Patent ID: 6669143
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: B64D

Abstract:
A passenger seat movable from an upright to a recline position without encroaching on an aft-seated passenger, comprising:(a) a seat base for being attached to a supporting surface; and (b) a unitary seating element, comprising: (i) a pair of laterally spaced-apart seat frames carried by the seat base, each of said seat frames defining a curved shape corresponding to the profile of an anatomically-appropriate seat bottom and seat back; (ii) a pair of spaced-apart, curved, semi-rigid diaphragm supports carried by respective seat frames in alignment with the curved shape of the seat frames and mounted for movement relative to the seat frames between a first, upright position and a second, reclined position; and (iii) a diaphragm positioned under tension between the diaphragm supports for providing a continuous seat bottom and seat back support surface for a seat occupant.