Abstract:
Multiple features of seating assemblies are detailed. Innovations in or to tray tables, luggage bars, arm rests, seat backs, and seat frames are included, with features being incorporated into seating assemblies either separately or in any combination. The assemblies are configured principally for passenger aircraft but may be used elsewhere as appropriate or desired.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS 
     These inventions relate to seating assemblies and more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to aspects of seating units configured for use on-board passenger aircraft and other transport vessels. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS 
     Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,421 to Brennan, et al. are existing aircraft seats with various conventional components. Illustrated, for example, in FIG. 7 of the Brennan patent is a typical tray table adapted to deploy from the rear face of the seat in front of the user. Such table may assume either of two positions: (1) a horizontal position parallel to the deck on which the seats are mounted (when the table is in use), with arms connecting the table to a fore seat outside the envelope of the seat back and (2) a vertical position substantially perpendicular to the deck for when the table is stowed. Arm rests either are fixed in position or pivot upward from their nominal positions of  FIG. 1  of the patent. 
     Described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,593 to Lambiaso is an alternative aircraft seat in which a tray table is stowed in a cavity within an arm rest. Although a cover of the arm rest may pivot to allow access to the cavity, the position of the remainder of the arm is fixed relative to the seating deck. Similarly, arm rests of U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,994 to Bentley, et al. have covers allowing access to tray tables, but the arm rests themselves do not move independently of the seat frame. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS 
     The present inventions provide alternative features to some of those described in the Brennan, Lambiaso, and Bentley patents. For example, tray tables may be fitted into upper portions of fore seat backs with associated arms positioned within the envelopes of the seat backs. The arms further may be inclined so that the rotational axis of a table may be above a horizontal plane in which it is deployed for use. Moreover, the tray tables may function as energy-absorption elements in the event they are contacted by passenger heads or bodies (during aircraft crash, for example). 
     Other tray tables of the inventions instead may be positioned near or under (but not necessarily within) associated arm rests. Instead, the tables may be attached to portions of seat frames (typically seat spreaders) using, for example, pods or arms. When stowed, the tables may be positioned in spaces between seats, functionally serving to bound (at least in part) a seating area available to an occupant of each seat. Different versions of the tables may be deployed either after lifting associated arm rests or without having to lift the arm rests. No compartment need necessarily be designed for any of these tray tables, and a single pod placed between seats may accommodate two tray tables (one associated with each adjacent seat) if desired. 
     Seating assemblies of the present inventions may, if desired, include luggage bars. Such bars conventionally function solely to help retain underseat luggage in place; they do not absorb bending stresses to which a front leg of a seating assembly may face. By contrast, those of the present invention are configured to absorb some of these bending stresses, reinforcing the frames of the assemblies and permitting front legs to be simple tubes if desired. In particular, bossheads may be used to connect luggage bars to one or more front legs so that limited (or no) rotation of one to the other may occur, with the connections allowing force transfers from the legs to the bars. 
     As noted above, arm rests often may be fixed in (horizontal) position or allowed to pivot upward from that position. Some pivoting arm rests additionally include means for locking the rests in horizontal position when appropriate. These rests are not interchangeable at present; in other words, a pivoting arm rest may not readily substitute for a fixed-position arm rest and vice-versa. Arm rests of the present inventions, however, may effect this substitution. They are thus in at least this sense “universal,” in that they may be configured in advance to be either fixed or pivotable. Indeed, merely by changing a single locking pin, an arm rest may be pre-configured in any of the above-described manners. 
     Seat backs of the present inventions likewise may include universal mountings regardless of whether the backs are fixed or, instead, permitted to recline. Using the mountings may facilitate distribution of stresses while providing similar stress relief whether or not the backs recline. In some versions, connecting rods on each side of a seat back may be pressed against sleeves in order to prevent recline. 
