Chairs and seats – Rest for knee – leg – or foot – Connected to chair or seat for relative movement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-15
2001-07-31
Nelson, Jr., Milton (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Rest for knee, leg, or foot
Connected to chair or seat for relative movement
C297S423260
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267445
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a leg rest for a seat, notably for an aircraft.
It is well known that certain seats are provided with a foot rest for the comfort of the user. Seats are also known comprising leg rests, notably seats for aircrafts or rest seats, for improving comfort whilst providing support for the calves of the user.
At the present time, however, there are no seats provided with devices allowing simple and convenient adjustment of such a leg rest.
The present invention aims to remedy this drawback.
To this end, the object of the invention is a leg rest for a seat, notably for an aircraft, characterised by the fact that it comprises:
a body having a generally flat support surface;
pivoting means for mounting the body so as to pivot about the front edge of the seat squab, so that the surface of the seat squab and the support surface of the body form a dihedron with variable angles;
extension means able to move from a retracted position to unfolded positions in order to extend the body adjustably on its side opposite the pivoting means;
a roller shutter; and
guidance means for deploying the roller shutter when the movable extension means are unfolded so that the flap comes in line with the support surface of the body of the leg rest.
Thus the body of the leg rest and the extension means behave like telescopic elements enabling the length of the leg rest to be varied.
During this variation in length, the surface of the roller shutter extends the support surface of the body of the leg rest in order to adapt it to the length of the legs of the user.
It will be observed that it is not necessarily the extension means which, when they are extended, cause the deployment of the roller shutter. It can on the contrary be the roller shutter which controls the movements of the extension means.
It will also be observed that the support surface of the body of the leg rest can consist of a fixed part of the roller shutter.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the movable extension means form a frame substantially in a U-shape, with the base of the U substantially parallel to the bottom of the seat squab and directed, with respect to the body of the leg rest, in the direction opposite the seat squab.
Also in a particular embodiment, the roller shutter comprises a plurality of slats articulated on each other.
These slats can be produced from a profiled section made of light alloy or by extrusion of plastics material.
Also in a particular embodiment, the guidance means comprise guide tracks arranged to cooperate with guidance members disposed laterally on the roller shutter.
More particularly, the slats can be hollow and the guide members can form end plugs for the slats.
More particularly also, the guidance members can be friction members with a longitudinal section substantially in the shape of knucklebones.
It should be noted that the latter characteristic, facilitating the passage of the roller shutter in curves, can be used in any kind of roller shutter, whatever its application.
Any suitable means can be provided for the articulation of the slats, but provision is preferably made to nest them so that they are articulated on each other by means of cooperating transverse ribs, cylindrical and concentric.
More particularly, the axes of the ribs can be situated in the external support plane of the slats.
The latter arrangements for the articulation of the slats can also be implemented in any roller shutter, independently of its use.
In a particular embodiment, one of the longitudinal ends of the roller shutter is fixed with respect to the body of the leg rest, close to the edge of the leg rest opposite the seat squab, the roller shutter being arranged to be deployed as from this end.
More particularly, the roller shutter can be stored under the body of the leg rest with each of its lateral edges engaged in a guidance track substantially in a U-shape fixed to the movable extension means, the base of the U being directed with respect to the body of the leg rest in the direction opposite the seat squab.
In another particular embodiment, one of the longitudinal ends of the roller shutter is fixed with respect to the movable extension means, the roller shutter being arranged so as to be deployed between this end and the edge of the leg rest opposite the seat squab.
In this last embodiment, the roller shutter can be stored underneath the body of the leg rest with each of its lateral edges engaged in a guidance track substantially in a U shape fixed to the body of the leg rest, the base of the U being directed with respect to the body of the leg rest on the same side as the seat squab.
Also in this last embodiment, the roller shutter can as a variant be stored partially under the body of the leg rest and partly under the seat squab, with each of its lateral edges engaged in a guidance track fixed partly to the body of the leg rest and partly to the seat squab.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the leg rest comprises connecting means for connecting the body of the leg rest and the extension means.
The connection means can more particularly comprise a rod, one end of which is fixed to the extension means, and means of locking the rod fixed to the body of the leg rest.
Advantageously, the locking means comprise two articulated locking members provided with passage holes for the rod, and elastic means arranged to put the passage holes out of alignment.
In a particular embodiment, the leg rest according to the invention comprises complementary runners fixed respectively to the body of the leg rest and the movable extension means, for a relative movement of the body of the leg rest and the movable extension means.
Also in a particular embodiment, return means are provided for returning the movable extension means to their retracted position.
These return means can notably comprise at least one elastic cable, one end of which is fixed to the body of the leg rest and the other end of which is fixed to the extension means.
More particularly, at least one pulley can be provided, which is fixed to the extension means and through which the elastic cable passes.
Another object of the invention is an aircraft seat comprising a leg rest as described above.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5352020 (1994-10-01), Wade et al.
patent: 5588708 (1996-12-01), Rykken et al.
patent: 2 744 075 (1997-08-01), None
Jr. Milton Nelson
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Safran David S.
Societe Industrielle et Commerciale De Materiel Aeronautique
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