Abstract:
Fitting systems and assemblies are detailed. The assemblies are designed principally (although not necessarily exclusively) for use with aircraft seats and supply positive adjustable positioning of a seat or other object, typically actuated with a single turn (or less) of a single tool.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is based on and hereby refers to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/702,133, filed Jul. 25, 2005, having the same title as appears above, the-entire contents of which application are incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to fittings and associated systems for securing objects to elongated tracks and more particularly, but not exclusively, to anchoring assemblies designed to fix positions of passenger seats within an aircraft or other vehicle.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Aircraft and certain other vessels configured for transporting passengers typically include elongated tracks bolted or otherwise connected to their floors. These tracks conventionally contain channels formed by a lower, generally horizontal wall and spaced side walls extending upward therefrom. Integral with the side walls may be inwardly-extending flanges spaced from, but generally parallel with, the lower wall. Formed periodically in the flanges may be crescent-shaped cut-outs, creating generally circular receptacles spaced longitudinally within the elongated track.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,979 to Bales, et al., whose contents are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference, illustrates and discusses examples of such elongated tracks. Also disclosed in the Bales patent are fittings for these tracks. The fittings include fingers adapted to slide along the lower walls of the tracks. Rear boss potions formed with the fingers include plungers biased toward the lower surfaces of the tracks and adapted to be received by the receptacles.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,727 to Lee, whose contents also are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference, addresses additional fittings for elongated tracks. According to the Lee patent, fittings with bell-shaped bases may be teamed with abutting “buttons” having inwardly-flared areas to prevent the fittings from moving longitudinally within the tracks. Washers and lock nuts also may be used to retain the positions of the fittings for later attachment of an object.  
         [0006]     Yet another anchoring fitting for an aircraft seat is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,813 to Whitcomb. The fitting slides along the channelled tracks of the aircraft, with a separate locking pin remote from the fitting employed to fix the position of the seat. The contents of the Whitcomb patent too are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention provides alternate fitting systems and assemblies for use principally, but not necessarily exclusively, for aircraft seats. The systems are designed to supply positive adjustable positioning of a seat or other object, actuated with a single turn (or less) of a single tool. They additionally are adapted for use with the conventional channelled tracks described in the preceding section.  
         [0008]     Beneficially included as part of the systems is a base frame positioned for movement within the track. The base frame also functions as mounting structure both for linkages to an associated seat and for internal components of a fitting assembly. To help fulfill this latter role, the frame may include horizontally- and vertically-oriented openings.  
         [0009]     Positioned in a vertically-oriented opening of the base frame of a preferred embodiment of the invention is a rod. The rod is designed to travel vertically within the frame. It also supports an associated plunger, which similarly travels vertically within the frame and is designed to engage a track. The plunger additionally may have flanges and pins, with the former helping reduce vertical motion (rattle) of the fixed seat or other object and the latter providing positive locking against fore and aft movement of the fixed object.  
         [0010]     Fitting assemblies of the present invention further may include cams and cam followers. A cam follower may be attached to the rod through one or a series of disc springs and transmit vertical force from a cam to the rod and plunger, ultimately supplying clamping force against the track. This clamping force reduces the vertical motion, or rattle, of the seat or other object mentioned in the preceding paragraph.  
         [0011]     In these embodiments, the cam may be positioned through a horizontally-oriented opening in the base frame so as to translate rotational force into the more linear, vertical force applied to the cam follower. Flat areas of the cam permit positive stops for locking purposes. By protruding out the side of the base frame, further, motion of the cam may be actuated by a tool likewise positioned to the side of the base frame. Allowing side access to the actuation mechanism is often beneficial, as typically fewer space constraints exist to the side of the base frame than above or below it.  