     Finally, seat frames—particularly in areas between adjacent seat bottoms—may accommodate controllers for certain passenger-actuatable features of the seats. Rather than placing these controllers in cavities within arm rests, as is often presently done, controllers among the present inventions may be placed on or in seat frames. Such placement may allow associated cables to be mounted on fixed parts and for more direct routing of the cables. It also permits arm rests to be thinner and lighter if desired. 
     It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide innovative aspects of passenger seating assemblies, any one or more of which may be utilized independently of any other one or more such aspects. 
     It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating assemblies in which tray tables are positioned within seat backs such that their associated arms are within (lateral) envelopes of the backs. 
     It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating assemblies in which tray tables may be positioned underneath or adjacent arm rests but not necessarily within any cavities associated with the rests. 
     It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating assemblies in which luggage bars may be reconfigured to absorb some forces to which seat legs may be subjected. 
     It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating assemblies in which arm rests may be configured in advance to be either fixed or pivotable relative to their associated seat frames. 
     It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating assemblies in which stress-relieving connecting rods may be deployed in connection with seat backs, with such rods functioning regardless of whether the seat backs may recline. 
     It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide seating assemblies in which controllers with which passengers interface are repositioned on or in seat frames rather than, for example, on or in arm rests. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in appropriate fields with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary tray table consistent with the present inventions and configured for use principally with a non-reclinable seat back. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a second exemplary tray table consistent with the present inventions and configured for use principally with a reclinable seat back. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a row of seats incorporating other exemplary tray tables consistent with the present invention, with the tray tables shown as deployed. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the seats and tray tables of  FIG. 3 , with the tray tables shown as stowed. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a first exemplary stowage positioning of a pair of tray tables of  FIGS. 3-4 . 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a second exemplary stowage positioning of a pair of tray tables of  FIGS. 3-4 . 
         FIG. 7  depicts connection of tray tables of  FIGS. 3-4  to a seat frame. 
         FIG. 8  details a seat frame consistent with the present inventions. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a portion of the seat frame of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a bosshead of the seat frame of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary universal arm rest of the present inventions shown prior to mounting to a seat frame. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the arm rest of  FIG. 11  again shown prior to mounting. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the arm rest of  FIG. 11  shown mounted to a seat frame. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of a mounting bosshead for use with the arm rest of  FIG. 11 , the bosshead having a locking pin shown in a first position. 
         FIG. 15  is a generally elevational view of the mounting bosshead of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of the mounting bosshead of  FIG. 14  with the locking pin shown in a second position. 
         FIG. 17  is a generally elevational view of the mounting bosshead of  FIG. 14  with the pin as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is a view of another exemplary seating assembly consistent with the present inventions. 
         FIG. 19  is a view of an articulation mechanism for use with a seat having a non-reclinable seat back. 
         FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional view of the mechanism of  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 21  is a view of a connecting rod forming part of the mechanism of  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 22  is a view of an articulation mechanism for use with a seat having a reclinable seat back. 
         FIG. 23  is a cross-sectional view of the mechanism of  FIG. 22 . 
         FIG. 24  is a view of a connecting rod forming part of the mechanism of  FIG. 22 . 
         FIG. 25  is a cross-sectional view of a conventional arm rest. 
         FIG. 26  is a perspective view of an exemplary seat row incorporating a command integration system consistent with the present inventions. 
         FIG. 27  is a close-up view of part of the seat row of  FIG. 26 . 
         FIG. 28  illustrates a seat recline actuator that may be used as part of the command integration system of  FIG. 26 . 
         FIG. 29  illustrates aspects of the command integration system of  FIG. 26  relating to, at least, audio transmissions. 
         FIG. 30  illustrates electronics that may form part of the command integration system of  FIG. 26 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2  are seat back  10  and tray table  14 . Seat back  10  may include a fore face (not shown) and rear face  18  and be connected to seat frame  22  (see  FIG. 2 ) so as to form part of a seating assembly  16  for a passenger. Rear face  18  is configured to accommodate tray table  14  when stowed, including pivoting latch  26  or similar means for retaining tray table  14  in a stowed position. It also defines a general width W between its lower extremities  28 A-B. As is well known to those skilled in the art, tray table  14  is adapted for use by a passenger sitting immediately behind seating assembly  16 . 
