Seating module having a recessed grip and a seating arrangement including a seating module having a recessed grip

A seating module having a recessed grip for a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, and a seating arrangement that includes a seating module that has a recessed grip. The seating module includes a shell structure that defines the recessed grip in an upper area of the shell structure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a seating module that has a recessed grip for a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, and a seating arrangement that includes a seating module that has a recessed grip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Access into and out of a seat for a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, can be difficult due to the lack of space between seats. This is particularly a problem after long trips, such as long flights, when a passenger has sat for several hours and cannot readily get up from a seat after sitting for extended periods of time. Conventional seating modules do not provide a structure that allows a passenger of the vehicle to grasp and hold on to so that the passenger can pull himself or herself up from a seat or can hold on to as the passenger bends down to sit in the seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a structure for a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, that a passenger can hold on to when the passenger sits down in a seat or gets up from the seat. This object is achieved by providing a seating module with a recess that defines a grip that can be grasped by a user that is located behind the seating module so that the user can hold on to the recessed grip as the passenger gets up from a seat located behind the seating module or as the passenger sits down in the seat located behind the seating module. The recessed grip allows the passenger to more easily access and egress from the seat located behind the seating module. The recessed grip is particularly useful for when the seat is converted to a bed on an aircraft and the passenger is getting into the bed or getting up from the bed.

According to the present invention, a seating module comprises a seating module structure. The seating module comprises at least one recess. The at least one recess defines a grip (grip structure) for a passenger located behind the seating module with respect to a direction of travel of a vehicle.

The seating module structure may comprise a shell structure. The shell structure may comprise the at least one recess.

The shell structure may comprise a shell structure upper surface. The shell structure upper surface may define the at least one recess. In another embodiment, the at least one recess may be defined by a rear surface of the shell and a grip structure may be connected to the rear surface of the shell to define a handle for the passenger located in a seat behind the shell.

The shell structure may define a first seating area and a second seating area.

The at least one recess may be located between the first seating area and the second seating area.

The shell structure may comprise another recess.

The shell structure may define a single seating area. The at least one recess may be located on one side of the single seating area and the another recess may be located on another side of the single seating area with respect to a lateral direction. The lateral direction may be perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

The at least one recess may be aligned with said another recess in the lateral direction.

The at least one recess may face in a direction of a ceiling of the vehicle. The vehicle may be an aircraft.

According to the present invention a seating arrangement is provided for a vehicle. The seating arrangement comprises a seating module a seating module structure that includes at least one recess as previously describe above.

The seating arrangement may further comprise another seating module to provide a plurality of seating modules. Each seating module may be located at a spaced location from each other with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle. Each of the seating modules may comprise a shell structure that defines the at least one recess or one of the seating modules may comprise a first shell structure that defines the at least one recess and another one of the seating modules may comprises a second shell structure that defines two recesses offset from the at least one recess in a lateral direction, which is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

The recess associated with a respective seating module may be arranged in front of a rearward seat that is associated with a rearward seating module and may be aligned with the rearward seat. The recess associated with a respective seating module may be offset in a longitudinal direction of the seating modules. Each of the recesses may be offset in a longitudinal direction of the seating modules

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in particular,FIG. 1is an enlarged perspective view of a seating module1. The seating module1has at least one recess3. The at least one recess3is provided in an upper area5of the seating module1. The at least one recess3faces in a direction of a ceiling4of a vehicle6. The seating module1has a seat shell7. The seat shell7defines a first seating area9in which a first seat11is provided. The seat shell7defines a second seating area13in which a second seat15is provided. Each of the first seat11and the second seat15is a convertible seat, which can be moved into a flat, horizontal position to form a bed. Further, each of the first seat11and the second seat15can move to adjust a recline position of a respective seat. The recess3is provided in the seat shell7between the first seating area9and the second seating area13. The seat shell7has an upper seat shell surface17. The upper seat shell surface17has a first upper seat shell surface portion19, a second upper seat shell surface portion21, a third upper seat shell surface portion23, a fourth upper seat shell surface portion25, a fifth upper seat shell surface portion27and a sixth upper seat shell surface portion29. The recess3is defined by the second upper seat shell surface portion21, the third upper seat shell surface portion23, the fourth upper seat shell surface portion25, the fifth upper seat shell surface portion27and the sixth upper seat shell surface portion29. The second upper seat shell surface portion21is located at a distance H from the first upper seat shell surface portion19. The distance H defines a depth of the recess3. The second upper seat shell surface portion21defines a bottom portion of the recess such that the recess3does not extend fully through the seat shell7and the seating module1. The first upper seat shell surface portion19extends parallel to the second upper seat shell surface portion21. The third upper seat shell surface portion23, the fourth upper seat shell surface portion25, the fifth upper seat shell surface portion27and the sixth upper seat shell surface portion29are perpendicular to the first upper seat shell surface portion19and the second upper seat shell surface portion21. A console31is provided between the first seat11and the second seat15

As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the seating module1is located in front of a second seating module33. The second seating module33is identical to the seating module1and has the same features of the seating module1. The second seating module33is located behind the seating module1with respect to a travel direction35of a vehicle. The recess3of the seating module1defines a grip (recessed grip/grip structure) for passengers seated in seats associated with the second seating module33. This allows a respective passenger seated in a seat associated with the second seating module33to place a portion of his or her hand, particularly the respective passenger's fingers, in the recess3so that the respective passenger can pull himself or herself up from the seat when the respective passenger is in a seated position or when the passenger is laying down with the seat in a converted bed position. The recess3has an opening that may face in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction35, toward the ceiling4of the vehicle6. The recess3has a length L that is aligned with the traveling direction35.

