Patent Publication Number: US-8523130-B2

Title: Deployment apparatuses

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/750,205 filed on Mar. 30, 2010, now allowed, which is related to and claims priority benefits from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/164,530, filed on Mar. 30, 2009, entitled TRANSLATING VIDEO DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM. The &#39;205 and &#39;530 applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of the invention relates to deployment apparatuses for passenger seats or the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many vehicle seats such as those on passenger aircraft, buses, trains and the like require stowage of objects when not in use. For example, many seat designs utilize the space below the seat cross beams to stow video devices, tray tables, cocktail tables, and the like. In many instances, the swing trajectory of these objects requires additional storage length or the size of the object must be limited to properly stow within the existing storage available. 
     In certain situations, however, it may be desirable to reduce the size of the storage compartment or to increase the size of the deployment object. In these circumstances, there exists a need to limit the swing trajectory are required to stow these objects. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention include a deployment apparatus comprising a deployment object, a deployment arm, a deployment link, a pivot housing, at least two linear guides, and a gas spring. Deployment objects may include but are not limited to a display monitor, a tray table, and a cocktail table. The deployment object may be coupled to the deployment arm via a deployment connector that is pivotally coupled to the deployment object and rotationally coupled to an end of the deployment arm. The deployment link includes a mating surface that confronts a mating surface of the deployment arm and an opposing end that is coupled in a fixed location to a deployment arm mount. The pivot housing is adjacent the mating surfaces of the deployment link and the deployment arm. The at least two linear guides are coupled to the deployment arm mount and comprise at least two tracks that are slidingly engaged with a plurality of linear bearings on the surface of the pivot housing. Finally, the gas spring is coupled at one end to the pivot housing and coupled at an opposing end to the deployment arm mount. 
     In some embodiments, the deployment apparatus includes a locking arm that releasably engages a latch pin that is positioned on the deployment arm. Other embodiments of the deployment apparatus may include a spring coupled to an end of the locking arm and a projection on the pivot housing. In yet other embodiments, a rotation limitation pin is coupled to the mating surface of the deployment arm and contacts the deployment link when the deployment arm is positioned between a stowed angle and a released angle. 
     The deployment apparatus may be deployed by releasing the latch pin from the locking arm. The gas spring is then released, which raises the pivot housing to an upper end of the at least two linear guides. In some embodiments, the deployment arm rotates from a stowed angle to a released angle due to contact between the deployment link and the rotation limiting pin. The deployment apparatus may have a released angle of at least 10 degrees and a displaced vertical distance of at least 0.5 inches. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a deployment apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of the deployment apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the vertical slide mechanism of the deployment apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the deployment apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a stowed position. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the deployment apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a released position. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view showing the change in the swing trajectory of the deployment object created by the deployment apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the deployment apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a deployed position. 
         FIG. 8  is another side view of the deployment apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a stowed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the invention provide deployment mechanisms for use with a vehicle seat. While the deployment mechanisms are discussed for use with aircraft seats, they are by no means so limited. Rather, embodiments of the deployment mechanisms may be used in vehicle seats of any type or otherwise as desired. 
       FIGS. 1-8  illustrate one embodiment of a deployment apparatus  10 . In this embodiment, the deployment apparatus  10  comprises a deployment object  12 , a deployment connector  14 , a deployment arm  16 , a vertical slide  18 , and a deployment arm mount  20 . 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the deployment object  12  is a three-dimensional object having a length X, a height Y, and a depth Z, where the X and Y sides define a surface area  13 . The deployment object  12  may be any object including but not limited to any type of screen that displays visual images corresponding to electrical signals that it receives from an appropriate source, a food tray, a cocktail tray, or other similar objects. 