     Rear face  18  may include any or all of upper portion  30 , central portion  34 , and lower portion  38 . Conventionally, upper portion  30  may include a video monitor, central portion  34  receives a tray table, and lower portion incorporates a literature pocket. Similarly conventionally, the tray table is connected to arms extending upward from seat frame  22  and presenting laterally beyond extremities  28 A-B, causing the arms to be spaced a distance greater than width W. In these conventional assemblies, the rotational axis of the table thus likewise extends beyond width W. 
     By contrast, rear face  18  is designed to receive tray table  14  in its upper portion  30 , which as shown in  FIGS. 1-2  may be recessed for that purpose. As detailed in  FIG. 1 , moreover, primary arms  42 A-B of tray table  14  may connect directly to seat back  10 —especially if the seat back  10  does not recline—and thus define a pivoting or rotational axis no greater than width W. Alternatively, for a reclinable seat back, primary arms  42 A-B may connect to secondary arms  46 A-B (see  FIG. 2 ) connected to either or both of seat back  10  or seat frame  22 , preferably at points on the rotational axis of the seat back  10 . Clear from  FIG. 2 , however, is that secondary arms  46 A-B need not extend laterally beyond extremities  28 A-B and thus too are spaced a distance less than or equal to width W. 
     In addition to primary arms  42 A-B, tray table  14  may comprise support  50 . Support  50  provides a useful portion of tray table  14 , including generally planar upper surface  54  and lower surface  58  (shown in dotted lines). Support  50  also may be integral with or attached to primary arms  42 A-B and, if desired, may have one or more folds. When tray table  14  is deployed, its upper surface  54  is generally horizontal so as to support a food tray or other objects and, if desired, may include recess  60  for a beverage cup or other container. Detailed in  FIGS. 1-2  is that primary arms  42 A-B may be inclined upward from support  50  to their connections  62 A-B with seat back  10 ; accordingly, the rotational axis existing between the connections  62 A-B is above the plane of upper surface  54  when tray table  14  is deployed. The indented form of the lower part of tray table  14  enables placement of a cup holder (not shown) on seat back  10  if desired, which cup holder can be used whether tray table  14  is deployed or stowed. 
     By accommodating tray table  14  in upper portion  30 , central portion  34  is available for literature stowage and lower portion  38  is unobstructed to provide more knee and leg room for the passenger seated behind seating assembly  16 . Lower surface  58  additionally may serve as an ornamental element of seating assembly  16  when tray table  14  is stowed. Alternatively, because of its high visibility to a passenger seated behind seating assembly  16  when tray table  14  is stowed, lower surface  58  may include safety admonitions, advertising, or other information. Finally, in its stowed position in upper portion  30 , tray table  14  may function to absorb energy should it be contacted by a passenger&#39;s head, for example, in the event of an aircraft crash or rapid deceleration. 
       FIGS. 3-6  detail alternate tray table assemblies  100  of the present inventions. Rather than being connected to seating assemblies to the fore of the passengers intended to use them, table assemblies  100  may be attached to units which the passengers occupy. Table assemblies  100  thus are especially (although not exclusively) useful at bulkheads or in other circumstances when no fore seat back is readily available in which to position a tray table. 
     Also illustrated in  FIGS. 3-6  is seat frame  104  and adjacent seats  108 A-C. Although three seats  108  are shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , tray table assemblies  100  may function regardless of the number of adjacent seats. Seats  108  may include seat bottoms  112  and seat backs  116 , as is conventional, as well as arm rests  120 . Seat frame  104 , further, may include components referred to as seat spreaders  122 . 
