IMPROVED CHAIR FOR PASSENGER TRANSPORTING VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY FOR AIRCRAFTS

Abstract: This invention relates to a chair (1) for passenger transporting vehicles comprising a vertically adjustable lumbar support member (15) consisting of a padded cushion and including internal mechanical means for vertical adjustment thereof, comprising a first upper transversal axle, attached to the side uprights of the back framework of the chair (1), a second lower transversal axle also attached to said uprights, a third transversal axle, pivotally connected to said second transversal axle, a plurality of elastic straps arranged side by side between said first and said second transversal axles and control means for rotation of said third axle (31) with respect to said second axle, in order to bend said elastic straps to a more or less extent. The chair also includes one or more comfort enhancing fittings (5, 20, 24, ecc.) for the passengers.

Description: Subject matter of this invention is an improved chair for passenger transporting vehicles, particularly for aircrafts. In deeper detail, this invention relates to a chair as above said especially designed to make the journey, in particular when long distances are involved, more comfortable to the passengers, which is an object of the present invention. As it is known, a major source of discomfort in journeys with passenger transporting vehicles is connected with the necessity to be sitting for more or less long time periods. In this context, the various chair manufacturing companies have been urged by the transport agencies to design a' number of technical solutions aimed at enhancing the position of the passengers, in the attempt to offer more and more comfortable service conditions to users. More and more sophisticated and equipped chairs, therefore, have been manufactured, so as to make the journey conditions clearly more comfortable. In US-A-2,922,416 a mechanism to provide a variable lumbar support is described, which mechanism comprises internal mechanical means for adjustment of the support. Having the above object in mind and aiming at furnishing more enjoyful services, the Applicant has designed and manufactured the chair which is subject-matter of this invention, including construction features that are clearly novel with respect to any at present commercially available chairs. It is therefore the main object of this invention to furnish a chair for passenger transporting vehicles provided with an adjustable lumbar support member which enables an optimum rest surface for the back of the passenger to be obtained in any circumstance. It will be appreciated that this feature allows clearly relevant problems for passengers to be solved, particularly during long moves and in all those cases, such as transoceanic flights, wherein the chair should act as a sleeping chair. It is a further object of this invention to furnish a chair having the above-mentioned technical feature and additionally provided with a number of fittings. Therefore, there is provided a chair for passager transport vehicles, in particular for aircraft, comprising a lumbar support member, adjustable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the backrest by means of internal mechanical means including a first upper transversal axle, attached to the side upright of the back framework of the chair, a second lower transversal able also attached to said upright, a third transversal axle pivotally connected to said second transversal axle; control means for rotation of said third axle with respect to said second axle, and one or more comfort enhancing fittings for the passengers; characterized in that said lumbar support member is a padded cushion, and in that a plurality of flexible straps is provided, arranged side by side between said first and said third transversal axles, said flexible straps being bended to a more or less extent by said control means. Said control means can be a lever connected at one end to the second transversal axis and at an intermediate position to said third transversal axle, said lever being also connected to control means arranged on the chair and provided with means to fix the position of the lumbar support member. Furthermore, according to this invention, said chair can be provided with an adjustable head-rest having two side adjustable members, in particular hingedly connected by means of friction members at the junction with the rear portion of the head-rest. Said chair can be provided with fittings, such as a rear foot-rest band for the passenger sitting in the successive chair, a rear shape particularly designed to enlarge the room available to the knees of the passenger sitting in the successive chair, a shock-absorbing band provided with a magazine bearing pocket, an adjustable TV module arranged on the rear side of the chair back, etc. Preferred embodiments of this invention will be hereinafter disclosed, with reference to the figures of the annexed drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the chair according to this invention; figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the chair shown in figure 1; figure 3 is a rear view of the chair shown in figure 1; figure 4 is a plan top view of the chair shown in figure 1; figure 5 is perspective view of a rest arm of the chair according to this invention; figure 6 is a schematic side view of the lumbar support member of the chairs according to this invention; figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of figure 6, and figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the head-rest structure of a chair according to this inventions. Referring now to figures 1 to 5, the chair 1 according to this invention is equipped with a tiltable and vertically adjustable head-rest 2, having two side members or ears 3, adjustable along arrows "a" in figure 3 by means of handles 4. The above-mentioned handles 4 are mounted upon a