     The deployment object  12  is pivotally coupled to the deployment connector  14 . The deployment connector  14  has any appropriate shape that allows the deployment object  12  to pivot relative to its coupling to the deployment connector  14 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , the deployment connector  14  includes a rounded seat that is pivotally coupled to at least a portion of the lower length X of the deployment object  12 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate one embodiment of the coupling between the deployment connector  14  and the deployment arm  16 . In this embodiment, the deployment connector  14  is coupled to an end  22  of the deployment arm  16  in a manner that allows the deployment connector  14  to rotate relative to the deployment arm  16  along the longitudinal axes of both the deployment connector  14  and the deployment arm  16 . Both the deployment connector  14  and the deployment arm  16  may be formed of any suitable material including but not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, other metallic material, composite material, or other similar material. The deployment arm  16  may have any appropriate cross-sectional shape including but not limited to rectilinear, oval, circular, triangular, or any other similar shape. The longitudinal shape of the deployment arm  16  may have a straight, curved, or any other suitable profile. 
     In some embodiments, an opposing end  24  of the deployment arm  16  includes a pivot  26 . The deployment arm  16  is pivotally coupled to the vertical slide  18  via the pivot  26 , where the pivot  26  is shaped to allow the deployment arm  16  to pivot relative to the vertical slide  18 . The pivot  26  may have a cylindrical, oval, spherical, or other similar shape that allows the pivot  26  to rotate in a suitable manner. 
       FIGS. 3-8  illustrate one embodiment of the vertical slide  18 . In this embodiment, the vertical slide  18  comprises a deployment link  28 , a pivot housing  30 , a cable cover  32 , a gas spring  34 , and at least two linear guides  36 . In some embodiments, a mating surface of the deployment link  28  confronts a mating surface on the pivot  26 . The pivot  26  is coupled to the deployment link  28  by a fastener  38  that passes through an aperture  40  in the pivot  26  and a co-centrically aligned aperture  42  in one end of the deployment link  28 . However, the pivot  26  and the deployment link  28  may be coupled by any appropriate manner that allows the pivot  26  and the deployment link  28  to rotate relative to one another. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the pivot housing  30  is positioned adjacent one side of the coupled pivot  26  and the deployment link  28 , and the cable cover  32  is positioned adjacent the opposing side of the pivot  26  and the deployment link  28 . The pivot housing  30  and the cable cover  32  are coupled to one another to form an enclosure  44  surrounding the junction between the pivot  26  and the deployment link  28 . The pivot housing  30  and the cable cover  32  may be formed of any suitable material including but not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, other metallic material, composite material, or other similar material. 
     In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4-8 , the pivot  26  also includes a rotation limiting pin  46 . The rotation limiting pin  46  is located on the mating surface of the pivot  26  that confronts the deployment link  28 . When the deployment arm  16  is placed in certain orientations relative to the deployment link, the rotation limiting pin  46  is rotated into a position where the rotation limiting pin  46  contacts the deployment link  28 . 
     The rotation limiting pin  46  contacts the deployment link  28  over a range of angles from a stowed angle to a released angle. The stowed angle position may be defined as any appropriate angle formed between the deployment arm  16  and a vertical axis. In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 8 , the stowed angle position is an angle of approximately 0 degrees between the deployment arm  16  and the vertical axis. However, one of skill in the relevant art will understand that any appropriate angle may be used that results in a stowed position of the deployment apparatus  10 . 
     The released angle may range from 10 degrees to 60 degrees from the stowed angle position, and may preferably be approximately 30 degrees from the stowed angle position. When the deployment arm  16  is positioned at the stowed angle, the deployment link  28  prevents further travel of the deployment arm  16  along its rotational arc in that direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , some embodiments of an external rear surface  48  of the pivot housing  30  include a plurality of linear bearings  50 . The linear bearings  50  provide a sliding surface between the pivot housing  30  and the at least two linear guides  36 . In some embodiments, the linear bearings  50  include but are not limited to inserted bearings or bushings. The at least two linear guides  36  are in turn coupled to the deployment arm mount  20 . In some embodiments, the linear guides  36  are integrated into the deployment arm mount  20 . The linear bearings  50  and the linear guides  36  may be formed of any suitable material that does not impede the ability of the pivot housing  30  to travel along the at least two linear guides  36 . For example, the linear bearing  50  materials include but are not limited to nylon, delrin, Teflon, or other similar coating materials. The linear guide  36  materials include but are not limited to aluminum, to stainless steel, other metallic material, composite material, or other similar material. 
