Patent Description:
It is known to provide a vehicle seat, such as an aircraft seat, with padding or cushioning to improve comfort. This typically takes the form of a layer of cushioning material which extends across a support frame of a seat base or a seat backrest. Increasing the thickness of the layer of cushioning material provided on a seat can greatly increase the comfort level experienced by a user seated thereon. This can be even more pertinent where the seat is a reclining seat, such as a reclining aircraft seat, wherein in the reclined position a passenger typically attempts to sleep upon the reclined seat and as such increased comfort is of even greater importance. This is exacerbated by the fact that particular areas of a passengers body may apply additional pressure when in a sleeping position, for example should a passenger be sleeping on their side, the shoulder will transfer a significant amount of the weight of the upper body to the reclined backrest of the seat and the point of transfer of this weight results in discomfort if the cushioning in this area is insufficient. However, in known seating designs, in order to increase the thickness of the cushioning and resulting comfort levels, the entire layer of cushioning material is typically thickened. Resultantly, this either increases the overall dimensions of the seat, or requires major reconfiguration of the support structure of the seat. Even should one location of the layer of cushioning material be thickened, it still results in a larger seat at that locality.

<CIT> discloses an aircraft passenger seat configured to facilitate ergonomic alignment of a passenger while in a sleeping position, including a seat bottom; and a seatback including a central opening corresponding to a shoulder region of a passenger, and a sleep support assembly mounted within the central opening, the sleep support assembly including an adjustable support member spanning a central portion of the seatback, where the adjustable support member is configured for at least one of translation and deformation; where, when the seat bottom is aligned with the seatback in a lie-flat seating position, a load provided by the shoulder region of the passenger, at least in a side-sleeping position, causes translation and/or deformation of the adjustable support member toward a floor of an aircraft cabin, thereby facilitating ergonomic alignment of the spine.

It is desirable to provide a vehicle seat comprising additional cushioning whilst not significantly increasing the overall size of the vehicle seat.

The present disclosure provides a vehicle seat as detailed in claim <NUM>, and a method of manufacturing a vehicle seat according to claim <NUM>. Advantageous features are provided in dependent claims.

According to the invention there is provided a vehicle seat according to claim <NUM>.

Ideally, the vehicle seat is a reclining seat.

Advantageously, the at least one localised area of increased thickness provides additional comfort to a user seated upon on the vehicle seat, or in the case of a reclining seat lying upon the reclined seat.

Ideally, the support structure extends between the user facing side thereof to a rear end thereof, the depth of the support structure being defined between the user facing side and the rear end. Preferably, the cavity is shaped and dimensioned such that the presence thereof does not increase the depth of the support structure.

Ideally, the cushioned section comprises a plurality of cushioned portions, at least one cushioned portion being sized and dimensioned such that at least a portion thereof extends into the cavity of the support structure to form a localised area of increased thickness.

Advantageously, the formation of a cavity without increasing the depth of the support structure, and placement of at least a portion of the cushioned section therein, allows for increased thickness of cushioning providing greater comfort without increasing the overall dimensions of the backrest portion.

Ideally, the vehicle seat is a reclining vehicle seat such that the backrest portion is movable between a seated configuration and a sleeping/reclining configuration.

Preferably, the seat base and backrest portion forms a generally flat sleeping surface in sleeping configuration such that a user may adopt a sleeping position.

Ideally, the cavity is sized and positioned such that the portion of the cushioned section therein provides additional support to a user when in the sleeping position.

Most ideally, the cavity is sized and positioned such that the portion of the cushioned section therein provides additional support to a user when in the sleeping position and sleeping on their side, the cavity being aligned with the shoulder of a user lying on their side on the reclined seat.

Preferably, the backrest portion comprises a width-wise dimension which extends, in use, generally across the width of the back of a user seated upon the seat.

Ideally, the backrest portion comprises a lengthwise dimension which extends, in use, generally longitudinally along the back of a user seated upon the seat.

Preferably, the cavity is formed centrally in the support structure with respect to the width-wise dimension thereof and extends at least partially along the lengthwise dimension.

Ideally, the cavity only extends partially along width-wise dimension.

Preferably, the cavity extends along substantially all of the lengthwise dimension of the backrest portion.

Ideally, the cushioned section comprises a stepped profile when viewed in cross section in the width-wise dimension.