FIG. 2is a top view of an arrangement of the seating module1, the second seating module33and a seating module35. The seating module33and the seating module35are identical to the seating module1and have the same features as the seating module1. Each recess3associated with a respective one of the seating modules1,33,35defines a grip for two passengers located in a rear row of seats.

FIG. 3is a view of another embodiment of an arrangement of seating modules. The seating module1′ is arranged in front of a seating module37with respect to the traveling direction35of the vehicle. The seating module37is arranged in front of the seating module33′ with respect to the traveling direction35of the vehicle. The seating module33′ is arranged in front of a seating module39with respect to the traveling direction35of the vehicle. The seating module33′ is identical to the seating module1′ and the seating module37is identical to the seating module39. The seating module1′ is identical to the seating module1, but further includes a footwell51.

The seating module37has a shell41. The shell41defines a seating area43. A seat45is provided in the seating area43. The seat45includes a backrest49for supporting at least a back portion of a passenger and a seat support structure (cushion)47for supporting the buttock and at least a leg portion of a passenger. The seat45may be converted to a bed. A footwell53is provided on one side of the seat45and another footwell55is provided on another side of the seat45. The footwell51defines a space for receiving feet of a passenger located behind the seating module1′ in the seat45associated with the seating module37. The recess3of the seating module1′ defines a grip for the passenger located in seat45associated with the seating module37so that the passenger may place his or her hand, particularly his or her fingers, in the recess3so that the passenger can lift himself or herself off up from the seat45. The shell41has two recesses3. One of the two recesses3in the shell41defines a grip for a passenger in the seat11associated with the seating module33′, which allows the passenger in the seat11to place his or her hand, particularly his or her fingers, in the recess3to lift himself or herself up from the seat11. Another one of the two recesses3in the shell41defines a grip for a passenger in the seat15associated with the seating module33′, which allows the passenger in the seat15to place his or her hand, particularly his or her fingers, in the recess3to lift himself or herself up from the seat15. The recess3of the seating module33′ defines a grip for a passenger in the seat45that is associated with the seating module39, which allows a passenger in the seat45to place his or her hand, particularly his or her fingers, in the recess3of the seating module33′ to lift himself or herself up from the seat45.

The footwell53has a space for receiving the feet of a passenger located in the seat11associated with the seating module33′. The footwell53may also receive a portion of the seat11when the seat11is converted to a bed. The footwell55has a space for receiving the feet of a passenger located in seat15associated with the seating module33′. The footwell55may also receive a portion of the seat15associated with the seating module33′ when the seat15is converted into a bed. The footwell51′ associated with the seating module33′ has a space for receiving the feet of a passenger located in the seat45. The footwell51′ may also receive a portion of the seat45when the seat45is converted to a bed.

The arrangement of seating modules shown inFIG. 3provides an offset arrangement of seats. The seat45associated with the seating module37and the seat45associated with the seating module39are arranged offset from the seat11and the seat15associated with the seating module1′ and the seat11and the seat15associated with the seating module33′ with respect to a lateral direction, which is perpendicular to the traveling direction35of the vehicle. The seat11associated with the seating module1′ is aligned with the seat11associated with the seating module33′ with respect to a longitudinal direction of the seating arrangement. The seat15associated with the seating module1′ is aligned with the seat15associated with the seating module33′ with respect to the longitudinal direction of the seating arrangement. The seat45associated with the seating module37is aligned with the seat45associated with the seating module39. The recess3associated with a respective seating module may be arranged in front of a rearward seat and may be aligned with the rearward seat. In another embodiment, the recess3associated with a respective seating module may be offset in a longitudinal direction of the seating modules.

FIG. 4is a top view of an arrangement of seating modules1″,33″ and35″. Each of the seating modules1″,33″ and35″ has a shell41″ and a recess3″ provided in the shell41″. A portion42″ of the shell41″ may overhang the recess3″ such that the portion42″ of the shell41″ defines a grip. A user may grasp the portion42″ of the shell41″ such that the user's fingers are arranged in the recess3″ and the user's fingers engage underneath the portion42″ of the shell41″. Each recess3″ associated with a respective one of the seating modules1″,33″,35″ defines a grip for two passengers located in a rear row of seats.

FIG. 5is an enlarged perspective view of the seating module1″ in the area of the recess3″. The portion42″ of the shell41″ projects over the recess3″ such that the portions42″ defines a grip (grip structure) for the user to grasp as the user is entering or exiting a seat located rearward of the shell41″.

FIG. 6is a rear perspective of a plurality of seating modules1′″ and33′″. Each of the seating modules1′″ and33′″ has a recess3′″, a footwell51′″, a grip structure26′″, a shell41′″ defining a seating area9′″ and an area for mounting a display28′″ mounted to a rear surface of a respective seating module. The grip structure26′″ defines a handle30′″, which a passenger can grasp in order to get into or out of a seat. The grip structure26′″ is shown on a shell defining a single seating area, but it is understood that such a grip structure26′″ may be provided on a shell associated with the seating modules1,1′,1″,33,33′,33″,35,35″,37and39without any other recess or in combination with the recess provided in the upper surface of a respective shell.