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Articulated spacecraft seat and stretcherArticulated spacecraft seat and stretcher description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060186717, Articulated spacecraft seat and stretcher. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates generally to seating for the crew of an aircraft or spacecraft and more particularly to an articulated seat having multiple configurations including a stretcher. BACKGROUND ART [0003] Advancements in space travel have made manned space flights more realistic for a larger variety of people. In the past, space missions had crewmember sizes that were much more generic. It is no longer true that all of the crewmembers are relatively the same size and weight. In space travel today and as it is expected to change in the future, crewmembers are becoming more varied and people of many shapes and sizes need to be accommodated. Crew seats need to conform to crew sizes ranging from the smallest possible, for example a 5.sup.th percentile Japanese female in shirt sleeves, to the largest possible, such as a 95.sup.th percentile American male in an inflated space suit. [0004] Crewmember comfort is of course a concern. But other practical considerations in seat design are also a concern. Typically, spacecraft seats are one-size-fits-all without any consideration for the size of the crewmember, the configuration of the seat for take-off, in-flight, and landing situations. Also, there has been a lack of any consideration for a crewmember that may be injured during the space flight mission. So while the crew has become more varied, the missions themselves are also more flexible. There may be a need to change crewmembers during the mission, as when dropping off and picking up crew from a remote location, such as a space station. Furthermore, it may become necessary during the mission to pick up and store additional cargo. Fixed seating configurations may prevent the possibility of storing excess cargo. [0005] There is a need for a crew seat that has the capability of adjusting to several configurations and body sizes for various phases of the space flight and any potential changes during the flight such as changes to the crew, any injuries that may occur to a crewmember during the mission and the flexibility to easily adjust, stow, or remove seats to accommodate extra cargo. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] An adjustable seat will provide multiple seat configurations for crewmembers of varying sizes and an articulated seat will adjust for changes in cargo. The seat can be adjusted in size and articulated in configuration such that it is positioned in any one of several different configurations, including a stretcher configuration. The seat allows for varying crew sizes, the size of each of the crewmembers, as well as mission changes, such as cargo transport or emergency return of an injured crewmember. A wide variety of seat sizes and configurations can be accommodated on a single spacecraft during a single flight mission. [0007] The seat has multiple sliding panels that are connected in a movable fashion, such as by a basic tongue-in-groove configuration. The shoulder height, thigh length, calf length and armrest height of the seat are all adjustable by sliding the panels in relation to each other. The seat is capable of being articulated in any configuration from folded for stowing to fully extended for use as a stretcher. The seat is easily removable from the frame and/or the vehicle. The seat can be removed in its folded configuration or in any of its size configurations. Furthermore, the seat can be easily removed with a crewmember in the seat, should the need ever arise for a rescue crew to rapidly remove the crewmember without disturbing the body position of the injured crewmember. [0008] Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the description that follows, and may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] In order that the invention may be well understood, there will now be described some embodiments thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat in a maximum size configuration. [0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat in a minimum size configuration. [0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seat in a folded, stowed configuration. [0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the seat in a fully extended configuration. BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [0014] FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively show the seat assembly 10 in a maximum seat configuration and a minimum seat configuration. The seat assembly 10 has a frame 11 that supports multiple interconnected panel elements 12. The panel elements 12 are slidably adjustable with respect to each adjoining panel and lock in place in order to adjust and fix the size of various elements of the seat. The seat has an upper back panel 14 and a lower back panel 16 to define the seat back assembly. A headrest 18 is attached to the upper back panel 14. The seat has a rear seat panel 20 and a front seat panel 22 to define a seat bottom assembly. The seat back assembly and the seat bottom assembly are attached between to two members of the frame 11. [0015] The seat back assembly and seat bottom assembly each have one panel that is fixed to the frame 11 in a