Cradling passenger seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022411069-A1
Application number	US-201917623338-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2019
Priority date	Jul 31, 2019
Publication date	Dec 29, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described are passenger seats having a seat frame and a seat bottom slidingly and pivotally attached to the seat frame that, when the passenger seats are reclined, are configured to articulate forward from an upright configuration of the passenger seat to a second seat position corresponding to a reclined configuration of the passenger seat. The seat bottom can include an aft articulating mechanism that defines a declining first path in an aft-to-forward direction to cause the aft end of the seat bottom to drop when the seat bottom articulates forward; and a forward articulating mechanism connected with the seat bottom near a forward end of the seat bottom that defines a second path shaped to cause the forward end of the seat bottom to move upward when the seat bottom articulates forward, such that the seat bottom tilts aft in response to articulating forward when the passenger seat is reclined.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method of adjusting a seat bottom angle, the method comprising:
with a seat comprising:
a seat frame;
a seat bottom slidingly and pivotally attached to the seat frame by an aft articulating mechanism and a forward articulating mechanism;
the aft articulating mechanism connected with the seat bottom near an aft end of the seat bottom and defining a first path that declines in an aft-to-forward direction to cause the aft end of the seat bottom to move downward by a first distance when the seat bottom is moved forward; and
the forward articulating mechanism connected with the seat bottom near a forward end of the seat bottom and defining a second path shaped to cause the forward end of the seat bottom to move upward by a second distance when the seat bottom is moved forward, the second distance being different from the first distance; and

a release mechanism operably connected with the seat bottom and with the seat frame;
actuating the release mechanism to free the seat bottom to move with respect to the seat frame; moving the seat bottom forward from a first seat position to a second seat position such that the aft end of the seat bottom slides downward and forward along the first path, and the forward end of the seat bottom slides upward and forward along the second path, causing the seat bottom to tilt aft in the second seat position; and disengaging the release mechanism to lock the seat bottom in the second seat position.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein:
the seat further comprises a reclinable seat back connected, via a linkage, at a bottom end of the reclinable seat back with the seat bottom; and moving the seat bottom forward causes the reclinable seat back to tilt aft by the seat bottom pulling the bottom end of the reclinable seat back forward.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein moving the seat bottom forward from the first seat position to the second seat position causes the reclinable seat back to tilt aft by 5-20 degrees.

24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
with the seat bottom connected to the seat frame by the aft articulating mechanism and disconnected from the seat frame by the forward articulating mechanism, moving the seat bottom forward of the second seat position or aft of the first seating position to an install seat position whereby the forward articulating mechanism is receptive to engagement; engaging the forward articulating mechanism such that the seat bottom is connected with the seat frame by the forward articulating mechanism; moving the seat bottom forward to the first seat position whereby the forward articulating mechanism constrains the seat bottom with respect to the seat frame; and connecting the release mechanism with the seat frame and the seat bottom such that the seat bottom is prevented by the release mechanism from returning to the install position from the first position.

25 . An articulating seat bottom assembly for a passenger seat, the assembly comprising:
a seat bottom; an aft articulating mechanism connected with an aft end of the seat bottom and configured to attach to a passenger seat frame, the aft articulating mechanism comprising a first path that declines in an aft-to-forward direction and that, when attached to the seat bottom and the passenger seat frame, is shaped to constrain motion of the aft end of the seat bottom with respect to the passenger seat frame such that the aft end of the seat bottom moves down by a first distance when the seat bottom is pushed forward from a first seat position to a second seat position; a forward articulating mechanism connected with a forward end of the seat bottom and configured to attach to a passenger seat frame, the forward articulating mechanism comprising a second path shaped to cause the forward end of the seat bottom to move upward by a second distance when the seat bottom articulates forward, the second distance being different from the first distance, such that the seat bottom tilts aft in response to articulating forward when the seat bottom is connected with the passenger seat and the passenger seat is reclined; and a release mechanism operably connectable with the seat bottom and with the seat frame, the release mechanism actuatable to free the seat bottom to move with respect to the seat frame from the first seat position to the second seat position, the release mechanism disengageable to lock the seat bottom in the second seat position.

26 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , wherein:
the aft articulating mechanism comprises an arcuate track configured to connect with the passenger seat frame and a roller connected with the seat bottom and configured to engage with the arcuate track to constrain movement of the aft end of the seat bottom according to the first path when the seat bottom is connected with the passenger seat frame; and the forward articulating mechanism comprises an arcuate ramp connected with the seat bottom and configured to engage with a bearing element connected to the passenger seat frame when the seat bottom is connected with the passenger seat frame, the aft articulating mechanism and forward articulating mechanism operable, together, to cause the seat bottom to tilt aft in response to being pushed forward when the seat bottom is connected with the passenger seat frame.

27 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

28 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , wherein one or both of the first and second paths are arcuate.

29 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , wherein the first path has a negative curvature.

30 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , wherein the second path has a positive curvature.

31 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , wherein the second path comprises a minimum such that the forward end of the seat bottom moves first upward and then downward as the seat bottom articulates from the first seat position to the second seat position.

32 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , wherein:
the aft articulating mechanism comprises:
a first location associated with the upright configuration of the passenger seat;
a second location forward of the first location, the second location associated with the reclined configuration of the passenger seat, the second location being lower than the first location; and
a third location associated with an install configuration of the passenger seat, the third location being aft of the first location or forward of the second location, and the install configuration corresponding to the seat bottom being articulated aft beyond the first seat position or forward beyond the second seat position; and
the forward articulating mechanism comprises a retention element positioned to retain the forward end of the seat bottom when the passenger seat is in the upright configuration or the reclined configuration, and configured to release the seat bottom when the passenger seat is in the install configuration.

33 . The articulating seat bottom assembly of claim 25 , further comprising:
a recline lock mechanism connected at a first end with the seat bottom near the forward end of the seat bottom and connected at a second end with the seat frame, the recline lock mechanism being actuatable by the user between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration, wherein:
in the unlocked configuration, the recline lock mechanism can extend to allow the seat bottom to move between the first seat position and the second seat position; and

Assignees

• Safran Seats Usa Llc

Inventors

• Parker Ty
• Stewart Christopher D

Classifications

• B64D11/064 Primary

  Adjustable inclination or position of seats · CPC title

• B60N2002/0216

  the seat or seat part turning about or moving along a transversal axis · CPC title

• B60N2/12

  slidable and tiltable · CPC title

• B60N2/015 Primary

  Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis · CPC title

• B64D11/0648

  Lower frame constructions · CPC title