Patent ID: 6742842
Filing Date: 2004-06-01
Classification: B64D

Abstract:
A passenger seat with privacy shell, comprising:(a) a seat base; (b) a scat bottom carried by the seat base; (c) a seat back unit, including a headrest, pivotally-mounted on the seat base, wherein the seat back is mounted for pivotal movement about a first pivot at a first rate of movement; (d) a recline unit for controlling movement of the seat back and locking the seat back in a desired recline position, and comprising an occupant-activated seat back recline control for permitting movement of the seat back to a desired position to and between an upright position and a recline position; (e) a privacy shell positioned on opposing lateral sides of the scat back unit, wherein the privacy shell is concentrically mounted for movement about the first pivot at a second rate movement different from the first rate of movement, the privacy shell extending around the seat back unit and mounted for movement between: (i) a retracted position aft of a passenger support surface of the headrest wherein the shell permits unimpeded lateral vision by the passenger seated in the seat; and (ii) a deployed position forward of the passenger support surface of the headrest wherein the shell impedes lateral observation of the passenger seated in the seat, thereby providing privacy when desired by the passenger.