Abstract:
A dual plane armrest includes upper and lower forearm supports that overlap to permit respective use by neighbors. The upper support may be cut-away at the rear to accommodate the elbow of the user of the lower support. The upper forearm support is disposed above the lower forearm support partially or completely. The dual plane armrest provides increased lateral space for neighbors without increasing lateral seat pitch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuing application, under 35 U.S.C. §120, of copending international application No. PCT/GB2008/003975, filed Nov. 28, 2008, which designated the United States and was published in English; this application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of Great Britain Patent application No. 0723404.0, filed Nov. 29, 2007; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     n/a 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention lies in the field of seating. The present disclosure relates to an armrest for multiple seating and, particularly, to an armrest suitable for positioning between adjacent seats. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Multiple seating consists of two or more adjacent seats disposed side-by-side in a row. Such seating is found in aircraft, but may also be found in other forms of transportation and in any place where a plurality of people congregate. Typically, such seating includes armrests, which have the function of defining an individual seating space and providing a support for the forearm. However, the lateral seat pitch is often small, and the armrest is suitable for a single use only. Simultaneous use of such an armrest is not possible and, as a result, adjacent users may become frustrated and annoyed because their armrest is in use by a neighbor. 
     In order to improve passenger comfort in aircraft whilst maintaining lateral seat pitch, it has been proposed to stagger adjacent seats so that the shoulders of adjacent passengers are not aligned. 
     It has also been proposed to arrange adjacent seats to face forwards and backwards. Such a configuration can give improved shoulder and elbow room.  FIG. 1 , for example, illustrates, in plan, a prior art aircraft seat configuration  10  having adjacent passengers facing in opposite directions. Elbow and shoulder room can be improved for a given lateral seat pitch, but engineering and certification problems arise in addition to poor perceived passenger acceptance.  FIG. 2  shows, in plan, a prior art configuration of seats  20  in which a standard configuration  21  has lateral alignment. Elbow and shoulder room can be increased, as illustrated by the progressively greater stagger of seat arrangements  22 ,  23 ,  24 . However, such staggered configurations also have engineering and certification problems, and may have poor customer acceptance. 
     Both prior proposals place passengers in unnatural positions and have low perceived acceptance. Both prior proposals also comprise relatively expensive solutions which may require substantial engineering changes to the supporting substrate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides an armrest for multiple seating that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type. 
     According to the invention there is provided a dual plane armrest having two forearm supports disposed one above the other. In such an armrest, the dual planes may overlap partially or fully. 
     The principal advantage of the invention is that the provision of higher and lower level armrests has an affect on the disposition of the arm, whereby use of the upper plane tends to swing the arm relatively forward. Thus, the risk of adjacent elbows and/or shoulders being in conflict is reduced. 
     Thus, users of neighboring seats are provided with one or other forearm support of a common armrest and, accordingly, a low lateral seat pitch can be provided with increased seating comfort. The invention has particular application to economy class seating of aircraft. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the forearm supports overlap substantially completely so that the width of the armrest according to the invention is about the same as a prior single plane armrest. 
     The armrest of the invention may take any suitable form. In an exemplary embodiment, a ‘C’ shape provides upper and lower forearm support planes linked by a substantially vertical upright. Alternatively, an ‘S’ or ‘Z’ shape similarly provides support planes linked by an angled upright. The upright may be a continuous web or may be constituted by a plurality of upright elements. 
     An armrest according to the invention is adapted to be hinged to a backrest or the like so as to be moved between stowed and deployed conditions. Furthermore the armrest of the invention is adapted for direct replacement of existing single plane armrests without modification or adjustment of the seat substrate. 
     In particular, and especially in relation to aircraft, safety certification is facilitated because minimal changes to the support structure are required. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an armrest for multiple seating, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
     Additional advantages and other features characteristic of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description that follows and may be apparent from the detailed description or may be learned by practice of exemplary embodiments of the invention. Still other advantages of the invention may be realized by any of the instrumentalities, methods, or combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
     Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, which are not true to scale, and which, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to illustrate further various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention. Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary first prior art seating configuration; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a second exemplary prior art seating configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of adjacent seats with a common armrest according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged front perspective view of the armrest of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the armrest of  FIGS. 3 and 4  in use by adjacently seated people; 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary, diagrammatic side elevational view of a right neighbor using the armrest of  FIG. 5  viewed from between the two users; 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary, diagrammatic front elevational view of the two neighbors using the armrest of  FIG. 5  viewed from the front of the two users; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary, diagrammatic side elevational view of a left neighbor using the armrest of  FIG. 5  viewed from between the two users; 
         FIG. 9  is a fragmentary, diagrammatic top plan view of the two neighbors using the armrest of  FIG. 5  viewed from above the two users; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side; and 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the armrest according to the invention from the front and right side. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. 