Preferably, the stepped profile comprises a first portion of the cushioned section which extends across the entire width-wise dimension of the backrest portion, and a second portion of cushioned section, locatable on a support structure facing side of the first portion and centrally in relation to the width-wise dimension of the first portion, and which extends only partially along the backrest in the width-wise dimension.

Ideally, the second portion of cushioning section extends either side of the width-wise center of the first portion.

Ideally, the second portion of cushioned section extends from the first portion of cushioned section, into the cavity, and towards the rear end of the support structure.

Preferably, the size and shape of the second portion of cushioning section is substantially the same as the size and shape of the cavity such that the second portion pf cushioning section may be received into said cavity.

Preferably, the cavity extends approximately <NUM>-<NUM> in the width-wise dimension.

Most preferably, the cavity extends approximately <NUM> in the width-wise dimension.

Ideally, the cavity extends approximately <NUM>-<NUM> in the lengthwise dimension.

Most preferably, the cavity extends approximately <NUM> in the lengthwise dimension.

Preferably, the cushioned section comprises a padded cushion.

Ideally the padded cushion comprises stuffing or padding material within a fabric covering.

Preferably, the cushioned section may further comprise an adjustable cushion section.

Ideally, the adjustable cushion section may be selectably inflated or deflated to permit adjustment of the level of cushioning felt by a user.

Preferably, the adjustable cushion section is a pneumatic cushion which is sized and dimensioned such that, when inflated, it expands from the cavity towards the user facing side of the vehicle seat.

Ideally, the pneumatic cushion is in operable engagement with a pneumatic system comprising an air source, an air outlet valve, and a user operable control arranged to permit user inflation and deflation of the pneumatic cushion via control of the air source and air outlet valve.

Preferably, the vehicle seat is a reclining aircraft passenger seat.

Most preferably. the vehicle seat is a reclining aircraft first class or business class passenger seat.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a vehicle seat according to claim <NUM>.

An embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:.

The present teaching will now be described with reference to an exemplary vehicle seat. It will be understood that the exemplary vehicle seat is provided to assist in an understanding of the present teaching and is not to be construed as limiting in any fashion. Furthermore, elements or components that are described with reference to any one Figure may be interchanged with those of other Figures or other equivalent elements without departing from the spirit of the present teaching.

Referring now to the Figures, there is illustrated a vehicle seat <NUM>. The vehicle seat as shown in the Figures is an aircraft passenger seat <NUM>. The seat <NUM> comprises a seat base <NUM> and a backrest portion <NUM>. In use, the seat base is sat upon by a user and their back rests upon the backrest portion. As can be seen from <FIG> in particular, in the embodiments of the drawings the seat <NUM> is a reclining seat <NUM> which may recline to a substantially fully flat configuration such that the seat base <NUM> and backrest portion <NUM> form a generally flat surface for lying upon. The backrest portion <NUM> comprises a support structure <NUM>. The support structure <NUM> retains the backrest in position, supports the weight of a user seated or lying on the seat <NUM>, provides for connection to the seat base <NUM>, and acts to house various systems and ancillary components of the seat <NUM>. A user engagable cushioned section <NUM> is locatable on a user facing side of the support structure <NUM>. The user facing side is that facing a user when said user is seated or lying on the seat <NUM>. The cushioned section <NUM> comprises at least one localised area of increased thickness <NUM> which provides additional comfort to a user seated upon on the vehicle seat <NUM>, or in the case of a reclining seat lying upon the reclined seat <NUM>.

