Electronically actuated mechanical cable release for locking gas spring and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9981571-B2
Application number	US-201514666994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A cable release mechanism for a seat of the type having a seat bottom and a seat back adapted to be moved by a lockable gas spring between upright and reclined positions relative to the seat bottom. An electric motor is operatively attached to the gas spring by a cable movable by the motor to move the seat back between the upright and reclined positions, and a switch is electrically connected to the motor for initiating operation of the motor to move the cable. A related method is also disclosed.

First claim

I claim:

1. An aircraft passenger seat including a cable release mechanism for actuating an adjustable feature, comprising:
a mechanical actuator positioned within the aircraft passenger seat and configured to actuate the adjustable feature;
a motor positioned within the aircraft passenger seat proximate the mechanical actuator;
a cable interconnecting the motor and the mechanical actuator;
a switch positioned within the aircraft passenger seat remote from the motor; and
an electrical wire interconnecting the switch and the motor;
wherein the switch is configured to actuate the motor to translate the cable to lock or unlock the mechanical actuator to adjust the adjustable feature; and
wherein the mechanical actuator is a lockable gas spring, and the motor and the lockable gas spring are positioned proximate each other within a seat bottom portion of the aircraft passenger seat and the switch is positioned in an armrest portion of the aircraft passenger seat.

2. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 1 , wherein the cable is contained within a stationary sheath stationarily fixed to a housing of the motor.

3. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is an electrically-powered mechanical switch.

4. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 1 , wherein the motor includes a windlass rotatable by the motor to which the cable is connected.

5. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is an electrically-powered capacitive switch.

6. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is an electrically-powered mechanical switch mounted on an armrest of the aircraft passenger seat.

7. The aircraft passenger seat according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is an electrically-powered capacitive switch mounted on an armrest of the aircraft passenger seat.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Garing Francis Xavier L

Classifications

• Y10T74/18832

  including flexible drive connector [e.g., belt, chain, strand, etc.] · CPC title

• B60N2/231 Primary

  by hydraulic actuators · CPC title

• B60N2/797

  for use as electrical control means, e.g. switches · CPC title

• F16C1/16

  in which the end-piece is guided rectilinearly · CPC title