Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Fuselage and body construction
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-21
2002-11-12
Swiatek, Robert P. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Fuselage and body construction
C297S216140
Reexamination Certificate
active
06478256
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a passenger seat, or “seating unit”, such as an aircraft passenger seat, with a breakover assembly. By the term “breakover” is meant the ability of the seat back of the seating unit to pivot forwardly past its normal upright position under predefined circumstances to a position where the seat back rests adjacent the seat bottom.
Aircraft passenger seats must be designed and constructed according to government regulations and aircraft manufacturer specifications. Virtually every aspect of seat design is thus constrained by requirements imposed by safety, weight and expense considerations. Within these limits the seat must also be aesthetically pleasing, comfortable to the seat occupant, and functional for the seat occupant as well as airline maintenance, repair and cleaning crews.
Main cabin, or “coach” class seats are typically constructed with a seat bottom chassis formed from two or more leg modules and section assembly modules joined together by several beam elements which connect the leg modules and section assembly modules in spaced-apart relation to each other, and collectively form a ladder frame assembly. A seat bottom unit is mounted on the ladder frame assembly. The seat bottom unit is usually stationary. A seat back unit is pivotally-mounted between two of the section assembly modules so that the angle of the seat back unit can be controlled for reasons of comfort, safety and passenger ingress and egress past the rear of the seat. Because of the relatively short pitch between rows of seats, the normal range of movement of the seat back unit is relatively small. The degree of rearward, recline movement is constrained by the position of the rearward row of seats and the requirement to leave the passenger seated behind a particular seat with sufficient room to enter and exit his own and use the meal tray. The degree of forward movement of the seat back unit is limited to a position where the passenger is in a forwardmost “upright” position for take-off and landings, and for meal service.
Passenger seats are designed whereby the seat back unit will not move beyond these positions under normal circumstances. However, provision must also be made for the abnormal situation where severe G-force loads are directed against the seat back unit. In such cases, the seat back must be allowed to “breakover” in a controlled manner in order to minimize damage to the seat and injury to a rear-seated passenger who may be thrown against the seat back during an emergency event.
As used herein, “normal” load refers to those loads which are normally applied to the seat back during normal use, and includes loads imposed by passengers pushing or leaning on the seat back unit during ingress and egress, and minor rear impacts such as may occur during hard landings or “short” stops upon landing. As used herein, “abnormal” load refers to any load in excess of a normal load and as specified in government regulations or aircraft manufacturer specifications. These requirements are well-known to all aircraft seat manufacturers. In general, such abnormal loads may be in the range of 16 G's.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a passenger seat with a breakover assembly which permits the seat back unit of the seat to “breakover” into a position against the seat bottom unit upon the occurrence of a specified abnormal G-force load event.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat with a breakover assembly which reduces damage to the seat during application of an abnormal load.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat with a breakover assembly which reduces injury to a passenger seated aft of the seat.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat with a breakover assembly which can be quickly and easily replaced after an abnormal G-force event.
It is another object of the invention to provide a passenger seat with a breakover assembly which does not interfere with normal seat use and operation.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a passenger seat having a seat back breakover assembly, comprising a seat bottom chassis including a plurality of leg modules and a plurality of section assembly modules. A plurality of beam elements carries the leg modules and section assembly modules in spaced-apart relation to each other to define a ladder frame assembly. A seat back unit is pivotally-mounted between two of the section assembly modules for permitting the angle of the seat back relative to the seat bottom chassis to be varied as desired by the passenger. A recline unit is provided for controlling movement of the seat back and locking the seat back in a desired recline position. A breakover assembly is provided for preventing movement of the seat back unit forwardly past an upright position during normal use and for permitting forward movement of the seat back past an upright position in response to a predetermined abnormal load applied in a forward direction. The breakover assembly includes a controlled deformation member having a bend in one end thereof and positioned intermediate one of the section assembly modules and the seat back unit. The bend of the deformation member captures therein an attachment member fixed to and movable forwardly and rearwardly in unison with the seat back unit. An end of the deformation member remote from the bend is restrained for restricted and controlled movement relative to the section assembly module. The deformation member has a resistance to deformation in response to a normal forwardly-applied force sufficient to prevent forward movement of the seat back unit beyond the upright position. The deformation member is deformable in response to an abnormal forwardly-applied force along its length whereby the bend in the deformation member is translated rearwardly along the length of the deformation member to thereby dissipate the abnormal force without damage to the seat back unit.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the controlled deformation member comprises a steel wire.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the deformation member is restrained in a quadrant assembly stationarily-mounted on the section assembly module.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the deformation member has an enlarged head on the end thereof defining the bend, and further wherein the quadrant assembly includes an elongate slot therein for receiving the deformation member with an enlarged recess communicating with the slot and receiving and capturing the enlarged head of the deformation member for locking the enlarged head in a fixed stationary position relative to the section assembly module.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the quadrant includes a shear recess therein for receiving a pin with a sacrificial, breakable bushing positioned thereon. The recess is dimensioned to allow the pin to pass out of the recess upon breakage of the bushing positioned thereon upon an initial phase of the abnormal forward movement of the seat back unit to provide initial resistance to the forward movement of the seat back unit.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the quadrant includes an outer surface for supporting thereon the metallic wire rearwardly of the bend therein, and a retainer bracket for maintaining the metallic wire against the outer surface of the quadrant.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the attachment member is positioned in the bend of the wire and comprises a roller mounted on a pin fixed to the seat back unit.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention includes a fluid cylinder assembly pivotally-mounted by a first end thereof to a section assembly module of the seat and by an opposite second end thereof to the seat back unit. The cyli
Adams, Schwartz & Evans P.A.
B E Aerospace, Inc.
LandOfFree
Passenger seat with seat back breakover assembly and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Passenger seat with seat back breakover assembly and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Passenger seat with seat back breakover assembly and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2919791