraft of claim 14 wherein the cargo hold includes a shelf therein that is pivotable between a stowed and a deployed position, wherein when the shelf is in the deployed position the cargo hold is divided into upper and lower storage sections.

16 . The aircraft of claim 8 wherein the aircraft is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

17 . The aircraft of claim 16 wherein the aircraft is not a helicopter.

Assignees

• Safran Cabin Inc

Inventors

• Heimbach Eric
• Schuttera Christopher
• Savian Scott
• Scoley Ian Geoffrey

Classifications

• B64D11/0612

  specially adapted for children · CPC title

• B60N2/26

  for children (B60N2/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/2863

  backward facing · CPC title

• B60R7/043

  mounted on or under a seat · CPC title

• B60N2/3086

  Disappearing in a recess of the cushion · CPC title