Abstract:
A frame for a flight passenger seating row having a front support structure and a rear support structure connected by means of at least one seat divider and at least one transverse beam. The seat divider(s) and the transverse beam(s) is/are easily releaseably connected to the front and/or rearsupport structure.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2009/008991 filed Dec. 15, 2009, which designated the United States, and claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(a)-(d) of German Application No. 10 2008 062 113.7 filed Dec. 16, 2008, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a frame for a flight passenger seating row having a front support structure and a rear support structure connected by means of at least one seat divider and at least one transverse beam. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The frame of a flight passenger seat in economy class generally consists of a front support structure and a rear support structure, which are connected together via one or more seat dividers and seat feet to a supporting tube frame. The seat divider subdivides the supporting tube frame into individual seats. In this case, different possibilities are known for securing the individual components to one another. DE 39 18 500 A1 discloses the closest prior art of such a connection. In this application, the rear and front support structures are connected from above via a seat divider. The connection to the rear support structure is carried out, therefore, via a tensioning strap which is wrapped around said connection. In each case, a foot grips from below onto the front and rear support structure. Said foot is connected to a seat rail extending on the floor. In this case, the connection of the front foot to the front support structure is fixed in terms of rotation and the connection of the rear foot to the rear support structure is configured so that a movement about the axis of the rear support structure is permitted. With this construction, a support structure for seats of different widths may be used, but for unplanned modifications, depending on requirements, the design of the above-described connection of the individual components is too complicated. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The object of the present invention is to provide a frame for flight passenger seats and flight passenger seating rows, all possible seating configurations and spacings of the seat feet and seat dividers relative to one another being able to be implemented in a simple manner. 
         [0005]    The object is achieved by the seat divider(s) and the transverse beam(s) being easily releaseably connected to the front and/or rear support structure. 
         [0006]    The support structures are preferably configured in a tubular manner as a support member, which for example has a groove-shaped profile, or as an actual supporting tube. In this case, the inventive idea also encompasses the formation of a support structure made up of two thin tubes which are adjacent or superimposed on top of one another. 
         [0007]    Transverse beams and seat dividers are arranged on these support structures so that they may be displaced along the support structure, at least to a certain extent, but preferably over the entire length. 
         [0008]    According to the design of the support structure, the seat dividers and transverse beams comprise elements which bear fully or partially against the periphery of the support structure. According to the exemplary embodiment, the encompassing of this periphery may be sufficient in order to produce a non-positive and/or frictional clamped connection to the support structure. 
         [0009]    In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the support structures are formed from custom-made extruded profiles. In this case, one support structure has two profile-like convex portions or concave portions, which preferably oppose one another, of which one serves to support the seat divider and the other to support the transverse beam. In this case, the profiles may be formed to the side or above and below on the support structure. The convex portions or concave portions extend preferably, but not necessarily, over the entire length of the support structure. The seat dividers and transverse beams in each case have clamping, complementary elements, corresponding to the associated concave portion or convex portion thereof. Seat dividers and transverse beams may be displaced with the clamping elements to any position along the support structure. 
         [0010]    In other exemplary embodiments, by simply encompassing the periphery or parts thereof it is not possible to achieve a sufficient connection of the transverse beams and seat dividers to the support structure, which is why further elements for securing to the support structure are assigned to the transverse beams and seat dividers. 
         [0011]    In this case, according to a further very preferred exemplary embodiment, the additional elements may be connected via easily releasable connections, such as for example screw connections, to the seat dividers and transverse beams and/or the elements integrally formed thereon, which already partially encompass the support structure. 
         [0012]    Moreover, for securing the seat dividers and transverse beams to the support structures, there is also the possibility of using clamping elements, such as for example clamps or the like. 
         [0013]    In a further preferred exemplary embodiment, in which the support structure is formed from two individual tubes, it is provided to secure the transverse beams to the lower tube and the seat dividers to the upper tube. In adjacent tubes, the association may be made according to the spatial conditions and peripheral components, such as for example cable ducts, storage space or the like. 
         [0014]    In principle, the disclosed connections have the advantage that transverse beams and seat dividers may be attached at the desired points to the support structures, independently of rails or bore holes which are present. As a result, it is possible to attach the seat dividers and transverse beams at any distances from one another. 
         [0015]    It is additionally common to all known exemplary embodiments that transverse beams and seat dividers are applied to the support structure in two planes and/or from two sides. As a result, a specifically two-part connection has the advantage that a certain desired inherent flexibility of the support tube is permitted. This inherent flexibility is evident, particularly advantageously in combination with the seat dividers and seat feet which are formed from half-shells and which are disclosed in German Application Number 10 2008 039 261.8. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Further advantages, features and details of the invention are revealed from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a partially shown frame according to the invention of a row of flight passenger seats; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of an enlarged detail of the frame according to the invention according to  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a partially shown frame according to the invention of a row of flight passenger seats; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of an enlarged detail of the frame according to the invention according to  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a partially shown frame according to the invention of a row of flight passenger seats. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]      FIG. 1  shows parts of a frame  1  according to the invention for flight passenger seats in a row. Said frame  1  has two transverse beams  2 . 1  and  2 . 2 . Seat feet, not shown, are attached thereto. A front support member  3  and a rear support member  4  are fastened to the transverse beams  2 . 1  and  2 . 2 . Attached to the front support member  3  and the rear support member  4  are seat dividers  5 . 1 ,  5 . 2 ,  5 . 3  and  5 . 4  which subsequently receive the seat shells or seat surfaces. 
         [0023]    As shown in enlarged detail in  FIG. 2 , the seat divider  5 . 1  is connected in an upper fastening plane  6  to the front support member  3 . 
         [0024]    To this end, the front support member  3  in its upper region has a rail-shaped profile  7  in which lateral grooves  8 . 1  and  8 . 2  are formed. The rail-shaped profile  7  is encompassed by fastening lugs  9 . 1  and  9 . 2  of the seat divider  5 . 1 . In this case, projections  10 . 1  and  10 . 2 , which are integrally formed on the fastening lugs  9 . 1  and  9 . 2  engage in the lateral grooves  8 . 1  and  8 . 2  of the rail-shaped profile  7  of the front support member  3 . The connection of the further seat dividers  5 . 2  to  5 . 4  to the front support member  3  and the seat dividers  5 . 1  to  5 . 4  to the rear support member  4  takes place in the same manner. 
         [0025]    The transverse beam  2 . 1  is fastened in a lower fastening plane  11  to the support member  3 . To this end, the support member  3  also has on its lower face a rail-shaped profile  7 . 1  with lateral grooves  8 . 3  and  8 . 4  corresponding to the profile  7  on the upper face. Clamps  12 . 1  and  12 . 2  which have projections  10 . 3  and  10 . 4  are integrally formed on the transverse beam  2 . 1 . The clamps  12 . 1  and  12 . 2  encompass the profile  7 . 1  from outside and, therefore, the projections  10 . 3  and  10 . 4  engage in the lateral grooves  8 . 3  and  8 . 4  of the rail-shaped profile  7 . 1 . The connection to the rear support tube  4  and the connection of the transverse beam  2 . 2  to the front and rear support members  3  and  4  takes place in the same manner. 
         [0026]    The operation of the present invention is as follows: 
         [0027]    By the arrangement according to the invention of the transverse beams  2 . 1  and  2 . 2  on the support members  3  and  4  any desired spacing of the transverse beams  2 . 1  and  2 . 2  relative to one another may be set. To this end, the transverse beams  2 . 1  and  2 . 2  are inserted in floor rails with the seat feet arranged thereon, and the support members  3  and  4  then mounted thereon. To this end, initially the support member  3  is pushed with its profile  7 . 1  between the clamps  12 . 1  and  12 . 2  of the transverse beam  2 . 1 . The projections  10 . 3  and  10 . 4  then engage in the lateral grooves  8 . 3  and  8 . 4  of the rail-shaped profile  7 . 1 . The support member  3  is connected to the transverse beam  2 . 2  and also the support member  4  is connected to both transverse beams  2 . 1  and  2 . 2  in the same manner. 
