Modular passenger seat for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555891-B2
Application number	US-201113304634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2011
Priority date	May 22, 2007
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

An aircraft passenger seat assembly as described herein is formed from two primary and modular components: a structural frame that provides passenger support and dynamic load paths for the seat assembly; and a comfort frame that provides the passenger seating surface and the external upholstery layer for the seat assembly. If the seat assembly is designed for multiple passengers, then a separate comfort frame is used for each passenger seat location. The structural frame can be formed as a molded composite construction, and the comfort frame can also utilize a molded composite support frame. The support frame is used as a mounting shell for a fabric carrier that includes the external upholstery layer. The modular design and use of composite materials results in a significant weight and parts count savings relative to conventional seat designs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A passenger seat assembly for an aircraft, the passenger seat assembly comprising:
a one-piece structural frame configured to support at least one passenger, the one-piece structural frame comprising a first seat subframe, a second seat subframe, and an aircraft mounting structure integrally formed therein;
an armrest, attached to each of the first and second seat subframes;
a first comfort frame assembly pivotally coupled to the first seat subframe, the first comfort frame assembly comprising a first one-piece support frame and a first fabric carrier defining a first chair seat surface coupled to the first one-piece support frame; and
a second comfort frame assembly pivotally coupled to the second seat subframe, the second comfort frame assembly comprising a second one-piece support frame and a second fabric carrier defining a second chair seat surface coupled to the second one-piece support frame.

2. A method of installing a passenger seat assembly on an aircraft, the method comprising:
coupling a structural frame to an airframe structure of the aircraft, the structural frame comprising a seat subframe corresponding to a passenger seat location;
coupling an armrest to the seat subframe; and
thereafter pivotally coupling a comfort frame assembly to the structural frame, the comfort frame assembly comprising a support frame and a fabric carrier that defines a chair seat surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising coupling a seat belt to the seat subframe.

4. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece structural frame comprises a monocoque composite construction.

5. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft mounting structure is configured for coupling to the airframe structure of the aircraft.

6. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fabric carrier of the first and second comfort frame assemblies comprises:
a fabric carrier ring; and
at least one layer of material coupled to the fabric carrier ring.

7. The passenger seat assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one layer of material comprises:
a flexible diaphragm layer configured to support a passenger; and
a three-dimensional mesh layer over the flexible diaphragm layer.

8. The passenger seat assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least one layer of material comprises an upholstery layer over the three-dimensional mesh layer.

9. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second one-piece support frames comprise a composite construction.

10. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a pivot mechanism, configured to accommodate pivoting of the comfort frame assembly relative to the one-piece structural frame.

11. The passenger seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second comfort frame assemblies have a lower end, and are pivotally coupled to the first and second seat subframes, respectively, near the lower end.

12. The passenger seat assembly of claim 11 , wherein the lower end is positioned to attach near an aircraft floor location.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of pivotally coupling the comfort frame assembly to the structural frame comprises pivotally coupling the comfort frame assembly to the structural frame near a floor location of the aircraft.

Assignees

• Fullerton James A
• Coburn Scott E
• Brauer R Klaus
• Emery Blake
• Petry Sebastian
• Bernett Jeffrey
• Chadwick Don
• Wykes David
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Fullerton James A
• Coburn Scott E
• Brauer R Klaus
• Emery Blake
• Petry Sebastian
• Bernett Jeffrey
• Chadwick Don
• Wykes David

Classifications

• Y10T29/48

  Upholstered article making · CPC title

• B60N2/7011

  of substantially two-dimensional shape, e.g. hammock-like, plastic shells, fabrics · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B64D11/06

  Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats (crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04) · CPC title

• Y02T50/46

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic