Abstract:
A system is provided, including at least one floor panel adapted to matingly engage and be supported by a support structure; and securing means for securing at least one seat support to the floor panel; wherein the seat support corresponds to a vertical plane at a substantially horizontal end of at least one seat.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/316,531, filed on Mar. 23, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The present example embodiments relates generally to the field of aircraft passenger seat assemblies, and more particularly, to a passenger seat assembly and associated composite floor panels that replace the existing floor panels, attach to the existing aircraft floor structure, and integrate new/additional seat tracks at locations different from the original aircraft seat tracks. 
         [0003]    Conventional passenger seat assemblies typically include seat frames whose structure is dictated by the locations of the existing seat tracks of the original floor panels. This design limitation restricts the available geometry of the seat frame and the attachment points to the aircraft structure, resulting in added weight, complexity and cost. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,029,215 and 7,261,378 are illustrative of such devices. 
         [0004]    The U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,215 discloses and claims a track fastener assembly for securing a seat or cargo apparatus to a floor track of a vehicle. The assembly includes a bottom rail with forward and aft ends. Front and rear movable slides carrying locking studs are carried by the bottom rail. A locking rod having a helical groove formed in its outer surface is operatively connected to the bottom rail and the slides. Rotation of the locking rod causes the slides to move axially from an installation position to a locking position. As the slides move to the locking position, they are deflected upwards along with the attached locking studs, clamping the track fastener assembly to the track. 
         [0005]    The U.S. Pat. No. 7,261,378 discloses and claims a locking apparatus for a moveable component of an aircraft seat. The locking apparatus includes a housing for being slidably received in a track, a first pair of opposed cams pivotally mounted in the housing, and a release member. The cams are moved between a lock position where the cams prevent the housing from sliding within the track and a release position. The release member is selectively moveable between a first position where the cams are maintained in the lock position and a second position where the cams are maintained in the release position. 
         [0006]    Structures such as described in the above-referenced patents and many others utilize the pre-installed tracks of the aircraft exclusively. However, evolutionary developments in aircraft seat design, spacing and accessories often utilize areas under the seat bottom for mounting electronic and seat support components. In addition, increased rigidity to the entire seating structure can be enhanced by providing attachment points customized to the leg structure of a particular seating structure as opposed to altering the geometry of a seat leg structure to fit a preinstalled track geometry. These structural design limitations restrict the geometry of the seat frame and obstruct the valuable storage space beneath the seats, resulting in added weight, complexity, cost and decreased rigidity. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, Applicants have found that it would be desirable to provide a seat frame having a lightweight design and overall geometry that exploits the available cabin space, as well as an associated floor panel structure including seat tracks located to accommodate the seat frame, resulting in an overall lightweight, simple and cost saving design. 
         [0008]    According to an example embodiment, a system is provided, comprising at least one floor panel adapted to matingly engage and be supported by a support structure; and securing means for securing at least one seat support to the floor panel; wherein the seat support corresponds to a vertical plane at a substantially horizontal end of at least one seat. 
         [0009]    According to another example embodiment, the system comprises at least one pre-existing securing means that does not correspond to a vertical plane at a substantially horizontal end of the at least one seat, and wherein the floor panel is adapted to matingly engage the support structure at a position adjacent to at least one pre-existing securing means. 
         [0010]    According to another example embodiment, the system comprises a cover adjacent the at least one floor panel, the cover being adapted to cover the pre-existing securing means. 
         [0011]    According to another example embodiment, at least one floor panel comprises a plurality of floor panels extending parallel to the securing means and pre-existing securing means. 
         [0012]    According to another example embodiment, the securing means extends at an angle that is not parallel to the pre-existing securing means. 
         [0013]    According to another example embodiment, the securing means comprises a track having a plurality of recesses adapted to engage at least one seat support. 
         [0014]    According to another example embodiment, the at least one seat support comprises at least one extension for matingly engaging at least one of the plurality of recesses. 
         [0015]    According to another example embodiment, the extension comprises a fastener. 
         [0016]    According to another example embodiment, the fastener is threaded. 
         [0017]    According to another example embodiment, the securing means comprises a track having a longitudinal groove adapted to engage at least one seat support. 
         [0018]    According to another example embodiment, the longitudinal groove comprises a plurality of arcuate recesses at least one edge of the groove to engage at least one seat support. 
         [0019]    According to another example embodiment, the at least one floor panel comprises a plurality of floor panels extending parallel to the at least one securing means. 
         [0020]    According to another example embodiment, a method is provided, comprising: providing at least one floor panel adapted to matingly engage and be supported by a support structure and having securing means for securing at least one seat support to the floor panel; wherein the seat support corresponds to a vertical plane at a substantially horizontal end of at least one seat; and securing at least one seat support to the floor panel via the securing means. 