         [0028]    When the transverse beams  2 . 1  and  2 . 2  are fixedly mounted on the support members  3  and  4 , the seat dividers  5 . 1  to  5 . 4  may be mounted at the desired spacing on the support members  3  and  4 . To this end, the fastening lugs  9 . 1  and  9 . 2  are pushed over the profile  7  until the projections  10 . 1  and  10 . 2  engage in the lateral grooves  8 . 1  and  8 . 2  of the profile  7 . 
         [0029]    Naturally, the frame may also be entirely or partially preassembled and then inserted with the seat feet into the corresponding floor rails. 
         [0030]    In a further exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , a frame  1 . 1  according to the invention is also constructed from a transverse beam  2 . 3 , which is shown, and a transverse beam, which is not shown, seat dividers  5 . 8 ,  5 . 5  and a front support member  3 . 1  and a rear support member  4 . 1 . The support members  3 . 1  and  4 . 1  are designed as tubes. In each case, two clamp elements  13 . 1 ,  13 . 2  and/or  13 . 3  and  13 . 4  are integrally formed on the seat dividers  5 . 8  and  5 . 5 . 
         [0031]    For securing the seat dividers  5 . 8  and  5 . 5  to the support members  3 . 1  and  4 . 1 , mating elements  14 . 1  to  14 . 4  are assigned to the clamp elements  13 . 1  to  13 . 4  and connected together via a screw connection, not shown. In this case, the seat dividers  5 . 8  and  5 . 5  may be arranged at any distance from one another. Whilst the mating elements  14 . 1  and  14 . 2  are independent elements, the mating elements  14 . 3  and  14 . 4  are integrally connected to the transverse beam  2 . 3 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  shows a further exemplary embodiment according to the invention of a partial frame  1 . 2  which, according to the previous exemplary embodiments, has a front support structure  3 . 2  and a rear support structure  4 . 2 , seat dividers  5 . 6  and  5 . 7  and a transverse beam  2 . 4 , which is shown, and a further transverse beam, which is not shown. 
         [0033]    In the present exemplary embodiment, the support structures  3 . 2  and  4 . 2  in each case are formed by an upper support tube  15 . 1  and  15 . 2  and a lower support tube  16 . 1  and  16 . 2  and connected via double clamps  17 . 1 - 17 . 8 . 
         [0034]    On the seat dividers  5 . 6  and  5 . 7  and the transverse beam  2 . 4 , in each case two annular elements  18 . 1 - 18 . 6  which comprise openings  19 . 1 - 19 . 6  are integrally formed. 
         [0035]    The mode of operation of the invention in the present exemplary embodiment is as follows: 
         [0036]    For mounting the frame  1 . 2 , initially the support tubes  15 . 1  and  16 . 1  are connected to the double clamp  17 . 1  and the support tubes  15 . 2  and  16 . 2  are connected to the double clamp  17 . 3 . The double clamps  17 . 1 - 17 . 8  may be non-positively and positively secured via a tensioning or clamping mechanism, not shown. To this end, the lower support tubes  16 . 1  and  16 . 2  in each case are guided through a lower opening  20 . 1  and  20 . 2 . The upper support tubes  15 . 1  and  15 . 2  are guided through the upper openings  20 . 3  and  20 . 4 . 
         [0037]    Then the seat divider  5 . 1  with the openings  19 . 4  and  19 . 3  of its annular elements  18 . 4  and  18 . 3  is pulled over the two upper support tubes  15 . 1  and  15 . 2 . 
         [0038]    In the next step, the transverse beam  2 . 4  with the openings  19 . 1  and  19 . 2  in its annular elements  18 . 1  and  18 . 2  is pulled over the lower support tubes  16 . 1  and  16 . 2 . The seat support  4 . 2  and the transverse beam  2 . 4  may then be secured by the double clamps  17 . 2  and  17 . 4  in the desired position. The seat support  17 . 6  is mounted in a similar manner. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
           1  Frame 
           2  Transverse beam 
           3  Front support member 
           4  Rear support member 
           5  Seat divider 
           6  Upper fastening plane 
           7  Profile 
           8  Lateral groove 
           9  Fastening lug 
           10  Projection 
           11  Lower fastening plane 
           12  Clamp 
           13  Clamp element 
           14  Mating element 
           15  Supporting tube top 
           16  Supporting tube bottom 
           17  Double clamp 
           18  Annular element 
           19  Opening 
           20  Opening