     The deployment arm mount  20  may be formed of any suitable material including but not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, other metallic material, composite material, or other similar material. The deployment arm mount  20  and the at least two linear guides  36  have a length that accommodates the vertical travel distance required by the pivot housing  30  to achieve the desired reduction in swing trajectory of the deployment object  12 . 
     The pivot housing  30  also includes a projection  52 . An upper end  54  of the gas spring  34  is coupled to the projection  52  and the lower end  56  of the gas spring  34  is coupled to a projection  58  extending from the deployment arm mount  20 . In other embodiments, the gas spring  34  is coupled to a link, which in turn is coupled to the pivot housing  30 . One of skill in the relevant art will understand that the gas spring  34  may be coupled to the pivot housing  30  and the deployment arm mount  20  in any suitable manner including but not limited to pins, screws, or other types of mechanical fasteners. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the pivot housing  30  includes a locking arm  60 . The locking arm  60  includes a hook  62  that is configured to engage a latch pin  61  on the deployment arm  16 . The locking arm  60  is also coupled at its opposing end to one end of a spring  64 . The spring  64  is coupled at its opposing end to a projection  66  extending from the pivot housing  30 . The locking arm  60  releases the latch pin  61  when a passenger pulls a lever or pushes a button that lifts the locking arm  60  that is attached to the spring  64 . In other embodiments, any suitable releasable mechanical fasteners may be used to releasably engage the latch pin  61 . 
       FIGS. 4-5  and  7 - 8  illustrate one embodiment in which an opposing end  68  of the deployment link  28  is pivotally coupled to a projection  70  extending from the deployment arm mount  20 . As a result, the end  68  creates a fixed point about which the deployment link  28  pivots. In other embodiments, the opposing end  68  may be coupled to any appropriate structure that restricts the movement of the opposing end  68 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , one embodiment of the deployment apparatus  10  includes the vertical slide  18  to deploy the deployment arm  16  in an upward direction while the deployment arm  16  also rotates outward along its rotational arc. When the deployment object  12  is in a stowed position, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 8 , the pivot housing  30  is located at the lower end of the at least two linear guides  36 , the latch pin  61  is engaged by the locking arm  60 , the deployment arm  16  is oriented in the stowed angle position, and the deployment object  12  is oriented so that the plane of the surface area  13  is substantially parallel with the plane of travel of the deployment arm  16 . 
     In the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 , a passenger releases the locking arm  60  to deploy the deployment object  12  from its stowed angle position. Releasing the locking arm  60  disengages the latch pin  61 . This disengagement releases the gas spring  34 , which causes the pivot housing  30  to travel to the upper end of the at least two linear guides  36 . The upward movement of the pivot housing  30  simultaneously causes the deployment link  28  to press against the rotation limiting pin  46 , which in turn causes the deployment arm  16  to rotate outwardly from its stowed angle position. The simultaneous upward and outward movement of the deployment arm  16  places the deployment arm  16  into the released angle position, which is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the slide and link mechanism creates a displaced vertical distance that may be used to create passenger seats with a lower seat cross beam or to accommodate a larger deployment object within an existing storage location.  FIG. 6  illustrates that the displaced vertical distance is calculated by measuring the difference between the lowest point on a hypothetical rotational arc created by the deployment object relative to the actual lowest point along the rotational arc created by the deployment object. The displaced vertical distance is at least 0.5 inches and may range up to 3 inches, and may preferably be approximately 1.5 inches. 
     Once the deployment arm  16  is in the released angle position, a passenger may then manually pull the deployment arm  16  into a desired deployment angle, where the deployment angle may range from the released angle to 150 degrees, with the released angle setting controlled by the vertical slide  18 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the passenger then rotates the deployment object  12  into a deployed position for viewing. 
     When the passenger is ready to stow the deployment object  12 , the passenger rotates the deployment object  12  back to its stowed orientation. In a stowed orientation, the plane of the surface area  13  is substantially parallel with the plane of travel of the deployment arm  16 . The passenger then manually rotates the deployment arm  16  back to the stowed angle position, which causes the deployment arm  16  to simultaneously travel downward and inward while compressing the gas spring  34 . The downward pressure exerted by the passenger causes the latch pin  61  to slide over the hook  62  where the latch pin  61  is then engaged by the locking arm  60 . 
     The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Further 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.