Chairs and seats – Plural related seats
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-21
2003-04-22
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Plural related seats
C297S163000, C297S173000, C108S044000, C292S204000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06550861
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a passenger seat meal tray of the general type used on aircraft passenger seats. Such seats are fitted with meal trays which are fitted to the back of a seat for use by a passenger in a seat immediately aft of the seat on which the tray is fitted. The tray is mounted on legs which permit the tray to be positioned in a use position with tray in a horizontal position and in a stowed position with the tray flush against a rear surface of the seat back. The stowed position the tray is held in place by a rotating latch referred to as a “barndoor” latch, the center of which is housed in a latch plate. The latch plate is retained in the seat back frame with small semi-concealed screws. The seat back includes a cross-member that is designed to be a rigid support for the latch and forms a ledge that protects the top edge of the table in the event of a passenger impact from behind. The seat back is covered with a dress cover which is removable for cleaning purposes. In prior art designs, the ledge formed by the latch plate and the cross-member prevents efficient dress cover installation and removal by requiring removal of these components. Ideally, the dress cover should be able to be removed and replaced quickly and without tools.
The present invention provides a simple yet robust design which makes dress cover removal and replacement more efficient while still protecting the meal tray against damage from passenger impact.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a passenger seat meal tray, the latch portion of which is quickly and easily removable from the seat back.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat meal tray, the latch portion of which is removable from the seat back without tools.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat meal tray which presents a clean, uncluttered appearance.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat meal tray which protects the latching mechanism of the meal tray from accidental passenger impact and damage or release.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a passenger seat meal tray latch assembly, comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart latch plates for being secured to a surface of a seat back of a passenger seat directly above a meal tray stowage position, a cross-member for being positioned laterally across the surface of the seat back and locked to the seat back by releasable connection to the pair of latch plates, a latch mounted on the cross-member and movable between a retracted position for permitting the meal tray to be moved into and out of its stowage position and an extended position for latching the meal tray to the seat back.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of pins cooperates with respective latch plates and the cross-member for retaining the cross member on the seat back.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the pair of pins are carried by the cross-member and include springs for maintaining the pins in a normally extended locking position with the cross-member locked to the latch plates.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross-member is adapted for being positioned on the seat back over a dress cover portion.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross-member includes a recess in an outer surface thereof, and the latch is positioned within in the recess.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch comprises a rotatable latching member mounted for rotation on a pin positioned adjacent one end thereof and mounted to the cross-member, the extended position of the latch being with the latching member extending downwardly from the cross-member into interfering relation with a top edge of the meal tray and the retracted position being with the latching member extending laterally to one side of the pin in non-interfering relation with the top edge of the meal tray.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the meal tray includes an upper edge which is adapted for cooperating with the latch, the meal tray being mounted on the passenger seat and movable between a stowage position flush against the surface of the seat back with the latch maintaining the meal tray in the stowage position, and a use position with the meal tray in a lowered position forward of a passenger seated behind the seat back.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a passenger seat is provided, comprising a ladder frame assembly including a leg for being attached to a supporting surface, a seat bottom assembly carried by the ladder frame assembly, a seat back carried by the ladder frame assembly, and a meal tray carried by the passenger seat for being used by a passenger seated aft of the passenger seat. The passenger seat also comprises a pair of laterally spaced-apart latch plates for being secured to a surface of a seat back of a passenger seat directly above a meal tray stowage position, a cross-member for being positioned laterally across the surface of the seat back and locked to the seat back by releasable connection to the pair of latch plates, and a latch mounted on the cross-member and movable between a retracted position for permitting the meal tray to be into and out of its stowage position and an extended position for latching the meal tray to the surface of the seat back.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a passenger seat is provided, comprising a ladder frame assembly including a leg for being attached to a supporting surface, a seat bottom assembly carried by the ladder frame assembly, and a seat back carried by the ladder frame assembly. A dress cover covers a seat back cushion assembly and seat back frame portions of the seat back. A meal tray is carried by the ladder frame assembly for being used by a passenger seated aft of the passenger seat, and a meal tray latch assembly. The meal tray latch assembly comprises a pair of laterally spaced-apart latch plates for being secured to a surface of a seat back of a passenger seat directly above a meal tray stowage position. A cross-member for being positioned laterally across the surface of the seat back and locked to the seat back by releasable connection to the pair of latch plates, and a latch mounted on the cross-member and movable between a retracted position for permitting the meal tray to be moved into and out of its stowage position and an extended position for latching the meal tray to the surface of the seat back.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of pins cooperates with respective latch plates and the cross-member for retaining the cross member on the seat back.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4511178 (1985-04-01), Brennan
patent: 4726621 (1988-02-01), Muller
patent: 5169209 (1992-12-01), Beroth
patent: 5340059 (1994-08-01), Kanigowski
patent: 5547247 (1996-08-01), Dixon
patent: 5695240 (1997-12-01), Luria
patent: 6102452 (2000-08-01), Liau
Adams, Schwartz & Evans P.A.
B E Aerospace, Inc.
Cuomo Peter M.
Garrett Erika
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