     Arm rests  120  may be connected to frame  104  if desired and be positioned at least between adjacent seats  108 . Arm rests  120  also may be designed to pivot between a deployed position (see  FIGS. 3-5 ) and a retracted position (see  FIG. 6 ). Except for reasons discussed in connection with  FIG. 6 , however, arm rests  120  need not necessarily pivot. 
     As shown, arm rests  120  exist to the sides of seats  108  and are spaced above (i.e. vertically higher than) seat bottoms  112 . Vertical space VS thus exists between seat bottoms  112  and arm rests  120 , and it is into some or all of this space VS under arm rests  120  that tray table assemblies  100  may be stowed. Illustrated especially in  FIGS. 4-6  is that tables  124  of assemblies  100  stow oriented vertically, whereas they deploy in a horizontal orientation (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). Tables  124 , further, may be folded when stowed so as to ensure their height is less than VS. 
     Each tray table assembly  100  also may include support arm  128 . Support arm  128  advantageously connects to and extends upward from seat spreader  122  or another part of frame  104 . In any event, support arm  128  preferably connects to frame  104  at or adjacent forward edges  132  of seat bottoms  112 , unlike arm rests  120 , which normally connect to frame  104  toward the rear of frame  104 . Support arm  128  additionally may include conventional or other mechanisms allowing tables  124  to pivot between generally vertical and generally horizontal positions. 
     A support arm  128  may attach to only one table  124  as, for example, shown for seat  108 A in  FIG. 3  or to two tables  124  as shown for seats  108 B-C. It further may position tables  124  slightly laterally of an arm rest  120 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in which case the arm rest  120  need not necessarily pivot upward to deploy tables  124 . Alternatively, the assembly  100  of  FIG. 6  requires upward pivoting of arm rest  120  for deployment of tables  124 . 
     Assemblies  100  thus may be lightweight alternatives to corresponding conventional tray table assemblies. They may remain visible even when stowed (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ), not needing any storage compartment or shroud (and thus being of minimum weight). By allowing some support arms  128  to accommodate two tables  124 , all arm rests  120  may be relatively simple and standardized, and no table cavity need be designed into any outboard arm rest. 
       FIGS. 8-9  detail aspects of novel seat frame  200 . Frame  200  may include fore and aft seat spreaders  208  and  212  and fore and aft legs  216  and  220 , respectively. Legs  216  and  220  typically connect to tracks in a floor of an aircraft or other vessel and to each other via horizontal support bar  224 . Strength of legs  216  and  220  and their connections to the tracks are important for passenger safety. Indeed, passenger seats connected to frame  200  often must be able to withstand deceleration force of 16 g with only limited track distortion, notwithstanding presumed significant floor distortion associated with the event leading to the extreme deceleration. 
     Frame  200  also may include luggage bar  228 . Conventionally, luggage bar  228  serves only as a stop for objects placed on a vessel floor underneath a seat and is not connected to any legs  216 . For purposes of these inventions, however, bar  228  is so connected, hence distributing forces to which legs  216  may be subjected and thus reinforcing frame  200 . Indeed, preferably bar  228  is connected to at least two legs  216  (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). 
     Bosshead  232  provides an exemplary junction for bar  228  and a leg  216 . Bosshead  232  may comprise vertical cavity  236  for receiving leg  216  and horizontal cavity  240  for receiving bar  228 . For strength, bosshead  232  preferably is a unitary metal structure, although it need not necessarily be either unitary or metallic. Bolts, screws, or other fasteners may be passed through openings  244  and  248  to fix bar  228  and leg  216 , respectively, to bosshead  232 , thus preventing relative rotation between bar  228  and leg  216 . Use of bosshead  232  also may provide sufficient force distribution by bar  228  to permit leg  216  to be a simple tube, unlike the more complex (and heavier) fore legs deployed today. 
     Detailed in  FIGS. 11-17  are features of an exemplary arm rest assembly  300  consistent with the present inventions. Assembly  300  may, if appropriate, include arm rest  304 , mounting bosshead  308 , bolt  312  or other means permitting pivoting of arm rest  304  relative to bosshead  308 , and locking pin  316 . Assembly  300  additionally may include finishing cover  320 , mounting support  324 , and any other suitable element or component. 
