Laterally-expanding tray table

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919802-B2
Application number	US-201615288756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2016
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, an aircraft passenger seat includes a seat back and a laterally-expanding tray table including a telescoping table segment and a main table segment having an interior pocket for receiving the telescoping table segment in a retracted position, where the telescoping table segment is adjacent to the main table segment in a fully extended position to form a contiguous table surface. The seat back may include a mounting region for stowing the laterally-expanding tray table, including a latching mechanism for latching the main table segment in a stowed position. The mounting region may extend across half the width of the seat back. The seat back may include storage region(s) horizontally adjacent to the mounting region, each storage region configured to stow a passenger convenience feature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft passenger seat, comprising:
a seat back, seat bottom and base adapted for mounting in an aircraft;
a laterally-expanding tray table mounted on an aft-facing side of the seat back for movement between a stowed position against the seat back and a lowered deployed use position and including a telescoping table segment, and a main table segment having an interior pocket for receiving the telescoping table segment, wherein the telescoping table segment is retained in the interior pocket in a retracted position, and the telescoping table segment is positioned adjacent to the main table segment in a fully extended position to form a contiguous table surface including an upper surface of the telescoping table segment and an upper surface of the main table segment;
a mounting position for stowing the laterally-expanding tray table, including a latching mechanism for latching the main table segment in a stowed position adjacent the seat back, wherein the mounting region extends approximately one half a width of the seat back; and
at least one storage bay positioned horizontally adjacent to the mounting position of the seat back for stowing at least one passenger convenience feature.

2. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the laterally-expanding tray table further comprises a pivoting arm assembly for pivoting the laterally-expanding tray table from the stowed position to the deployed position.

3. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one storage bay includes an electronic device docking station.

4. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one storage bay includes at least one port for connecting an electronic device.

5. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the main table segment further comprises a mating portion of the latching mechanism of the mounting position.

6. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the passenger seat further comprises a headrest and a video display mounted on an aft surface of the headrest above the at least one storage bay and the mounting position.

7. The aircraft passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein, in the stowedposition, the laterally-expanding tray table nests within a depression in the mounting position, wherein the expanding tray table is adapted to fit flush within the at least one storage bay.

8. A laterally-expanding tray table for mounting on a seat back of an aircraft passenger seat, comprising:
a telescoping table segment;
a main table segment including an interior pocket for receiving the telescoping table segment, and at least two magnets disposed in the interior pocket to increase frictional engagement between the main table segment and the telescoping table segment;
the telescoping table segment for being frictionally retained in the interior pocket in a retracted position, and for being frictionally maintained adjacent to the main table segment in a fully extended position to form a contiguous table surface including an upper surface of the telescoping table segment and an upper surface of the main table segment.

9. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 8 , wherein the main table segment comprises a thin flexible edge adapted to push debris away from the interior pocket upon retracting the telescoping table segment into the interior pocket.

10. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 8 , wherein the telescoping table segment includes a gripping edge extending from the main table segment when the telescoping table segment is in the retracted position.

11. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 8 , further comprising an arm assembly attached to the main table segment and including a pair of laterally opposing arms and a pivotally mounted cross bar, wherein the arm assembly permits the main table segment to pivot from a stowed position against the seat back to a horizontal in-use position.

12. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 11 , wherein the arm assembly further includes at least one table support extending perpendicular from the pivotally mounted cross bar, and further wherein the at least one table support permits the main table segment to slide away from the pivotally mounted cross bar to an extended position and to slide toward the pivotally mounted cross bar to a retracted position.

13. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 12 , wherein the first table segment envelops the at least one table support when the first table segment is in the retracted position.

14. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 8 , wherein the main table segment is configured to frictionally retain the telescoping table segment in a partially extended position when the telescoping table segment is partially within the interior pocket.

15. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 1 , wherein the main table segment comprises a thin flexible edge to push debris away from the interior pocket upon retracting the telescoping table segment into the interior pocket.

16. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 15 , wherein the arm assembly further includes at least one table support extending perpendicular from the pivotally mounted cross bar, and further wherein the at least one table support is adapted to permit the main table segment to slide away from the pivotally mounted cross bar to an extended position and to slide toward the pivotally mounted cross bar to a retracted position.

17. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 16 , wherein the first table segment envelops the at least one table support when the first table segment is in the retracted position.

18. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 15 , wherein the main table segment further comprises a portion of a latching mechanism, and further wherein a mated portion of the latching mechanism is mounted to the seat back of the passenger seat.

19. The laterally-expanding tray table of claim 18 , wherein the portion of the latching mechanism comprises a release button for releasing the laterally-expanding tray table from the stowed position.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Stephens Benjamin D
• Kruse Mark A
• Garing Francis X

Classifications

• B64D11/0638 Primary

  with foldable tables, trays or cup holders · CPC title

• B64D11/00151

  Permanently mounted seat back monitors · CPC title

• B60N3/004

  of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest · CPC title