| Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat -> Monitor Keywords |
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Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seatLocking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070145791, Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001]The invention relates to a locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first and a second tray table part that can be moved around swivel axes, different from one another, between horizontal use positions and non-use or stowed positions. [0002]Of course, in seats that are provided for passenger service in means of transport, attempts are made to provide additional elements on the seat that afford additional comfort for the seat occupant. This applies in particular in seats that are suitable for extended travel periods, for example in ferries or in particular passenger aircraft. With respect to this, it is prior art to provide tray table parts that can pivot, which, brought into their use position, can be used, for example, as a dining tray table table, or, with smaller tray table surfaces, can form a stand for drinks as a so-called cocktail tray table table. [0003]To ensure a reliable and trouble-free handling of tray table parts in such tray table systems, as well as to secure an appropriate tray table part in a certain position or use position from pivoting, the possibility of locking the tray table parts must be provided. [0004]With respect to this, the object of the invention is to make available a locking device that is distinguished by an especially simple type of design. [0005]According to the invention, this object is achieved by a locking device that has the features specified in claim 1 in its entirety. [0006]In that, as specified in the characterizing part of claim 1, both tray table parts are assigned closing parts that can be adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which they close to keep them from raising a tray table part, said tray table parts can be secured especially simply and reliably in their use position. [0007]The locking device according to the invention is suitable especially in tray table systems in which a first tray table part that is recessed in its stowed position in a shaft of a console that limits the seat to the side can be removed from the console to be moved into the use position and can pivot around an axis that is located on the console and that runs in a direction of travel/flight. By means of the locking device, it is ensured in such tray table systems that the tray table part, which is provided, for example, as a dining tray table, and which is pulled out upward from the console and then is swung downward into the horizontal use position, is not unintentionally or inadvertently folded upward. [0008]In such seat systems with the shaft located in the seat console, a tray table flap that covers the shaft of the console in the use position and releases the shaft in the non-use position can be provided as a second tray table part and can be pivoted around an axis, which is located parallel to the axis of the first tray table part and offset with respect to the console against the center of the console. [0009]In addition, the configuration can be designed such that the first tray table part between a first use position, in which it is oriented to the shaft of the console, is adjacent to the lateral edge of the tray table flap in the use position, and, forming a lateral extension of the tray table surface, can be moved forward along this lateral edge in the direction of travel/flight into the second use position. Such a shifting of this tray table part, the dining tray table, can be used for the purpose of combining this tray table part with another additional tray table part, which can be folded down, for example, from the rear of the seatback of the next front seat in the horizontal position. The combination of the dining tray table with this additional tray table part that is supported by the front seat makes it possible to make available to the seat occupant an especially large tray table surface as a working surface. [0010]In such systems, it is especially important, by means of the pertinent locking device, to ensure that the tray table part that can move forward, the dining tray table, can only be raised and pivoted upward when it is located in its rear starting position that is not moved forward, the first use position. With respect to this, in an especially advantageous embodiment of the locking device according to the invention, the configuration is designed such that the closing parts assigned to the tray table parts based on the moving of the first tray table part (the dining tray table) from its first use position can be adjusted relative to one another in their active position. Thus, it is ensured that the first tray table part can be swiveled upward only in the position that is aligned with the shaft of the console. [0011]The first tray table part can be pivot-mounted on a support arm on the console for its shifting movement between the first use position and the second use positions that were moved forward, whereby the closing part that is assigned to the first tray table part is mounted below the tray table surface of the first tray table part on the support arm and can be moved between the active position and the inactive position. [0012]This closing part can be a locking element that is pivot-mounted, configured between the support arm and the underside of the first tray table part, and that, when pivoted to a position corresponding to the active position, works with a second closing part forming a seat that is provided on the tray table flap to form a closure. [0013]In an especially advantageous way, in