         [0021]    According to another example embodiment, the support structure comprises at least one pre-existing securing means that does not correspond to a vertical plane at a substantially horizontal end of the at least one seat, and wherein the floor panel is adapted to matingly engage the support structure adjacent to at least one pre-existing securing means. 
         [0022]    According to another example embodiment, the at least one floor panel comprises a plurality of floor panels extending parallel to the securing means and pre-existing securing means. 
         [0023]    According to another example embodiment, the securing means comprises a track having a plurality of recesses adapted to engage at least one seat support. 
         [0024]    According to another example embodiment, the at least one seat support comprises at least one extension for matingly engaging at least one of the plurality of recesses and wherein the step of securing includes matingly engaging the at least one extension to the at least one of the plurality of recesses. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the example embodiments are better understood when the following detailed description of the example embodiments is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a passenger seat assembly and associated floor panels including seat tracks in accordance with an example embodiment; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the seat assembly of  FIG. 1  further illustrating the aircraft floor structure; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is an isolated front view of the seat assembly and seat tracks; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is an isolated rear view of the seat assembly and seat tracks; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the floor panels illustrating their attachment to the aircraft floor structure; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a floor panel and seat track; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a detailed view of the rear track fitting; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is an isolated view of the track fastener of  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  is a detailed view of the front track fitting. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]    Example embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which example embodiments are shown. However, other example embodiments may have many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the representative embodiment set forth herein. The example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be both thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the example embodiments and enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make, use and practice the example embodiments. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an aircraft seat assembly and associated floor panels including integrated seat tracks are shown. The example seat assembly  20  is mounted to a plurality of seat tracks  26  or other securing means secured between composite floor panels  22  of floor structure  24 . The example seat assembly  20  includes a plurality of seats, each having a seat back  28 , seat pan  30  and shared armrests  34 . The example seat assembly  20  is supported by a leg assembly  32  which may include a cross member  42  for providing additional structural support. 
         [0037]    The seat assembly, shown generally at reference numeral  20 , may include three seats supported by a leg assembly  32  having four sets of legs. It is envisioned, however, that the seat assembly may include a greater or lesser number of seats and corresponding number of sets of legs. The seat assembly  20  may be detachably secured to a plurality of underlying floor panels  22  that are secured to the aircraft floor structure  24 , replace the original floor panels, and integrate new/additional seat tracks  26  or other securing means at locations different from the original aircraft seat tracks  48 . The floor panels  22  may be made from composite materials for strength and weight saving benefits. Seat tracks  26  may comprise a regularly-spaced linear arrangement of circular bores or other openings  64 , a linear track having a continuous groove with regularly spaced arcuate grooves for receiving a bolt or other securing member, a combination thereof, or any other suitable modular or non-modular securing means. 
         [0038]    As discussed above, seat assembly  20  may include frame portions defining seat backs  28 , seat pans  30 , supporting leg assembly  32 , and armrests  34 . Although not shown, it is envisioned that the seat assembly  20  may include additional structural components such as, but not limited to, seat pan length adjusters, leg rests and moveable head rests. Each seat back  28  and seat pan  30  may be spanned with a shell, webbing or other support structure that may be padded and upholstered to provide passenger comfort. 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an isolated view of the seat assembly  20  and seat tracks  26  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  is shown. Each seat pan  30  may be supported from beneath its left and right sides by a leg assembly  32 , each of which may include a front leg  36  extending from about the front edge of the seat pan  30  to a position on the seat track  26  forward of the front edge of the seat pan  30 , a rear leg  38  extending from about the rear edge of the seat pan  30  to a position rearward of the rear edge of the seat pan  30 , and an intermediate leg  40  extending between about the intersection of the front leg  36  and seat pan  30  to about the intersection of the rear leg  38  and the seat track  26 , thus at or near a 45 degree angle relative to horizontal. This leg arrangement may form a supportive structure that evenly distributes the weight of the seat and passenger between the front and rear leg/seat track attachment points. The angle and attachment points of leg  40  may function as a cross brace that provides stability to the support structure and prevents the seat pan  30  from movement about its lateral (i.e. left-to-right) axis. 
         [0040]    The plurality of front legs  36  of the seat assembly  20  may be interconnected by a generally horizontal cross member  42  that may be positioned slightly elevated and spaced-apart from the underlying floor panels  22 , thus serving as a baggage retainer/foot rest for the aft positioned seats as well as a stabilizer which helps prevent lateral movement of the seat assembly. As shown by  FIG. 4 , each seat back  28  may define an arched top end and supports a selectively deployable tray table assembly  44  for use by the aft-positioned passenger. As known to those skilled in the art, the seat backs  28  may be configured to move between upright and reclined positions for passenger comfort. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , an isolated view of the floor structure  24  is shown. The example floor structure  24  includes a plurality floor joists  46  supporting a plurality of original seat tracks  48 . These original seat tracks  48  may be generally permanently installed and are typically installed at the time of manufacture of the aircraft. The original seat tracks  48  are spaced to accommodate uniform floor panels (not shown). As shown by  FIG. 5 , the plurality of composite floor panels  22  and seat tracks  26  may be installed in place of or on top of original the floor panels. The composite floor panels  22  may be generally rectangular in shape and include at least one seat track  26  running longitudinally along the length of the panel from end to end, and positioned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The number of seat tracks  26  per panel  22  may be dependent upon the span (i.e. width) between original seat tracks  48  on the one hand and on the span between the corresponding positions of the sets of legs of the seat assembly  20  on the other. Panels  22  may be sized and shaped according to the framework of the underlying aircraft floor structure  24 . It is envisioned that should the seats be positioned at an angle other than parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, the seat track positions may be adjusted to accommodate that angle as well. For example, if the seats and/or leg assemblies are configured to face an angle rotated 15 degrees from the longitudinal axis of original seat tracks, each panel may shaped to accommodate such a rotation, for example, by providing a pair of complementary trapezoidal shapes. Each panel  22  may define a generally planar top surface defining the deck of the aircraft that may be carpeted, insulated, further covered, etc., and may include the seat track  26  either flush with, recessed or extending vertically upward therefrom. The panels  22  may be secured to the aircraft structure, such as to the floor joints  46 , using, for example, a conventional fastener or other technique common in aircraft construction. Panels  22  arranged along the length of the aircraft may be aligned such that the seat tracks  26  are longitudinally aligned. In the embodiment shown by  FIG. 5 , the original seat tracks are illustrated at  48 , and seat tracks  26  are shown shifted right of the position original seat tracks  48  when viewing the floor structure from the cockpit back. 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  disclose a sectional view of a panel  22  and seat track  26  taken through the width according to an example embodiment.  FIG. 6  reveals that the seat track  26  may extend both above and below the edge of the panel  22 . In an embodiment shown by  FIG. 6 , graphite plies  50  may be used to wrap the seat track extrusion on one or both of the top and bottom surfaces of the seat track  26 . These plies  50  may provide additional structural support and protection from sharp exposed edges, and may also provide cosmetic and design benefits. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the rear track fitting may function to detachably secure the rear and intermediate legs  38 ,  40  to the seat track  26 . The rear and intermediate legs  38 ,  40  may terminate at and be secured between first ends of opposing plates  52 ,  53  of a bracket assembly  54 . A rear track fastener  56  may be secured at its first end between the second ends of the plates  52 ,  53  and may define at least one opening therethrough for receiving a fastener  58 , such as an E-nut, for securing the rear track fastener  56  to the seat track  26 . Pivoting movement of the rear track fastener  56  relative to the bracket assembly  54  may be facilitated by the use of a bearing  60 , which allows proper seating of the rear track fastener  56  on the seat track  26 . The rear track fastener  56  may include more than one fastener attachment point to provide secure attachment and prevent twisting of the seat assembly  20  relative to the seat track  26 . The fasteners  58  may be received through adjacent openings  62  defined through the rear track fastener  56  and engage within appropriate underlying adjacent openings  64  defined through the seat track  26 . The fasteners  58  may be configured to require a special, custom or non-standardized tool for insertion/removal to prevent tampering. As shown by  FIG. 8 , the seat tracks  26  include a plurality of linearly arranged openings  64  spaced apart at equal intervals such that the seat track fastener  56  may be attached at any desired point along the length of the seat track. 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the front track fitting functions to detachably secure the front leg  36  to the seat track  26 . The front leg  36  may attach to a front track fastener  66  that defines a first opening  68  offset from the leg for receiving a fastener  58  therethrough, such as an E-nut, that may be received within aligned openings defined through the fastener  66  and seat track  26 . The front track fastener  66  may further define a flat  70  upon which the front leg  36  seats and is secured to. As shown, the front track fastener  66  may be secured to the front leg  36  by way of a barrel nut  72  defining a threaded opening  74  therethrough that threadably engages a bolt or other fastener. The bolt may be received from beneath the front track fastener  66 , through the fastener, through an opening defined in the leg  36 , and into engagement with the barrel nut  72 . The bolt may further engage an opening in the seat track  26 . 
         [0045]    While a seat assembly and associated replacement floor panels having seat tracks have been described with reference to specific embodiments and examples, it is envisioned that various details of the example embodiments may be changed without departing from the scope of the example embodiments and claims. Furthermore, the foregoing description of example embodiments and best mode are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation.