Flexibly adjustable passenger seat device for a vehicle cabin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9771156-B2
Application number	US-201615142236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A passenger seat device for a vehicle cabin comprises a front end and a rear end, a backrest arranged at the rear end, a plurality of seat surface segments extending from the rear end to the front end and a seat frame for carrying the seat surface segments and the backrest. The seat surface segments are arranged in a side-by-side relationship and constitute a seat surface and the seat surface segments are individually adjustable between at least two different vertical positions relative to the seat frame. The passenger seat device may flexibly seat passengers with different constitutions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A passenger seat device for a vehicle cabin, the device comprising:
a front end and a rear end,
a backrest arranged at the rear end,
a plurality of seat surface segments extending from the rear end to the front end, and
a seat frame for carrying the seat surface segments and the backrest,
wherein the seat surface segments are arranged in a side-by-side relationship and constitute a seat surface,
wherein the seat surface segments are individually adjustable between at least two different vertical positions relative to the seat frame, and
wherein the seat surface segments are spring-loaded in a vertical, upward direction, such that they are lowered from a neutral position into a use position when a passenger sits down on the passenger seat device.

2. The passenger seat device of claim 1 ,
wherein the seat surface segments are lockable in different vertical positions, and
wherein the seat surface segments comprise release means for releasing the seat surface segments from a locked state.

3. The passenger seat device of claim 2 ,
wherein the release means is configured to couple with a control means arranged remotely from the respective passenger seat device.

4. The passenger seat device of claim 1 ,
wherein the seat surface segments automatically arrest in the use position.

5. The passenger seat device of claim 1 ,
wherein the backrest comprises a plurality of backrest segments, which are arranged in a side-by-side relationship corresponding to the seat surface segments.

6. The passenger seat device of claim 1 ,
comprising a plurality of seat belt anchor points, which are associated with individual seat surface segments.

7. The passenger seat device of claim 1 , comprising two groups of seat surface segments,
wherein a first group of seat surface segments comprises a lower vertical use position than a second group of seat surface segments,
wherein the vertical use positions of the seat surface segments of the first group and of the second group are swapped selectively, periodically or in an alternating manner.

8. The passenger seat device of claim 7 ,
wherein the passenger seat device is configured to accommodate disabling or initiating of swapping the vertical use positions by a passenger on the respective seating area,
wherein each seat surface segment comprises a maximum width of substantially 10 inch.

9. The passenger seat device of claim 7 ,
wherein the passenger seat device is configured to accommodate disabling or initiating of swapping the vertical use positions by a passenger on the respective seating area.

10. The passenger seat device of claim 1 ,
wherein each seat surface segment comprises a maximum width of substantially 10 inch.

11. The passenger seat device of claim 1 ,
wherein the total width of the passenger seat device is at least 25 inch.

12. The passenger seat device of claim 1 , wherein the individual seat surface segments are shiftable in parallel.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a cabin with a plurality of installed passenger seats, and
at least one passenger seat device, the seat device comprising:
a front end and a rear end,
a backrest arranged at the rear end,
a plurality of seat surface segments extending from the rear end to the front end, and
a seat frame for carrying the seat surface segments and the backrest,

wherein the seat surface segments are arranged in a side-by-side relationship and constitute a seat surface,
wherein the seat surface segments are individually adjustable between at least two different vertical positions relative to the seat frame, and
wherein the seat surface segments are spring-loaded in a vertical, upward direction, such that they are lowered from a neutral position into a use position when a passenger sits down on the passenger seat device.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

15. A passenger seat device for a vehicle cabin, the device comprising:
a front end and a rear end,
a backrest arranged at the rear end,
a plurality of seat surface segments extending from the rear end to the front end, and
a seat frame for carrying the seat surface segments and the backrest,
wherein the seat surface segments are arranged in a side-by-side relationship and constitute a seat surface,
wherein the seat surface segments are individually adjustable between at least two different vertical positions relative to the seat frame,
wherein the seat surface segments are lockable in different vertical positions,
wherein the seat surface segments comprise release means for releasing the seat surface segments from a locked state,
wherein the release means is configured to couple with a control means arranged remotely from the respective passenger seat device, and
wherein the seat surface segments are spring-loaded in a vertical, upward direction, such that they are lowered from a neutral position into a use position when a passenger sits down on the passenger seat device.

16. The passenger seat device of claim 15 ,
wherein the seat surface segments automatically arrest in the use position, and
wherein the backrest comprises a plurality of backrest segments, which are arranged in a side-by-side relationship corresponding to the seat surface segments.

17. The passenger seat device of claim 16 ,
comprising a plurality of seat belt anchor points, which are associated with individual seat surface segments and two groups of seat surface segments,
wherein a first group of seat surface segments comprises a lower vertical use position than a second group of seat surface segments, and
wherein the vertical use positions of the seat surface segments of the first group and of the second group are swapped selectively, periodically or in an alternating manner.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Brownjohn Nicholas
• Vogt Thomas

Classifications

• B64D11/0693 Primary

  Width modification of seat assemblies, e.g. for class modification · CPC title

• B64D11/0644

  Adjustable arm rests · CPC title

• B64D11/0639

  with features for adjustment or converting of seats · CPC title

• B60N2002/0288

  Adjustable seat width · CPC title