band of polycarbonate arranged at the lower section of the head-rest 2. A pocket 5 is provided rearwardly of the head-rest 2 in order to receive information pamphlets and like. The inclination of back 6 of the chair 1 is continuously adjustable along arrow "b" in figure 2. A frame 7 is provided in the rear section of the chair back 6 having an adjustable TV module 8 and two article bearing pockets 9 arranged thereon. An additional magazine bearing pocket 10 is also provided under said frame on the chair back 6. The chair back 6 has in this area a shaped profile 11 positively designed to make an enlarged room available to the knees of the passenger sitting in the successive chair. In the lower section of the chair 1, a frame 12 of polycarbonate is provided, comprising a side shock-absorbing band 13 with a magazine bearing pocket, as well as a foot-rest band 14 (as particularly shown in figure 4). In the front end section of the chair back a lumbar support member 15 is provided, the features of which will be more detailedly disclosed hereinafter. A folded table 17, which can be unfolded if necessary (see figure 4), is arranged within the side arm 16, namely in the arm that - when two side by side chairs 1 are considered - is not shared by said adjacent chairs. At the front end of said arm, a glass bearing seat 18 is provided. The central arm 19 which is shared by two adjacent chairs 1 (figure 5) comprises a pivotable article bearing drawer 20, a control member 21 for adjusting the inclination of the chair back 6, an ash-tray 22, emergency controls 23 for calling the flight assistants and a further article/headphone receiving pocket 24. A control member 26 for adjustment of the lumbar support member is provided on the cushion 25 of the chair 1; both the cushion 25 and the back 6 of the chair have an anatomic profile. Referring now to figures 6 and 7, it can be appreciated that the structure of the lumbar support member 15 comprises two transversal axles 27 and 28 coupled to the upright tubes 29 of the chair framework. A further transversal axle 31 is rotatably coupled in lower position to axle 28 by means of two brackets 30. A number of elastic straps 32 are arranged side by side along the transversal extension of chair 1 between axle 27 and axle 31. A lever 33 integrally coupled to axle 28 and to axle 23 enables the latter to rotate about axle 27, between positions C and C′ in figure 6. In this manner, the straps 32 and therefore the padded cushions of the lumbar support member 15 can be bent to a more or less extent. Movements are transmitted to said lever 33 by the passenger by means of said control member 26 connected to the lever by means of a wire 34 extending in a guide sheath 35. The guide sheath 35 is fixed by means of a bracket 36 to one of the two upright tubes 29 of the framework of the chair 1. Control member 26 also includes means to fix the position to which the lumbar support member 15 is adjusted. In figure 8, the device is shown to adjust the position of the side flaps 3 of the head-rest 2, comprising a friction hinged connection 37 at the junction between the flap 3 and the rear section of the head-rest 2. This invention has been disclosed in its preferred embodiments, but it should be understood that changes and/or variations can be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims: 1. A chair (1) for passenger transport vehicles, in particular for aircraft, comprising a lumbar support member (5), adjustable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the backrest by means of internal mechanical means including a first upper transversal axle (27), attached to the side upright of the back fremawork of the chair (1), a second lower transversal axle (28) also attached to said upright, a third transversal axle (31) pivotally connected to said second transversal axle (28), control means (33) for rotation of said third axle (31) with respect to said second axle (28), and one or more comfort enhancing fittings for the passemgers; characterized in that said lumbar support member (15) is a padded cushion, and in that a plurality of flexible straps (32) is provided, arranged side by side between said first and said third transversal axles, said flexible straps (32) being bended to a more or less extent by said control means (33). 2. A chair according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means are a lever (33) connected at one end to the second transversal axle (28) and at an intermediate position to said third transversal axle (32), said lever (33) being also connected to control means arranged on the chair (1) for the passenger to adjust the position of the lumbar support member (15). 3. A chair according to claim 2, characterized in that said control means (33) arranged on the chair (1) are provided with means to fix the position of the lumbar support member (15) as adjustable by the passenger. 4. A chair according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of said fittings is an adjustable head-rest (2) including two adjustable side members (3) with respect to the rear portion of said head-rest (2). 5. A chair according to claim 4, characterized in that said two members (3) are adjustable by means of hinged connections (37) and friction couplings at their junctions with the rear portion of the head-rest (2). 6. A chair according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fittings comprise a rear foot-rest band (4) for the passenger sitting in the successive chair (1), a lower section of the chair back especially shaped to enlarge the room available to the knees of the passenger sitting in the successive chair (1), a shock-absorbing band (13) provided with a magazine bearing pocket, an adjustable tv module (8) arranged on the upper section of the chair back.

Inventors: VENERUSO, RAFFAELE C/O AVIOINTERIORS S.P.A.
Applicants: AVIOINTERIORS S.P.A.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B64D11
IPC codes: B64D11, B60N2, A47C7