Passive occupant restraint for side-facing aircraft seats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9682781-B2
Application number	US-201514805635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 22, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

In one aspect, a side-facing seat assembly is provided. The seat assembly includes a seat portion, a back portion having an upper surface extending along the width of the back portion, and an arm restraint assembly coupled to the back portion. The arm restraint assembly includes a rotating bar rotatable between a stowed position oriented with the back portion upper surface and a deployed position. In the deployed position the rotating bar extends from the back portion and facilitates restraining an occupant seated in the seat assembly. The seat assembly further includes a leg restraint assembly coupled to the seat portion. The leg restraint assembly includes an extension bar extendable between a stowed position oriented with the seat portion and a deployed position. In the deployed position the extension bar extends from the seat portion and facilitates restraining an occupant seated in the seat assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat assembly comprising:
a seat portion;
a back portion having an upper surface; and
an arm restraint assembly coupled to the back portion, the arm restraint assembly including a rotationally fixed bar and a rotating bar, the rotationally fixed bar having a first end and a second end, the rotationally fixed bar vertically movable between a stowed position oriented along the upper surface of the back portion and a deployed position vertically spaced from the upper surface of the back portion, the rotating bar having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rotating bar pivotally connected to the second end of the rotationally fixed bar, the rotating bar rotatable between a stowed position oriented along an upper surface of the rotationally fixed bar and a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position of the rotating bar, the rotating bar rotationally extends from the back portion and facilitates restraining an occupant seated in the seat assembly.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the arm restraint assembly further comprises at least one support tube coupled to the rotationally fixed bar and the back portion, the at least one support tube movable between a stowed position oriented within the back portion and a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position at least a portion of the at least one support tube extends from within the back portion away from the upper surface.

3. The seat assembly of claim 2 , wherein the arm restraint assembly further comprises a biasing mechanism to bias the at least one support tube into the deployed position.

4. The seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a leg restraint assembly coupled to the seat portion, the leg restraint assembly including a longitudinally movable extension bar and a restraint member coupled to the extension bar, the restraint member rotatable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position the restraint member facilitates restraining an occupant seated in the seat assembly.

5. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotationally fixed bar is at least substantially flush with the upper surface of the back portion in the stowed position of the rotationally fixed bar, and the rotating bar is at least substantially flush with the rotationally fixed bar in the stowed position of the rotating bar.

6. The seat assembly of claim 5 , wherein the upper surface of the back portion is substantially planar and the upper surface of the rotationally fixed bar is substantially planar.

7. The seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seat belt extending through the rotationally fixed bar.

8. The seat assembly of claim 7 , wherein the rotationally fixed bar includes a belt compartment, the seat belt accessible from the belt compartment when the rotationally fixed bar is deployed.

9. The seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seat belt and inertial locking reel, the inertial locking reel disposed at the back portion, and the seat belt accessible when the rotationally fixed bar is deployed.

10. The seat assembly of claim 9 , wherein the seat belt passes through the upper surface of the back portion.

11. The seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein the seat belt extends through the rotationally fixed bar.

12. A seat assembly comprising:
a seat portion;
a side plate extending downwardly from the seat portion;
a back portion; and
a leg restraint assembly coupled to the seat portion, the leg restraint assembly including an extension bar and a restraint member coupled to the extension bar, the extension bar longitudinally extendable along the side plate between a stowed position oriented with the seat portion and a deployed position, the restraint member rotatable from a stowed position, substantially parallel to the seat portion and substantially perpendicular to the side plate, to a deployed position, substantially parallel to the side plate and substantially perpendicular to the seat portion, wherein in the deployed position of the extension bar, the extension bar extends from the seat portion and in the deployed position of the restraint member, the restraint member facilitates restraining an occupant seated in the seat assembly.

13. The seat assembly of claim 12 , wherein the leg restraint assembly further comprises a biasing mechanism to bias the extension bar into the deployed position.

14. The seat assembly of claim 12 , further comprising an arm restraint assembly coupled to the back portion, the arm restraint assembly including a rotating bar and a rotationally fixed bar, the rotationally fixed bar movable between a stowed position oriented along the upper surface and a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position the fixed bar is spaced from the back portion, the rotating bar rotatably coupled to the fixed bar.

15. The seat assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a seat belt extending through the fixed bar.

16. The seat assembly of claim 12 , wherein the leg restraint assembly further comprises a support sleeve coupled to the side plate, the support sleeve slidably receiving the extension bar therein.

17. The seat assembly of claim 12 , wherein the leg restraint assembly further comprises at least one bearing operatively associated with the extension bar and configured to facilitate sliding movement of the extension bar between the stowed position and the deployed position.

18. A side-facing seat assembly comprising:
a seat portion;
a back portion having an upper surface extending along a width of the back portion;
an arm restraint assembly coupled to the back portion, the arm restraint assembly including a rotating bar and a rotationally fixed bar, the rotationally fixed bar vertically movable between a stowed position and a deployed position on the upper surface of the back portion, the rotating bar rotatable with respect to the rotationally fixed bar between a stowed position oriented with the back portion upper surface and rotationally fixed bar and a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position of the rotating bar, the rotating bar extends from the back portion and facilitates restraining an occupant seated in the seat assembly;
a seat belt coupled to the arm restraint assembly; and
a leg restraint assembly coupled to the seat portion, the leg restraint assembly including an extension bar and a rotatable restraint member coupled to the extension bar, the leg restraint assembly extendable between a stowed position oriented with the seat portion and a deployed position, wherein in the deployed position the extension bar extends from the seat portion and the restraint member facilitates restraining an occupant seated in the seat assembly.

19. The seat assembly of claim 18 , wherein the arm restraint assembly further comprises a first biasing mechanism to bias the rotationally fixed bar into the deployed position, and the leg restraint assembly further comprises a second biasing mechanism to bias the extension bar into the deployed position.

20. The seat assembly of claim 18 , wherein the seat belt extends through the rotationally fixed bar.

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Brandt Michael David
• Mathena Christopher Erin

Classifications

• B64D11/062 Primary

  Belts or other passenger restraint means for passenger seats · CPC title

• B60N2/42727

  involving substantially rigid displacement · CPC title

• B60N2/449

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60R22/00

  Safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles (safety belts or body harnesses in general A62B35/00) · CPC title

• B60N2/4235

  transversal · CPC title