The support structure <NUM> extends between the user facing side thereof <NUM> to a rear end <NUM> thereof, the depth of the support structure <NUM> being defined between the user facing side <NUM> and the rear end <NUM>. The support structure <NUM> is shaped to define a cavity <NUM> in the user facing side thereof. By cavity, it is meant that the existing structure is adapted to provide a space or void in the support structure <NUM>. The term cavity is intended to be non-limiting in such that the walls of the cavity may comprise gaps or the like. The cavity <NUM> is shaped and dimensioned such that the presence thereof does not increase the depth of the support structure <NUM>, and therefore does not increase the overall depth of the backrest portion <NUM>. This is achieved by forming existing material of the support structure and components thereof around the cavity <NUM>. The cavity defines an opening <NUM> on the user facing side <NUM> of the support structure <NUM> such that when a cushioned section <NUM> is positioned on said user facing side <NUM> of the support structure at least a portion of the cushioning section may extend into the cavity <NUM>. The cushioned section <NUM> is sized and dimensioned such that at least a portion thereof extends into the cavity <NUM> of the support structure <NUM> to form a localised area of increased thickness <NUM>. In some embodiments, the cushioned section <NUM> comprises a plurality of cushioned portions <NUM>, <NUM>, at least one cushioned portion <NUM> being sized and dimensioned such that it extends into the cavity <NUM> of the support structure to form a localised area of increased thickness <NUM>. Advantageously, the formation of a cavity <NUM> without increasing the depth of the support structure, and placement of at least a portion of the cushioned section <NUM> therein, allows for increased thickness of cushioning at the location of the cavity <NUM> providing greater comfort in this area without increasing the overall dimensions of the backrest portion <NUM>. This is in contrast to prior art designs wherein all of the cushioning section is located on the user facing side of the backrest portion, or more specifically none of the cushioning is located within the body of the support structure as in the present invention. This can be seen in <FIG> wherein <FIG> shows a prior art backrest portion having a straight profile cushioned section and <FIG> shows a prior art backrest portion having a curved profile cushioned section. The straight and curved profiles are depicted by the lines <NUM> and <NUM> respectively. In such prior art arrangements, to increase the thickness of the cushioning the entire cushioning layer must be increased in thickness, thus increasing the overall dimensions of the backrest portion, which in a space critical environment such as an aircraft cabin is not desirable. Even if the layer was increased in thickness locally, this thickness increase would increase the thickness of the backrest in this locality.

As noted above, the vehicle seat <NUM> is a reclining vehicle seat <NUM> such that the backrest portion <NUM> is movable between a seated configuration and a reclining/sleeping configuration. The drawings show only the sleeping configuration, see <FIG> in particular. The seat base <NUM> and backrest portion <NUM> forms a generally flat sleeping surface in sleeping configuration such that a user may adopt a sleeping position. The cavity <NUM> is sized and positioned such that the portion of the cushioned section <NUM> therein provides additional support to a user when in the sleeping position. The positioning of the cavity <NUM> and associated portion of cushioned section <NUM> therein is particularly advantageous in supporting a user sleeping on the seat <NUM> on their side wherein the weight of the user is transferred through one of the users shoulders rather than distributed by the larger surface area of the users back or front when laying on their back or front. The positioning of the cavity <NUM>, and cushioning portion <NUM> that is received thereinto, therefore provides for increased thickness in the area of the shoulder of a user when the user is lying on their side, and thus increased comfort to the user.

The backrest portion <NUM> comprises a width-wise dimension <NUM> which extends, in use, generally across the width of the back of a user, and a lengthwise dimension <NUM> which extends, in use, generally longitudinally along the back of a user. The cavity is formed centrally in the support structure <NUM> with respect to the width-wise dimension <NUM> and extends only partially along width-wise dimension each side of said width-wise center. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the cavity <NUM> extends along the majority of the lengthwise dimension <NUM> of the backrest portion <NUM>. It should be noted that the dimensions of the cavity <NUM> and portion <NUM> of cushioned section therein as shown in the drawings is for illustration only, and represents a preferable arrangement. It should be understood that the cavity <NUM> and associated portion <NUM> of cushioned section could take any reasonable size. It should also be noted that, should other localised areas of increased cushioning thickness be desired, that additional or alternative cavities of differing position and size may be created. In addition, whilst this application refers to providing localised additional thickness of cushioning in the backrest without increasing the backrest dimension, the same principle could be applied to the seat base. As such references herein to the cavity being in the backrest and the cushioning extending into the cavity in the backrest could equally apply to the formation of a cavity in the seat base and cushioning extending into the cavity in the seat base.