     As used herein, the term “about” or “approximately” applies to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. 
     Herein various embodiments of the present invention are described. In many of the different embodiments, features are similar. Therefore, to avoid redundancy, repetitive description of these similar features may not be made in some circumstances. It shall be understood, however, that description of a first-appearing feature applies to the later described similar feature and each respective description, therefore, is to be incorporated therein without such repetition. 
     Described now are exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a first exemplary embodiment of the invention in which adjacent seats  31 ,  32  have a common substantially ‘C’ shaped armrest  33  having upper and lower support planes  34 ,  35  linked by a continuous substantially upright web  36 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the upper support plane  34  has a cut-out  37  at the rear (adjacent the seat back) to provide room for a lower portion of an upper arm of a person (e.g., a passenger) using the lower support plane  35 . It will be appreciated that the vertical web may be pierced to reduce weight or may be constituted by one or more narrow support elements. 
       FIG. 5  schematically illustrates the armrest  33  in use whereby passenger  1  employs the upper support plane  34  and passenger  2  uses the lower support plane  35 . 
       FIGS. 6 ,  7 ,  8 , and  9  illustrate in greater detail the disposition of the upper and lower support planes  34 ,  35  and the passenger&#39;s arm(s) associated therewith. In  FIG. 6  passenger  1  uses the upper support plane  34 , which tends to swing the arm and shoulder  38  slightly forward (to the left in  FIG. 6 ). In  FIG. 8 , passenger  2  uses the lower support plane  35 , which tends to swing the arm and shoulder  39  to the rear (to the left in  FIG. 8 ). In front elevation ( FIG. 7 ), the arms of the neighbors overlap to a slight extent giving more comfort and space to both passengers whilst maintaining an unchanged lateral seat pitch. The plan view of  FIG. 9  also illustrates how the respective arms can overlap in comfort. 
     Alternative configurations of the invention are illustrated in  FIGS. 10 to 19 . In  FIG. 10 , for example, a C-shaped armrest  41  (when viewed from an elevational side thereof) is mounted on a seat substrate by the lower limb  42 . The upper limb  43  is a cantilever from the front edge with free end  44  at a distance from the seat backrest. This distance allows elbow room for the passenger using the lower limb  42 . The armrest  41  may have a solid upright side, or one or more legs, to support the upper limb, but such a support will define the seat associated with the lower limb and the seat associated with the upper limb. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the inventive armrest  45  with a Z-shaped section at the front  46  and an L-shaped section at the rear  47 . An elbow cut-out  48  is provided for the right side passenger (as in the view of  FIGS. 7 and 9 ). The change in section accommodates the generally diminishing bulk of an arm, from the elbow to the hand, and may be provided by a gradual curve. 
       FIG. 12  shows an alternative exemplary armrest  51  having a C-shaped section at the front  52  and an L-shaped section at the rear  53 . At elbow cut-out  54  is likewise provided.  FIG. 13  is a variant  55  of the armrest of  FIG. 12  in which the elbow cut-out  56  has a right-angled edge  57 , rather than the curved transition  54 . 
     In  FIG. 14 , in still a further exemplary embodiment of the armrest invention, an upper limb  61  is supported on three legs  62  spaced along the length thereof. The lower limb  63  of the armrest is cantilevered from the seat back at mounting  64 . Another exemplary embodiment of the armrest invention is shown in  FIG. 15 . There, the upper limb  65  is cantilevered from a front support  66  and the lower limb  67  is cantilevered from a rear support  68 . 
     In  FIG. 16 , yet another exemplary embodiment of the armrest invention illustrates the upper limb  71  cantilevered from the rear, with an elbow cut-out  72 . The lower limb  73  is supported from below by three legs  74 . In comparison, in a further exemplary embodiment of the armrest invention,  FIG. 17  shows the upper limb  75  supported on the lower limb  76  by three legs  77 . 
     Next, an exemplary embodiment of the armrest invention shown in  FIG. 18  illustrates both upper and lower limbs  81 ,  82  supported from below by three legs  83 . Lastly,  FIG. 19  shows both upper and lower limbs  85 ,  86  cantilevered from the rear, the upper limb having an elbow cut-out  87 . 
     The foregoing examples are not an exhaustive list of armrest configurations, and it will be understood that where three upright supports are illustrated, more or less may be sufficient depending on normal design considerations. Likewise the lower limb may be accessible from the left side or from the right side, and elbow cut-outs of suitable shape and size may be provided if desired. Materials of construction are any suitable for providing the necessary functional, strength, and comfort requirements. The invention is particularly suitable for high density seating, such as provided in aircraft. However use of the invention in many kinds of transportation and public seating is envisaged. 
     The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, exemplary embodiments, and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art and the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.