     Conventionally, arm rests within commercial passenger aircraft are of three general types: (1) fixed position arm rests such as those often located on so-called “window” seats abutting the fuselage or cabin wall; (2) pivotable arm rests such as those often located between adjacent seats, with pivoting between horizontal and generally vertical positions allowed freely; and (3) pivotable arm rests such as those located on so-called “aisle” seats, with the arm rests locked into a horizontal position until a latch is sprung. Adjustment mechanisms are typically distributed among arm rests and seat frames so that final adjustment of a fixed, freely pivoting, or locking pivoting arm rest cannot occur until its assembly is mounted on a seat frame. 
     Assembly  300 , by contrast, may be assembled prior to its attachment to seat frame  328 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . Bosshead  308 , which includes oblong, semicircular slot  336  with boss  340  in its middle and a cylindrical through hole in its lower part, may be connected to arm rest  304  by means of bolt  312  and locking pin  316 . Arm rest  304  may pivot only when locking pin  316  can move freely within slot  336 . 
     Assembly  300  thereafter may be attached to seat frame  328  using only screw or other fastener  332 . To do so, lugs or protrusions  341  and  342  of frame  328  may be aligned with mortise  343  of bosshead  308  to appropriately position assembly  300  relative to the frame  328 . Fastener  332  may then be inserted into frame  328  (typically from the rear), through hole  343 , and into bore  335  of bosshead  308  to fix the positioning. Hence, using only fastener  332 , assembly  300  may be connected to seat frame  328  without need for any adjustment on a final assembly line. 
     To accommodate the three conventional arm rest types mentioned above, differing locking pins  316  may be used. One such locking pin  316  may have part-circumferential groove  344 . If groove  344  is aligned with boss  340  (as shown in  FIGS. 16-17 ), pin  316  may move freely within slot  336  and arm rest  304 , in turn, may freely pivot. If groove  344  is misaligned with boss  340  (see  FIGS. 14-15 ), by contrast, arm rest  304  will not pivot until the groove  344  is realigned. Misalignment may occur intentionally by using spring  348  to bear on pin  316 , with simple pressure functioning to “unlatch” the misalignment so as to allow arm rest  304  to pivot. Finally, arm rest  304  may be fixed in a horizontal, non-pivoting position merely by utilizing a pin  316  without any groove. 
     Hence, merely by choosing a pin  316  and deciding whether to initially have spring  348  bearing on the pin  316 , any of the three general types of arm rests may be created prior to mounting of assembly  300 . This increases the versatility of assembly  300  and allows it to be mounted to and dismounted from frame  328  quickly and easily. Controls or wiring (or both) for such things as in-flight entertainment (IFE), seat back recline, headphones, power supply, etc. may be incorporated into assembly  300  as appropriate or desired. 
       FIG. 18  illustrates an exemplary row of seats  400 , three of which (denoted seats  400 A-C) are shown together with seat frame  402 . Each seat  400  may, if desired, include a seat back  404 , a seat bottom  408 , at least one arm rest  410 . Seat back  404 , further, may have fore face  416  and rear face  420  (see  FIG. 19 ). Conventionally, a seat back may be mounted so as to pivot relative to the seat frame, with pivoting limited by a locking cylinder. If the seat back is not to pivot, it may be bolted about a second axis off-centered from the pivoting axis. 
     Articulation mechanism  424  instead may be used to replace these conventional approaches. Mechanism  424  may facilitate distribution of forces onto both sides of a seat back  404 , improving response of a seat  400  to stresses. It also may be employed in similar versions regardless of whether seat back  404  is configured to, or not to, recline. 
