Easy install tray table

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969311-B2
Application number	US-201515112231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2015
Priority date	Feb 11, 2014
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

Described are passenger seat backs having tray tables pivotally coupled to the seat back frame and which rotate about a single axis. The tray table ( 20 ) may be directly connected to the seat back frame ( 10 ) without the need for a complex and heavy multi-axis pivot. The resulting seat and associated tray table are lighter, more compact, and easier to manufacture.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A passenger seat comprising:
a tray table pivotally coupled to a seat back frame with at least one pivot bar, wherein:
the at least one pivot bar comprises a protrusion;
the protrusion comprises a projection along its length; and
the projection is unitary to the protrusion.

2. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the projection is positioned to contact an edge of an aperture of the tray table to constrain rotation of the tray table.

3. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, a polymer, or a composite.

4. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises opposing flat surfaces and opposing curved surfaces along a length of the protrusion, the opposing flat surfaces alternating with the opposing curved surfaces around a circumference of the protrusion.

5. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the tray table comprises at least one tray table arm, the at least one tray table arm comprising an aperture.

6. The passenger seat of claim 5 , wherein the at least one tray table arm comprises a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, a polymer, or a composite.

7. The passenger seat of claim 5 , wherein the aperture is sized larger than a distance between opposing flat surfaces along a length of the protrusion and smaller than a distance between opposing curved surfaces along the length of the protrusion, the protrusion in communication with the seat back frame.

8. The passenger seat of claim 1 ,
wherein the tray table comprises at least one tray table arm comprising an aperture;
wherein the protrusion comprises a narrowed dimension across the protrusion that is narrower than an opening of the aperture; and
wherein the opening of the aperture is narrower than all other dimensions across the protrusion.

9. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pivot bar is covered by a shroud.

10. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the tray table is secured by a down stop pin.

11. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the tray table is secured by a fastener.

12. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the projection extends around less than a full circumference of the protrusion.

13. A passenger seat comprising:
a seat back frame comprising at least one pivot bar with a protrusion;
a tray table comprising at least one tray table arm with an aperture that partially encloses a recess, wherein the protrusion is positioned within the recess;
wherein the protrusion comprises a narrowed dimension across the protrusion that is narrower than an opening of the aperture; and
wherein the protrusion comprises a projection extending along at least a portion of an axial direction of the protrusion, wherein the projection extends around less than a full circumference of the protrusion.

14. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the at least one pivot bar is covered by a shroud.

15. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the tray table is secured by a down stop pin.

16. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the tray table is secured by a fastener.

17. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the projection is unitary to the protrusion.

18. A method of manufacturing a passenger seat with a tray table pivotally coupled to a seat back frame, said method comprising:
providing the seat back frame;
providing a pivot bar comprising a protrusion in communication with the seat back frame;
forming opposing flat surfaces along a length of the protrusion;
providing a projection along at least a portion of a length of the protrusion;
forming opposing curved surfaces along the length of the protrusion, the opposing flat surfaces alternating with the opposing curved surfaces around a circumference of the protrusion;
providing the tray table with at least one tray table arm, the at least one tray table arm comprising an aperture, the aperture sized larger than a greatest distance between the opposing flat surfaces along the length of the protrusion, and sized smaller than a distance between the opposing curved surfaces along the length of the protrusion;
aligning the aperture with the opposing flat surfaces of the protrusion;
displacing the aperture past the protrusion; and
rotating the aperture away from the opposing flat surfaces of the protrusion,
wherein the projection is unitary to the protrusion.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising securing the at least one tray table arm with a down stop pin.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising securing the at least one tray table arm with a fastener.

Assignees

• Zodiac Seats Us Llc

Inventors

• Stewart Christopher D
• Parks Eric L
• Allen John D

Classifications

• B64D11/0638 Primary

  with foldable tables, trays or cup holders · CPC title

• A47B5/04

  foldable · CPC title

• A47B5/02

  detachable · CPC title

• Y02T50/46

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B60N3/004 Primary

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