Abstract:
Passenger seating arrangements are detailed. At least some arrangements permit each passenger to access an aisle of a vessel without contacting an adjacent passenger. Movable footwells may be utilized to floor-level access when retracted and function as steps when extended as a seat is converted to a bed. This structure authorizes decrease in seat pitch without decrease of bed length, permitting additional seating to be included in a cabin of a vessel without diminishment of passenger comfort.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/475,847, filed Apr. 15, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to seating arrangements for passengers and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to arrangements for seating passengers within transport vessels such as aircraft in which seats for the passengers are convertible into beds. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,346 to Mercier details exemplary passenger seating arrangements. The seating arrangements may comprise “a plurality of seats which can be converted into beds and disposed in rows, each row extending in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, and each seat being oriented towards the front of the aircraft.” See Mercier, col. 1, 11. 554-57. Seat groups adjacent a wall of an aircraft include transverse passages allowing occupants of seats immediately adjacent the wall to access gangways or aisles of the aircraft. By including these transverse passages, the arrangements avoid any requirement of a passenger to “step[ ] over the adjacent passenger in order to reach the gangway when the seat of the other passenger is placed in the bed position.” See id., col. 2, 11. 9-11. The transverse passages otherwise represent unused space, however, reducing passenger density within the aircraft cabin. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,470 to Plant illustrates other passenger seating arrangements within aircraft. Rather than being oriented longitudinally within an aircraft, seats of the Plant patent are angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Moreover, pairs of seats are disposed at opposed angles “to form essentially a ‘V’ shape,” with the distance between feet of adjacent passengers being less than the distance between their heads. An immovable center unit forward of the pair of seats provides footwells for both passengers when their respective seats are converted into beds. Hence, an occupant of a seat closest a wall of an aircraft must risk contacting the body of a sleeping adjacent passenger in order to access an aisle. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,918,504 to Thompson discloses yet other passenger seating arrangement for use on-board aircraft. Adjacent seats overlap both transversely and, at least when converted into beds, longitudinally, with a footwell of one passenger being “located beside the seat of a second” passenger. See Thompson, col. 1, 1. 41. The footwells are fixed in position, however, and “occupiers within the central position of a three-seat row (or inner positions of longer rows) need disturb” other passengers when accessing aisles of an aircraft. See id., col. 2, 11. 12-14. The contents of the Mercier, Plant, and Thompson patents are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides alternatives to the seating arrangements of these existing patents. Unlike conventional seating arrangements, those of the present invention permit each passenger to access an aisle of a vessel without contacting an adjacent passenger. They thus reduce the likelihood that a sleeping passenger will be disturbed by movement of an adjacent passenger to and from his or her seat. 
         [0007]    Additionally, equipment and arrangements of the present invention may utilize moveable, rather than fixed-position, footwells. Exteriors of the footwells may function as steps when the footwells are extended into an egress region for a nearby passenger. By contrast, when a footwell is retracted, the egress region is vacant and available for floor-level passage, similar to the transverse passages of the Mercier patent. In either circumstance—by using the egress region directly or by using the step—a passenger may pass to and from an aisle of an aircraft without disturbing a neighboring passenger. No longer, therefore, is the egress region directly dedicated to passenger egress, as at times the region may accommodate both a footwell and passenger egress (and ingress). This approach of the present invention consequently allows decrease in seat pitch without diminishment of bed length, permitting additional seating to be included in a cabin over at least the layouts of the Mercier patent, for example, without sacrificing passenger comfort. 
         [0008]    Presently-preferred versions of the invention for use in passenger aircraft comprise pluralities of seats facing generally forward (i.e. in the predominant direction of flight of the aircraft). They hence are oriented generally longitudinally within an aircraft cabin, generally either along or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cabin. Some or all seats nevertheless may, if desired, form a non-zero angle with respect to either the longitudinal cabin axis or any axis parallel thereto. Moreover, at least some adjacent seats may be staggered, so that they are not aligned transversely within the cabin. Also desirably included are means for attaching the seats directly or indirectly to cabin floors, which attaching means may be conventional. 
         [0009]    It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide passenger seating arrangements. 
         [0010]    It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating equipment with moveable footwells. 
         [0011]    It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide stepped passages for certain passengers to use when moving to or from their seats in order to reduce risk the movement disturbing certain other passengers. 
         [0012]    It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating arrangements permitting each passenger to access an aisle of a vessel without substantial risk of contacting an adjacent passenger. 
         [0013]    It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating arrangements in which transverse passages, or egress regions, may also accommodate footwells of nearby passengers. 
         [0014]    It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating arrangements in which seats face generally forward and are oriented generally longitudinally within an aircraft cabin. 
         [0015]    It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating arrangements in which at least some seats are not aligned transversely within the cabin. 