     Mechanism  424  may comprise primary transversal articulation sleeves  411  and  412  and secondary transversal articulation sleeves  421  and  422 . Each sleeve is aligned with and fixed to frame  402 . Also comprising mechanism  424  may be connecting rods  431  and  432 , one fixed to each side of seat back  404 . Each of rods  431  and  432  may include a transversal hole  440  and a transversal oblong hole  450  of circular arc centered on the axis of hole  440 . Main axes  461  and  462  may be in the form of screws mounted in respective primary sleeves  411  and  412 , with such screws passing through holes  440  in rods  431  and  432  to function as a pivot axis. Similar screws mounted in secondary sleeves  421  and  422  may function as respective secondary axes  471  and  472 , with the screws passing through holes  450  in rods  431  and  432 . 
     If seat back  404  is desired not to recline (e.g.  FIG. 19 ), secondary axes  471  and  472  are configured to press connecting rods  431  and  432  against secondary sleeves  421  and  422 . This pressure effects a frictional blockage of movement of seat back  404 . By contrast, if seat back  404  is reclinable (e.g.  FIG. 22 ), secondary axes  471  and  472  are configured so as not to press connecting rods  431 ′ and  432 ′ against secondary sleeves  421  and  422 . Instead, secondary axes  471  and  472  show frictional clearance with connecting rods  431 ′ and  432 ′ and thus may travel freely within holes  450 . To effectuate recline, a hydrolock or other fluid-containing or spring-loaded cylinder  480  may be connected between frame  402  and a connecting rod  432 ′ by means of transversal pivoting axes  491  and  492 . 
     Illustrated as well in  FIG. 22  are arms  493  and  494 , which may be used to connect a tray table to rear face  420  within the envelope of seat back  404 . Arms  493  and  494  may mount so as to pivot about main axes  461  and  462 , respectively, abutting stops  495  and  496  when fully deployed. Finally, seat bottom  408  may, if desired, connect to seat frame  402  by means of main axes  461  and  462 , secondary axes  471  and  472 , or both sets of axes. 
     Shown in  FIG. 25  is a conventional arm rest  500 . It is within such an arm rest  500  that many passenger command actuators currently are placed. Indeed, actuators for seat back recline, jacks for head phones, IFE controls, etc., all typically are incorporated into arm rest  500 , which often is moveable. Arm rest  500  thus is complex in many respects, having multiple functions in addition to supporting a passenger&#39;s arm. 
     Command system  504  of the present inventions transfers location of some or all of these command actuators away from the arm rest of a seat. Hence arm rest  508  of seat  512  need not be complex (unless complexity is desired), and associated cables need not be routed to a moving part. As depicted especially in  FIGS. 26-27 , command system  504  may be mounted directly or indirectly on seat frame  516 . Preferably (although not necessarily), such mounting is to, or near, fore seat spreader  520  so as to place the passenger interface within easy reach of the passenger. It additionally may be positioned adjacent seat bottoms  524 . Any suitable means may be used to effect mounting of command system  504  to frame  516 . The mounting means may include cover  540  if desired to mask some of system  504  or render it inaccessible to passengers. If present, cover  540  advantageously is removable for maintenance, however. 
     Command system  504  may comprise recline system  528  ( FIG. 28 ) for seat back  532 . Recline system  528  itself may comprise lever or button  541 , actuating cylinder  542 , and a mechanical connecting rod or cable  543 . Electrical cables  553  may connect head phone jack  552  and IFE or other actuators  551  to electronics  554 , any or all of which additionally may form part of command system  504 . Also connected to electronics  554  via electrical cables  553  may be power supply sockets  562 , which also may form part of command system  504 . 
     The foregoing 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. Contents of the Brennan, Lambiaso, and Bentley patents are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference. Also incorporated in their entireties herein by this reference are the contents of the following patent applications: EP10306130 (filed Oct. 18, 2010), EP10306131 (filed Oct. 18, 2010), EP10306133 (filed Oct. 18, 2010), EP10191891 (filed Nov. 19, 2010), and EP10192084 (filed Nov. 22, 2010).