         [0012]     Other components of exemplary assemblies of the invention may be coil springs and caps. Positioning a coil spring between the base frame and rod provides upward bias to the rod and plunger, ensuring they are fully retracted when the assembly is unlocked (i.e. as for movement of the associated object). A cap, finally, may be attached to an upper section of the rod and employed to encapsulate the remainder of the fitting assembly. Such a cap additionally may function to limit the axial and rotational travel of the cam and, if desired, provide positive indication of whether the assembly is locked or unlocked.  
         [0013]     In operation, a tool (such as but not necessarily limited to an Allen wrench) may be used to rotate the cam and, depending on the rotation direction, either depress or retract the plunger. When the plunger is retracted, the cap is in its uppermost position (as an indicator that the assembly is unlocked), and the assembly does not prohibit movement of the base frame and attached object. By contrast, when the plunger is depressed, it engages the track and thereby inhibits movement of the frame and object. When the plunger is fully depressed, the cap is in its lowermost position (indicating the assembly is locked), with the coil and disc springs compressed.  
         [0014]     It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide improved fitting systems and assemblies.  
         [0015]     It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide fitting systems and assemblies especially adapted for use with aircraft seats.  
         [0016]     It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide fitting systems and assemblies requiring no more than a single turn of a single tool to positively adjust (and lock) the position of an article.  
         [0017]     It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide fitting systems and assemblies in which depressible plungers interact with features of elongated flooring tracks to lock an article in position longitudinally.  
         [0018]     It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to permit the actuation tool to engage a cam through the side of the base frame.  
         [0019]     It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide fitting systems and assemblies which provide visual indication of whether an associated object is, or is not, locked in place in a track.  
         [0020]     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant field with reference to the remaining text and drawings of this application. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary pair of tracks to which fitting assemblies of the present invention may be attached.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a cut-away view of a portion of a track of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of components of a fitting assembly of the present invention, to which components of a vehicle seat are attached, shown in an unlocked position.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the components of  FIG. 3  shown in a locked position.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a cut-away view of a portion of a base frame of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a view of a rod of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a view of a plunger of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a view of a cam of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is a view of a cam follower of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 10  is a view of a disc spring of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 11  is a view of a cap of  FIGS. 3-4 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 12  is a cut-away view of components of  FIGS. 3-4  shown in the unlocked position of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 13  is a cut-away view of components of  FIGS. 3-4  shown in the locked position of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0034]     Illustrated in  FIG. 1  is an example of a pair of tracks  10  useful in connection with the present invention. Such tracks  10  are shown mounted in parallel paths to floor F of an aircraft, other vehicle, or other device or object. As detailed in  FIG. 1 , each track  10  may comprise lower wall  14 , side walls  18  extending upward therefrom, and a flange  22  extending inward from each side wall  18 . Track  10  thus forms an elongated channel  26 .  
         [0035]     Also depicted in  FIGS. 1-2  are crescent-shaped cut-outs  30  spaced along each flange  22 . Spacing of these cut-outs  30  is matched along each flange  22  of a track  30  so that, for example, a cut-out  30 A of a flange  22 A is opposite a cut-out  30 B of flange  22 B. By matching spacing of cut-outs  30  in this manner, each pair of opposed cut-outs  30 A and  30 B forms a generally circular receptacle into channel  26  of a corresponding track  10 .  
         [0036]      FIGS. 3-5  illustrate base frame  34  of a preferred assembly  38  (see  FIGS. 12-13 ) of the present invention. In use base frame  34  is proximate a track  10  and functions to connect article frame  42  of a seat or other article to track  10 . Article frame  42  may be attached to base frame  34  in any suitable way.  
         [0037]     Proximate at least one end  46  (and preferably both ends  46  and  50 ) of preferred base frame  34  is a vertically-oriented opening  54  and a horizontally-oriented opening  58 . Opening  54  is designed to receive rod  62  (see  FIG. 6 ) and certain other components of assembly  38 , while opening  58  allows access to feature  66  of cam  70  (see  FIG. 8 ).  