         [0016]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the appropriate art with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a top, partially-schematicized view of part of an exemplary column of seats arranged consistent with the present invention, with occupied seats shown in a generally upright condition. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a top, partially-schematicized view of the seats of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is an elevational, partially-schematicized view of the seats of  FIG. 1 , with one occupied seat shown in a generally upright condition and another occupied seat shown converted into a bed. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an elevational, partially-schematicized view of the seats of  FIG. 1 , with occupied seats shown converted into beds. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective, partially-schematized view similar to that of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective, partially-schematized view similar to that of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a perspective, partially-schematized view similar to that of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a perspective, partially-schematized view similar to that of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a perspective, partially-schematized view similar to those of  FIGS. 4 and 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9  is an exemplary arrangement  10  of seats  14  primarily for use in a passenger aircraft or other transit vessel. Arrangement  10  may comprise at least seats  14 A-C as depicted in  FIGS. 1-9 . Alternatively, arrangement  10  may comprise fewer or greater numbers of seats  14  than depicted. Indeed, for commercial purposes within passenger aircraft, for example, arrangement  10  typically will comprise substantially more than three seats  14 . 
         [0027]    Nevertheless, as illustrated each of seats  14 A-C faces generally in the direction of arrow A. This direction preferably is the predominant direction of movement of the vessel (although it need not necessarily be so). Consequently, an occupant  18  of each seat  14 A-C preferably faces forward, toward the front of the vessel and in its predominant direction of movement, when his or her corresponding seat  14 A-C is upright. 
         [0028]    Arrangement  10  may be considered as a column of seats  14  extending longitudinally within a vessel. The column may extend along a longitudinal axis of the vessel or along any axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. Seats  14  within the column themselves may extend along any such axis; alternatively, as shown especially in  FIGS. 1-2  and  4 , each seat  14 A-C may define a longitudinal seat axis  20  at an angle ±α from any such axis. Angle a preferably ranges from 0-20° in absolute magnitude, and more preferably ranges from 5-10° in absolute magnitude, although it is not necessarily limited to these ranges. 
         [0029]    Preferably, arrangement  10  forms a column of seats  14  adjacent the vessel fuselage or cabin wall  22 , positioned between wall  22  and a longitudinally-extending gangway or aisle  26 . If desired, a mirror image of arrangement  10  may be placed adjacent the cabin wall opposite wall  22 , forming another column of seats  14  positioned between that wall and either aisle  26  or a second aisle (not shown). Depending on the width of the vessel, additional columns of seats may be positioned in the central longitudinal region of the cabin. 
         [0030]    Adjacent seats  14 B and  14 C (or  14 A and  14 B) beneficially may be staggered (i.e. unaligned laterally) within the column of arrangement  10 . Each seat  14 A-C is designed to be convertible into a bed (see  FIGS. 3-4  and  7 - 9 ) should its occupant  18  desire to sleep or rest in a generally-horizontal position. Each seat  14 A-C hence preferably includes at least seat back  30 , seat pan or bottom  34 , and leg support  38 , some or all of which are moveable through a range of positions. In a first, “upright” position, for example, seat back  30  is predominantly vertically oriented and leg support  38  is retracted or otherwise not extended longitudinally. In a second, “bed” position, by contrast, seat back  30  is predominantly horizontally oriented and leg support  38  is longitudinally extended. Movement of components of seats  14 A-C may occur mechanically, electromechanically, or through any other suitable mechanism. 
         [0031]    Also illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9  are auxiliary units  42 A-B. Each auxiliary unit  42 A-B may, if desired, include privacy shell  46 A-B and footwell assembly  50 A-B. Unit  42 A may include shell  46 A and footwell assembly  50 A and be referred to as a “left-hand” unit, as shell  46 A is to the left of footwell assembly  50 A from the standpoint of an occupant  18  oriented as in  FIGS. 1-9 . By contrast, unit  42 B may be denoted as “right-hand” unit, as shell  46 B is to the right of footwell assembly  50 B from the standpoint of an occupant  18  of the corresponding seat  14 . Each shell  46 A-B may surround at least a portion of a seat  14  so as to restrict observation of the occupant  18  of the seat  14  and thereby provide some privacy to him or her. Each shell  46 A-B additionally preferably is either directly or indirectly attached, connected, adhered, or integrally formed with a footwell assembly  50 A-B, although this is not absolutely necessary. 
         [0032]    Footwell assemblies  50 A-B are designed to receive feet of occupants  18  when corresponding seats  14  of the occupants  18  are converted into beds and the occupants  18  are prone. Although footwell assembly  50 B of  FIG. 1  is shown as connected to shell  46 B partially surrounding seat  14 B, it will receive feet of the occupant  18  seated in seat  14 C when seat  14 C is converted into a bed. Stated differently, a footwell assembly is configured to receive feet of the occupant of the seat immediately therebehind. Accordingly, a seating unit for an occupant  18  will comprise his or her seat and the footwell assembly immediately forward of the seat. 
         [0033]    In at least one embodiment of the invention, footwell assemblies  50 A-B are box-like structures open toward the feet of occupants  18  seated therebehind Other structures are feasible, however, and may be used instead. Footwell assemblies  50 A-B may have generally horizontal upper surfaces  54 A-B if desired, thereby functioning as a table or work space, for example. Likewise if desired, footwell assemblies  50 A-B may comprise generally vertical sections  58 A-B extending above surface  54 A-B and possibly including video monitors or other passenger conveniences. In versions shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , footwell assemblies  50 A and  50 B are of approximately equal width, although this too is not necessary. 
         [0034]    Beneficially unequal, however, are the default lengths of footwell assemblies  50 A versus those of footwell assemblies  50 B. These differing lengths are well illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2  and  5 - 6 , for example. In particular, each footwell assembly  50 A may be of a first (“full”) default length L 1 , whereas each footwell assembly  50 B preferably is of a second default length L 2  less than the full length L 1  by an amount L 3 . Stated differently: 
         [0000]    
       
