Convertible aircraft passenger seat and method

The subject matter disclosed herein is related to U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/296,628 filed concurrently herewith (Atty. Dkt. No. 4439-41), the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to the field of aircraft interiors, and specifically to passenger seats that may be employed in an aircraft interior environment. In especially preferred forms, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to aircraft interior seats that may be converted into a fully reclined condition so as to form a passenger bed when paired with a similar seat.

It is desirable to provide aircraft passengers with safe and comfortable seating during flight. It also especially may be desirable to allow a passenger to recline fully horizontal so as to provide the passenger with a bedding arrangement that may be employed for rest during prolonged flights. This is particularly true with respect to long distance general aviation aircraft having customized interiors to suit a particular customer\'s desires.

According to some implementations of the subject matter disclosed herein, an aircraft seat is provided which is relatively easily convertible to a fully reclined (i.e., substantially horizontal) condition. When paired back-to-back with a similar aircraft seat, therefore, a passenger may be provided with a bedding option.

Aircraft seats are provided which may be convertible between a seating condition and a bedding condition. According to exemplary embodiments, aircraft seats comprise a seat bottom, a seat back, and a pair of arm rests positioned laterally with respect to the seat bottom, the seat back being mounted to the seat bottom for pivotal movements between an upright position (wherein the seat back extends vertically upwardly relative to the seat bottom) and a reclined position (wherein the seat back extends substantially horizontally relative to the seat bottom), and each of arm rests being coupled to the seat back and the seat bottom so as to be moveable between raised and lowered positions in response to the seat back being pivoted from the upright position to the reclined position, respectively. Each of the arm rests may define an upper surface which is in a downwardly sloped disposition when the arm rest is in the raised position thereof and is in a substantially horizontal disposition when the arm rest is in the lowered position thereof. In this manner, the arm rests may be moved to a more comfortable disposition when the aircraft seat is converted from a seating condition to a bedding condition.

The arm rests in some embodiments will include an internal supporting cantilever bracket having a rigidly fixed rearward end and extending upwardly and forwardly between the rearward end and a forward end thereof. A linkage bar may be provided which is pivotally connected at a distal end thereof to the forward end of the cantilever bracket and is connected at a proximal end thereof to the seat back to allow for rectilinear sliding movements therebetween. Each side of the seat back may therefore include a slide mechanism. The proximal end of the linkage bar may thus be connected to the slide mechanism to allow for the rectilinear sliding movements therebetween. In some embodiments, each side of the seat back may include a fixed position slide boss whereby each slide mechanism is slidably coupled to a respective slide boss to allow for rectilinear sliding movements therebetween.

The aircraft seats most preferably comprise a base having a support plate for supporting the seat bottom, the support plate being adapted for swiveled mounting to a floor of an aircraft, as well as forward and rearward positioning.

The aircraft seats most preferably comprise a base having a support plate for supporting the seat bottom, the support plate being adapted for swiveled mounting to a floor of an aircraft, as well as forward and rearward positioning.

The aircraft seats most preferably comprise a base having a support plate for supporting the seat bottom, the support plate being adapted for swiveled mounting to a floor of an aircraft, as well as forward and rearward positioning.

A pair of adjacent aircraft seats may be provided so as to be convertible between a seating condition to a bedding condition. Each seat will preferably comprise a seat bottom, a seat back, and a pair of arm rests positioned laterally with respect to the seat bottom, wherein the seat back is mounted to the seat bottom for pivotal movements between an upright position wherein the seat back extends vertically upwardly relative to the seat bottom and a reclined position wherein the seat back extends substantially horizontally relative to the seat bottom, and wherein each of the arm rests is coupled to the seat back and the seat bottom so as to be moveable between raised and lowered positions in response to the seat back being pivoted from the upright position to the reclined position, respectively. The pair of aircraft seats may thus be convertible between a seating condition, wherein each of the seat backs is in the upright position to allow a passenger to be seated thereon, and a bedding condition, wherein each of the seat backs is in a reclined position such that upper ends of the seat backs are oriented in an end-to-end manner so as to allow a passenger to be reclined thereon.

According to other aspects, a method of converting a pair of aircraft seats to a bedding arrangement is provided. According to an exemplary method, a pair of adjacent aircraft seats is provided, wherein each seat comprises a seat bottom, a seat back, and a pair of arm rests positioned laterally with respect to the seat bottom, wherein the seat back is mounted to the seat bottom for pivotal movements between an upright position wherein the seat back extends vertically upwardly relative to the seat bottom and a reclined position wherein the seat back extends substantially horizontally relative to the seat bottom, and wherein each of the arm rests is coupled to the seat back and the seat bottom so as to be moveable between raised and lowered positions in response to the seat back being pivoted from the upright position to the reclined position, respectively. The seats are swiveled so that each seat is in a back-to-back orientation with respect to one another. The seat backs of each seat may thus be moved from the upright position to the reclined position thereof such that upper ends of the seat backs are oriented in an end-to-end manner so as to allow a passenger to be reclined thereon. According to certain embodiments, the seat backs comprise removable head rests, in which case the head rests are removed to allow for end-to-end positioning thereof when in the reclined position. Each of the arm rests preferably defines an upper surface which may be oriented in a downwardly sloped disposition when the arm rest is in the raised position thereof and oriented in a substantially horizontal disposition when the arm rest is in the lowered position thereof.

These and other features and advantages will be better and more completely understood by referring to the following detailed description of exemplary non-limiting illustrative implementations in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary non-limiting illustrative implementation of the herein disclosed subject matter will be further explained by reference to the drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of an aircraft seat in accordance with an implementation of the invention;

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Armrest with cup-holder
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Seating element and seating system
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Chairs and seats

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