this connection, a carrier element that projects in the direction toward the support arm can be provided on the underside of the first tray table part, and said carrier element, when the first tray table part is moved out from the first use position, moves the locking element back into the active position, and during retraction into the first use position moves the locking element back into the inactive position. As a result, the control of the locking device is virtually automatic by the moving forward of the first tray table part activating the locking and by the locking device being inactivated, i.e., the closing state being ended, when retracting this tray table part into the use position. [0014]Below, the invention will be explained in more detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawing. Here: [0015]FIG. 1, in a perspective oblique view, shows a partial view of the center console of an aircraft passenger seat and a seatback portion of an adjacent front seat; [0016]FIG. 2 shows a perspective oblique view of the tray table systems, shown on an enlarged scale compared to FIG. 1, that are mounted between two adjacent aircraft passenger seats on a central carrier plate of a center console, whereby only the essential components of the tray table systems can be seen without linings and other structures of the console; [0017]FIG. 3 shows a view similar to FIG. 2, with, however, a first tray table part from the console being depicted pulled out upward; [0018]FIG. 4 shows a cutaway and diagrammatically simplified perspective oblique view of only one portion of the center console with tray table parts located therein in the use position; [0019]FIG. 5 shows a view similar to FIG. 4, with, however, a tray table part from the first use position shown in FIG. 4 being moved out in the direction of flight into a second use position, and [0020]FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatically simplified perspective oblique view in which the closing parts of the locking device between tray table parts are illustrated according to another embodiment of the invention. [0021]FIG. 1 shows the above section of a center console 1 between two adjacent aircraft passenger seats that are not shown in the drawing. A tray table system is assigned to each side of the center console 1, i.e., to each of the two adjacent seats, from which a first tray table part in the form of a dining tray table 3 as well as a second tray table part in the form of a tray table flap 5 that forms an above-mentioned cocktail tray table are shown in FIG. 1. Of the tray table system corresponding to the next seat, only the tray table flap 5 can be seen in FIG. 1. The tray table part that forms the dining tray table 3 in FIG. 1 is in its first, horizontal use position in which the dining tray table 3 is relative to the center console 1 in a position that is oriented to a vertical shaft that is located in the center console 1, in which the dining tray table 3 drops and therefore can be stowed. For the respective dining tray table 3 on each side of the center console 1, in each case a shaft is provided, whereby the two shafts are separated from one another by a carrier plate 7 that is central in the center console 1, see FIG. 2. The latter FIG. 2 shows the dining tray tables 3 of the two adjacent seats in their non-use position, i.e., in the stowed position in the respective shaft. [0022]As later explained in more detail, the dining tray table 3 can be moved forward from the first use position shown in FIG. 1 in the direction of flight indicated with arrow 9, so that it adjoins an edge 13 of an additional tray table 15 in another use position with its front edge 11. Said additional tray table can be pivoted from a stowed position located in the rear of the seatback of an adjacent front seat into the horizontal position shown pulled out in FIG. 1, as indicated with bent arrow 19. After moving the dining tray table 3 forward, the edges 11 and 13 can be connected to one another, for example by a snap connection or by means of tongues and grooves or the like, such that dining tray table 3 and additional tray table 15 make available to the aircraft passenger a large working surface. [0023]FIGS. 2 and 3 show the vertical inner carrier plate 7, which, in the center console 1, separates the two adjacent shafts for receiving the dining tray table 3. The respective dining tray table is mounted on a support arm 21, which in turn can pivot on an articulated support 23 around a swivel axis 25. The swivel axis 25 runs horizontally and in the lengthwise direction of the seat, i.e., in the direction of flight. [0024]The articulated support 23 can be moved corresponding to the double arrow 27 (FIG. 3) to make it possible to pull out the dining tray table 3 from the shaft of the center console. For this purpose, the articulated support 23 can move vertically on the solid carrier plate 7 along vertical dovetail guides 29, in which guide elements 31 engage. The dining tray table 3 in turn also has dovetail guides 33, in which guide elements 35 engage, which project from the support arm 21 (see FIG. 4) and make possible the shifting movement of the dining tray table in the direction of the double arrow 37. Continue reading about Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat... Full patent description for Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat 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 Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Juvenile high chair Next Patent Application: Retractable canopy Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.14451 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Tyco , Unilever , Warner-lambert , 3m 174 |
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