Aircraft seat base frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919803-B2
Application number	US-201615288599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2016
Priority date	Apr 4, 2014
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, an aircraft passenger seat base frame can include spaced left and right spreaders supporting a seat pan and a seatback. Additionally, a front transverse structural member and a rear transverse structural member can each interconnect with the left and right spreaders. An in-flight entertainment component compartment defined in the seat pan at least in part by placement of the front transverse structural member and the rear transverse structural member can enclose an in-flight entertainment component, wherein the front transverse structural member is positioned for aligning in a vertical plane with at least a portion of the in-flight entertainment component, and the rear transverse structural member is positioned for aligning in a horizontal plane with at least a portion of the in-flight entertainment component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft passenger seat base frame, comprising:
spaced left and right spreaders supporting a seat pan and a seatback;
a front transverse structural member and a rear transverse structural member each disposed below the seat pan and each interconnecting the left and right spreaders;
an in-flight entertainment component compartment defined between the seat pan and at least one of the front transverse structural member and the rear transverse structural member enclosing an in-flight entertainment component; and
a protective member disposed vertically below the in-flight entertainment component and above at least one of the front transverse structural member and the rear transverse structural member; wherein
the front transverse structural member is vertically aligned with at least a portion of the in-flight entertainment component, and
the rear transverse structural member is horizontally aligned with at least a portion of the in-flight entertainment component.

2. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 1 , wherein the in-flight entertainment component includes one or more of video equipment, media equipment, internet equipment, communications equipment, and audio equipment, cabling, and a wire harness.

3. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 1 , wherein the protective member is configured to structurally support the in-flight entertainment component.

4. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 1 , further comprising:
left and right leg assemblies; and
a seat electronics box disposed against one of the left and right leg assemblies, wherein the seat electronics box is configured to supply electricity to the in-flight entertainment component.

5. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the left and right leg assemblies comprises a shroud and a transverse beam, wherein the seat electronics box is disposed between the transverse beam and the shroud.

6. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 4 , further comprising at least one electrical connection disposed through a rear section of one of the seat pan and the seat back, wherein at least one aft-facing electrical outlet connected to the at least one electrical connection is disposed on an aft surface of one of a seat bottom and the seat back, and wherein the seat electronics box supplies electricity to the at least one electrical connection.

7. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 6 , wherein the at least one electrical outlet comprises a micro-USB charging outlet.

8. An aircraft passenger seating group, comprising:
first and second laterally-adjacent passenger seat frames, wherein each laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame comprises
spaced left and right spreaders supporting a seat pan and a seatback,
a seat bottom, and
a protective member disposed below the respective seat bottom of each laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame, wherein the protective member is configured to retain an in-flight entertainment component, each protective member including a respective laterally-extending channel, wherein the laterally-extending channel of the protective member of the first laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame aligns with the laterally-extending channel of the protective member of the second laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame; and

a front transverse structural member and a rear transverse structural member each interconnecting the left and right spreaders, wherein
one of the front transverse structural member and the rear transverse structural member is positioned below the in-flight entertainment component, and
the other of the front transverse structural member and the rear transverse structural member is positioned in a horizontal plane with the in-flight entertainment component;
wherein in-flight entertainment signals are made available from an in-flight entertainment component retained by the protective member of the first laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame to the second laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame by arranging cabling from the in-flight entertainment component through the channel of the protective member of the first laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame to the channel of the protective member of the second laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame.

9. The aircraft passenger seating group of claim 8 , wherein:
the front transverse structural member is positioned for aligning in a vertical plane with at least a portion of the in-flight entertainment component, and
the rear transverse structural member is positioned for aligning in a horizontal plane with at least a portion of the in-flight entertainment component.

10. The aircraft passenger seating group of claim 9 , wherein the channel of each of the protective members of the laterally-adjacent passenger seat frames is disposed in front of the rear transverse structural member and beneath the front transverse structural member.

11. The aircraft passenger seating group of claim 8 , wherein each of the protective members of the laterally-adjacent passenger seat frames comprises a plurality of openings to provide air flow to the in-flight entertainment component.

12. The aircraft passenger seating group of claim 8 , wherein each of the protective members of the laterally-adjacent passenger seat frames forms a bottom of the seat pan of the respective laterally-adjacent passenger seat frame.

13. The aircraft passenger seating group of claim 8 , wherein each seat bottom of the laterally-adjacent passenger seat frames forms a respective lid for providing access to the in-flight entertainment component.

14. An aircraft passenger seat base frame, comprising:
a seatback configured for actuation between a reclined position and an upright position;
a seat bottom configured for actuation between a fore position corresponding to the reclined position of the seatback and an aft position corresponding to the upright position of the seatback;
a seat pan disposed beneath the seat bottom;
spaced left and right spreaders supporting the seat pan and the seatback;
an in-flight entertainment component positioned in the seat pan; and
a front transverse structural member and a rear transverse structural member each interconnecting the left and right spreaders, wherein
one of the front transverse structural member and the rear transverse structural member is positioned below the in-flight entertainment component; and
the other of the front transverse structural member and the rear transverse structural member is horizontally aligned with the in-flight entertainment component.

15. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 14 , further comprising a rigid life vest container disposed beneath the in-flight entertainment component.

16. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 14 , further comprising a protective member positioned vertically below the in-flight entertainment component.

17. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 14 , wherein the seat bottom is disposed above the in-flight entertainment component, and wherein at least a one inch gap exists between the in-flight entertainment component and the seat bottom.

18. The aircraft passenger seat base frame of claim 17 , wherein the seat bottom is configured to hingedly open, exposing the in-flight entertainment component.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Pozzi Alexander Nicholas
• Stephens Benjamin D
• Kruse Mark A
• Garing Francis X

Classifications

• B64D11/0631

  for life vests · CPC title

• B64D11/0636

  Personal storage means or waste disposal bags · CPC title

• B64D11/0648 Primary

  Lower frame constructions · CPC title

• B64D11/064

  Adjustable inclination or position of seats · CPC title

• B64D11/0015

  Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television · CPC title