Vehicle crewstation seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9248759-B2
Application number	US-201414498675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Jan 27, 2012
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A movable seat assembly for a vehicle comprises a predetermined path having an operational location at a first end and an ingress/egress location at a second end, and a seat that travels along the predetermined path between the operational location and the ingress/egress location, wherein the seat has an operational orientation at the operational location and an ingress/egress seat orientation at the ingress/egress location; the ingress/egress seat orientation being substantially angled relative to the operational seat orientation. Another moveable seat assembly for a vehicle comprises a predetermined path having an operational location at a first end, an ingress/egress location at a second end, and a standby location along the path there between; and a seat that travels along the predetermined path between the operational location, the standby location, and the ingress/egress location; wherein the position of the seat is adjustable at the operational location. Another moveable seat assembly for a vehicle comprises a seat coupled to and moveable along at least one track defining a predetermined path between an operational location and an ingress/egress location.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A movable seat assembly for a vehicle, the moveable seat assembly comprising:
a first and second predetermined paths located on a floor of the vehicle, each having an operational location at a first end, and an ingress/egress location at a second, the first and second predetermined paths being substantially adjacent in position and substantially mirrored in orientation;
a first and second seats that travel along the first and second predetermined paths, respectively, between the operational location and the ingress/egress location;
wherein each of the first and second seats has an operational orientation at the operational location of its respective predetermined path, and an ingress/egress seat orientation at the ingress/egress location of its respective predetermined path; each ingress/egress seat orientation being substantially angled relative to its respective operational seat orientation;
wherein at least one of the first and second predetermined paths comprises a substantially straight track and two or more other tracks each having a curved portion;
a mounting plate provided to translate aft along the substantially straight track during egress; and
an end of the substantially straight track including an endstop, the endstop defining a pivot point about which the mounting plate rotates according to a path defined by the two or more other tracks each having a curved portion.

2. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each seat may travel along a respective separate adjustment paths.

3. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a seat retention system to lock each seat into a position and orientation along its respective predetermined path.

4. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a travel assistance mechanism to assist in translating each seat between its respective operational location, and its respective ingress/egress location.

5. A moveable seat assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a first track located on a floor of the vehicle configured to define a predetermined seat travel path between an operational location and an ingress/egress location,
a seat coupled to and moveable along the track, and configured to travel along the predetermined seat travel path between the operational location and the ingress/egress location;
wherein the seat has an operational orientation at the operational location and an ingress/egress seat orientation at the ingress/egress location; the ingress/egress seat orientation being substantially angled relative to the operational seat orientation;
wherein the predetermined seat path comprises a first track and a plurality of other tracks each having a curved portion;
a mounting plate provided to translate aft along the first track having a straight portion during egress; and
an end of the first track including an endstop, the endstop defining a pivot point about which the mounting plate rotates according to another path defined by at least three curved tracks of the plurality of other tracks.

6. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the seat is reoriented during translation along at least one curved track of the at least three curved tracks, and wherein the seat is rotationally reoriented about the pivot point during translation along the at least one curved track.

7. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the seat is coupled to the first track by a limited rotation type coupler.

8. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the seat is coupled to the first track by a plurality of free orientation type couplers.

9. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the seat is slidably coupled to a pivot mechanism at the pivot point.

10. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the seat comprises a first seat rail that is slidably coupled to the pivot mechanism at the pivot point, and a second seat rail that is slidably coupled to the first track.

11. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the second seat rail is slidably coupled to the first track by a glide-type coupler.

12. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the position of the seat is slidably adjustable on the first and second seat rails.

13. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 5 , further comprising a seat retention system to lock the seat into a position and orientation along the predetermined path.

14. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the seat retention system may be selectively operated from a seated position, a location next to the seat, or a location behind the seat.

15. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 5 , further comprising a travel assistance mechanism to assist in translating the seat along the predetermined path.

16. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the travel assistance mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: a spring-type mechanism, an electric mechanism, a hydraulic mechanism, a pneumatic mechanism, a magnetic mechanism, an electro-hydraulic mechanism, an electro-pneumatic mechanism, or an electro-magnetic mechanism.

17. A moveable seat assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a substantially straight track and two or more other tracks located on a floor of the vehicle each having a substantially straight portion and a curved portion, the tracks configured to define a predetermined seat travel path between an operational location and an ingress/egress location;
a seat coupled to and moveable along the tracks, and configured to travel along the predetermined seat travel path between the operational location and the ingress/egress location;
wherein the seat is configured to translate along the substantially straight track and along the straight portions of the two or more other tracks and is rotationally reoriented about a pivot point on the substantially straight track during translation along the curved portions of the two or more other tracks;
a mounting plate provided to translate aft along a straight track segment of the substantially straight track; and
an end of the straight track segment including an endstop, the endstop defining a pivot point about which the mounting plate rotates according to a path defined by at least three curved track segments of the two or more other tracks.

18. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 17 , further comprising a seat retention system to lock the seat into a position and orientation along the predetermined path.

19. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 18 , wherein the seat retention system may be selectively operated from a seated position, a location next to the seat, or a location behind the seat.

20. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 17 , further comprising a travel assistance mechanism to assist in translating the seat along the predetermined path.

21. The moveable seat assembly according to claim 20 , wherein the travel assistance mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: a spring-type mechanism, an electric mechanism, a hydraulic mechanism, a pneumatic mechanism, a magnetic mechanism, an electro-hydraulic mechanism, an electro-pneumatic mechanism, or an electro-magnetic mechanism.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Brand Albert G
• Wittmaak John R
• Mccollough James M
• Harse James H
• Adams Jr Richard H

Classifications

• B64D43/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• B64D11/0689

  specially adapted for pilots · CPC title

• B60N2/0702

  characterised by its cross-section · CPC title

• B60N2/04

  the whole seat being movable · CPC title

• B64D11/0696

  Means for fastening seats to floors, e.g. to floor rails · CPC title