predetermined area. One panel of each assembly is slidably adjustable with respect to the fixed panel. For example, the shoulder height of the seat back assembly is adjustable by sliding an upper back panel 14 with respect to a lower back panel 16. The lower back panel 16 remains fixed in the frame 11. Making adjustments to the shoulder height also adjusts the height of the headrest 18 with respect to seat panels 20 and 22. Likewise, the seat can be adjusted for a variety of thigh lengths by slidably adjusting a front seat panel 22 with respect to a rear seat panel 20. The rear seat panel 20 remains fixed relative to the frame 11 and remains fixed in its position to the lower seat back panel 14. [0016] In a similar manner, the seat has a lower leg panel 26 and a footrest 24 that are slidably engaged with each other. These panels 24, 26 are not engaged to the frame 11. The lower leg panel 26 is hinged to the front seat panel 22 of the seat bottom assembly. A variety of calf lengths can be accommodated by adjusting the footrest 24 with respect to the lower leg panel 26 and the hinged lower leg panel can be adjusted to any angle between being perpendicular to the front seat panel 22, and completely aligned with the front seat panel 22 (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). [0017] The armrests 28 are attached to the frame members 11. The armrests 28 are adjustable to different heights along the frame 11 as by slots 29 (see FIG. 2) and shown between FIGS. 1 and 2 in an upper most and lower most configurations. It should be noted that any variation or modification in between the two size configuration extremes shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is understood to be easily accommodated by adjusting the slidable panels and locking them in place. [0018] The panels are locked in place once they are positioned in the desired configurations. There are several ways known to one of ordinary skill in the art in which to slide the panels and hold the slidable panels in the desired configuration and those methods are not shown herein. For example, the panels may be slidable using a tongue-in-groove configuration between two adjacent panels, and then locked in place using a detent or a ball/pinion locking mechanism. Another example may be retractable guides with locking pins. It should be understood that the examples provided herein are not intended to limit the adjustable/locking mechanism of the present invention, but are merely provided as examples of types of mechanisms that may be used to implement the adjustability of the present invention and one skilled in the art could substitute any one of several possibilities to accomplish this aspect of the present invention. [0019] The seat itself is fully articulated so that it can be adjusted in a variety of configurations. The seat bottom assembly is hinged 17 with respect to the frame 11 members. Likewise, the lower leg panel 26 is hinged 15 with respect to the front seat bottom panel 22 and the footrest 24 is hinged 19 as well. [0020] FIG. 3 shows the seat 10 in a fully folded, and stowed configuration. The hinges 15, 17, and 19, or articulating joints, allow the panels to be folded upon each other to stow the seat, or easily remove it from the attachment points. The footrest 24 collapses upon itself at its hinge 19. The footrest is slidably adjusted to its smallest configuration relative to the lower leg panel, not shown in FIG. 3, and the lower leg panel 26 and footrest 24 are folded at the hinge 15 of the lower leg panel 26. The entire footrest 24 and lower leg panel 26 are folded onto the rear seat bottom panel 20 which has the front seat bottom panel 22 in its minimum configuration as well. The seat bottom panel 20 is then folded up against the seat back panels, which are also in their minimum configuration relative to each other. Only the upper seat back panel 14 is shown in FIG. 3. For complete stowing the armrests are removed. The armrest slot 29 is visible in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 additionally shows a means for supporting and locking the slidably engaged panels for the front and rear seat panels 20 and 22. An extendable rod mechanism 30 is shown that telescopes out to extendably support and lock the panels in the maximum seat configuration, and retracts in to support and lock the panels in a seat configuration between the maximum and minimum configurations. The rod is shown fully retracted in FIG. 3 and fully extended in FIG. 4. In the fully folded configuration shown in FIG. 3, the seat is compact and provides increased room on the vehicle, such as may be necessary for added cargo or to accommodate a need for additional room in which to conduct experiments or the like. Continue reading about Articulated spacecraft seat and stretcher... Full patent description for Articulated spacecraft seat and stretcher Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Articulated spacecraft seat and stretcher patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Articulated spacecraft seat and stretcher or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Free-standing jumping device Next Patent Application: Reclining and convertible seating furniture with trendelenburg feature Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Articulated spacecraft seat and stretcher patent info. 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