      
       L 
       2 
       +L 
       3 
       =L 
       1  
      
     
         [0035]    Because each footwell assembly  50 B has shorter default length, gap G exists between forward end  62 B of each footwell assembly  50 B and the shell  46 A immediately forward of the footwell assembly  50 B. Gap G may have length at least equal to L 3  (and preferably will be at least slightly larger than L 3 ) and beneficially extends from floor F of the vessel to a height at least that of most humans. Accordingly, gap G provides an area through which an occupant  18  of any seat  14 B may access aisle  26  while standing, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 . 
         [0036]    The length of a bed (“L Bbed ”) into which seat  14 B may be converted is approximately equal to the sum of the lengths of its seat back  30  (“L 30 ”), its seat bottom  34  (“L 34 ”), its leg support  38  (“L 38 ”), and the footwell assembly  50 A (L 1 ) immediately forward thereof. Written mathematically: 
         [0000]    
       
      
       L 
       Bbed 
       ≅L 
       30 
       +L 
       34 
       +L 
       38 
       +L 
       l  
      
     
         [0000]    By contrast, if the default length L 2  were the maximum length of footwell assembly  50 B, the hypothetical length of the bed (“L CHypobed ”) into which seat  14 C would be converted would be approximately only: 
         [0000]    
       
      
       L 
       CHypobed 
       ≅L 
       30 
       +L 
       34 
       +L 
       38 
       +L 
       2  
      
     
         [0000]    Accordingly, the occupant  18  of seat  14 C would have a shorter bed than would the occupant of seat  14 B. 
         [0037]    Because creating beds of differing lengths is an undesired result (especially for nearby seats within the same cabin of service), the present invention allows bed lengths to be equalized for all seats  14 . This may be achieved by creating extension  66  within each footwell assembly  50 B. Extension  66  advantageously may constitute a telescoping, box-like segment retractable so that its forward surface  70  is flush (or approximately so) with forward end  62 B. When extended, extension  66  preferably protrudes beyond forward end  62 B by a distance approximately equal to L 3 . An actual length of a bed (“L Cbed ”) into which seat  14 C may be converted thus is: 
         [0000]    
       
      
       L 
       Cbed 
       ≅L 
       30 
       +L 
       34 
       +L 
       38 
       +L 
       2 
       +L 
       3  
      
     
         [0000]    which is the same length as L Bbed . 
         [0038]    Extension  66  may be controlled by an electric actuator, a mechanical linkage, or in any other appropriate manner so as to retract or extend, as appropriate, depending on whether the associated seat  14  is in the “upright” or “bed” position. Extension  66  may extend from floor F and have height sufficient to receive and accommodate most human feet, as shown especially in  FIG. 3 . The extension  66  beneficially may include an internal shelf or platform above floor F. If such an internal shelf or platform is present, heels of accommodated feet may be raised above floor F an amount approximately equal to (or slightly less than) the amount the remainder of the body of the occupant is raised above floor F. 
         [0039]    When extension  66  is extended, its upper surface  74  may function as a step. By so functioning, the occupant  18  of seat  14 B, for example, may use the step to facilitate accessing aisle  26  even when the occupant  18  of seat  14 C (for example) is resting or sleeping. Upper surface  74  and supporting walls  78  of extension  66  preferably are sufficiently rigid to support weight of an occupant  18  without material deformation, so that when an occupant  18  uses extension  66  as a step, feet accommodated by the extension  66  will not be disturbed. Alternatively, the occupant  18  of seat  14 B may simply step over the extension  66 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0040]    The present invention thus allows seats  14  to be placed more densely within a vessel while still allowing all occupants  18  to access aisle  26 . This allows more efficient use of the limited space within the vessel, as it reduces overall seat/bed pitch without sacrificing passenger comfort. The foregoing hence is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.