         [0038]      FIGS. 6-13  show various other components of exemplary assembly  38 . Detailed in  FIG. 6  is rod  62 , which may travel vertically within opening  54  of base frame  34 . Attached to upper end  74  of rod  62  is cap  78  (see  FIG. 11 ), while attached to lower end  82  of the rod  62  is plunger  86  (see  FIG. 7 ). Plunger  86  and track  10  operate to limit downward travel of rod  62 , while cam follower  90  ( FIG. 9 ) and one or more disc springs  94  ( FIG. 10 ) limit upward travel of the rod  62 .  
         [0039]     Plunger  86  beneficially includes shear pins  98  and flanges  102 . When extended downward, plunger  86  engages a pair of matched cut-outs  30  of track  10 . Shear pins  98  cooperate with cut-outs  30  of track  10  to prevent forward or aft (i.e. longitudinal) movement of article frame  42 . Flanges  102 , by contrast, provide surfaces which may be clamped against flanges  22  of track  10 , thus inhibiting vertical movement of article frame  42  relative to the track  10 . This latter inhibition reduces the likelihood that article frame  42  will rattle in use.  
         [0040]      FIG. 11  illustrates an example of cap  78  of the present invention. Cap  78  attaches to upper end  74  of rod  62 . Preferred assemblies  38  connect cap  78  and rod  62  using a snap-hook arrangement, although those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other attachment mechanisms may be employed instead. Cap  78  may perform multiple functions as part of assembly  38 , including encapsulating other components of the assembly  38  and protecting them from damage. Because of its configuration, cap  78  additionally may limit upward travel and impede rotational travel of rod  62 . Finally, because cap  78  may be (i) visible above base frame  34  when assembly  38  is not locked into track  10  and (ii) not visible above frame  34  when assembly  38  is locked into track  10 , the cap  78  functions as a visible indicator of the operational status of assembly  38 .  
         [0041]     Cam  70  appears in  FIG. 8 . Cam  70  is positioned within opening  58  of base frame  34  to that feature  66  is accessible externally of the base frame  34 . Although feature  66  is illustrated as comprising a six-sided recess (thus readily receiving a hexagonal Allen wrench or similar tool), it need not necessarily be configured in this manner. Preferably, however, feature  66  is structured so that merely a single turn (or less) of a single tool is necessary to effect change of operational status of assembly  38 .  
         [0042]     Curved lobe  106  of cam  70  cooperates with cam follower  90  to translate rotational force provided by the tool into linear force on the cam follower  90 . When cam  70  is rotated fully, flat section  110  of cam  70  abuts flat surface  114  of cam follower  90 , providing a positive stop for the locked position of assembly  38 . One or more compressible disc springs  94  may, if desired, be interposed between cam follower  90  and rod  62  to permit application of clamping force while allowing relative movement between the two components. Coil spring  118 , finally, may circumscribe rod  62  within larger diameter portion  122  of vertically-oriented opening  54 . Spring  118  biases rod  62  and plunger  86  upward, away from track  10 , to ensure their full retraction when assembly  38  is unlocked.  
         [0043]      FIG. 12  illustrates assembly  38  in this unlocked position. As shown, plunger  86  is located above flanges  22  of track  10  and thus neither extends into channel  26  nor engages cut-outs  30 . Cap  78  protrudes above base frame  34 , and coil spring  118  biases rod  62  upward so that surface  114  of cam follower  90  abuts curved lobe  106  of cam  70 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 13 , by contrast, depicts assembly  38  in its locked position. Rotating cam  70  depresses rod  62  and plunger  86  so that shear pins  98  enter channel  26  and engage cut-outs  30 . This rotation also compresses both coil spring  118  and disc springs  94 , the latter compression assisting in clamping flanges  102  of plunger  86  against flanges  22  of track  10 . When rotation is complete, flat section  110  of cam  70  abuts flat surface  114  of cam follower  90 , providing a positive stopping position discernable by the person handling the tool.  
         [0045]     The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing exemplary embodiments and certain benefits of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to the illustrated and described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.