As is best seen in <FIG>, the cushioned section <NUM> comprises a stepped profile when viewed in cross section in the width-wise dimension. The stepped profile comprises a first portion <NUM> of the cushioned section which extends across the entire width-wise dimension <NUM> of the backrest portion <NUM>, and a second portion of cushioned section <NUM>, locatable on a support structure facing side <NUM> of the first portion <NUM>, and centrally in relation to the width-wise dimension of the first portion <NUM>. The second portion <NUM> of cushioned section extends only partially along the width-wise dimension of the backrest portion <NUM> on each side of the with-wise center of the first portion <NUM>. The second portion <NUM> of cushioned section extends from the first portion <NUM> of cushioned section, into the cavity <NUM>, and towards the rear end <NUM> of the support structure <NUM>. The second portion <NUM> of cushioned section may comprise chamfered corners <NUM> which align with corresponding chamfered interior corners in the cavity <NUM>. As is best seen in <FIG>, the top and bottom longitudinal ends <NUM>, <NUM> of the cavity <NUM> is a tapered end such that the cavity <NUM> tapers away from the user facing side of the backrest portion <NUM>. The second portion <NUM> of the cushioned section is correspondingly shaped so as to fit within the tapered cavity <NUM>.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings. the cavity <NUM> extends approximately <NUM> in the width-wise dimension and approximately <NUM> in the lengthwise dimension. The thickness of the second portion <NUM> of the cushioned section is approximately <NUM>. Consequently, the depth of the cavity <NUM> is approximately <NUM> to accommodate the second portion <NUM> of the cushioned section therein. Overall, when the thickness of the first and second portions <NUM>, <NUM> of cushioning section are combined, the area of localised thickness provided is approximately <NUM>. In the preferred embodiment, the cushioned section <NUM> comprises a padded cushion <NUM> formed from materials as would be typically utilised on aircraft seating. The padded cushion <NUM> may comprise stuffing or padding material within a fabric covering.

<FIG> show a further sectional view showing the cavity and portion <NUM> of cushioning section located within the cavity. The dashed line <NUM> on <FIG> is added to highlight that to achieve the additional thickness of padding afforded in the area of the cavity, existing designs would need to increase the cushioning thickness across the entire width of the seat, thus increasing the overall depth of the seat, or requiring significant modification to the support structure to accommodate such a seat width thickness increase.

In an alternative embodiment, the cushioning section <NUM> may further comprise an adjustable cushion section <NUM>, as is best seen in <FIG>. Preferably, the adjustable cushion section <NUM> may be selectably inflated or deflated to permit adjustment of the level of cushioning felt by a user. <FIG> illustrates the adjustable cushioning section in a first configuration wherein it is deflated; <FIG> shows the adjustable cushioning section <NUM> in a second configuration wherein it is inflated. <FIG> show that the adjustable cushioning section is attached to or in contact with the first portion <NUM> of the cushioning section, effectively replacing the second portion <NUM> of the cushioning section. However, it should be understood that the adjustable cushioning section <NUM> may form a greater or lesser portion of the overall cushioning section <NUM> as desired, may form part of the first portion <NUM> of the cushioning section, or may form part of the second portion <NUM> of the cushioning section. The adjustable cushion section <NUM> may be a pneumatic cushion <NUM> which is sized and dimensioned such that, when inflated, it expands from the cavity <NUM> towards the user facing side of the vehicle seat <NUM>. The pneumatic cushion is in operable engagement with a pneumatic system comprising an air source <NUM>, an air outlet valve <NUM>, and a user operable control <NUM> arranged to permit user inflation and deflation of the pneumatic cushion <NUM> via control of the air source <NUM> and air outlet valve <NUM>. The user operable control <NUM> may be located in the vehicle seat <NUM>, for example in an arm rest, or may be integrated into a flight entertainment system or the like such that it is operable via a touchscreen thereof. The air source <NUM>, air outlet valve <NUM>, and user operable control <NUM> may be in wired communication, as is shown in <FIG>, however in alternative arrangements these components may be in wireless communication via wireless communication methods that would be well known to the skilled person. The air source <NUM> may be an air pump or the like configured to pump air into the pneumatic cushion <NUM> to inflate the cushion <NUM> upon a user selecting to inflate said cushion <NUM> using the user operable control <NUM>. The air outlet valve may be opened, by the user selecting to deflate the pneumatic cushion using the user operable control <NUM>, to allow air to exit the pneumatic cushion thus deflating said cushion <NUM>. Other arrangements are envisioned wherein the air source <NUM> is capable of both forcing air into the pneumatic cushion <NUM>, and operating in a reverse manner such that may apply suction to actively remove air therefrom. Thus the air outlet valve may not be required in such an arrangement. It is also noted that the pneumatic cushion may be inflated to any intermediate partially inflated configuration between its inflated and deflated configurations, such that a user may obtain optimal comfort levels for their particular needs.

A method of manufacturing the vehicle seat <NUM> comprises forming the seat base <NUM> and the backrest portion <NUM>, the backrest portion comprising the support structure <NUM>. A cavity is formed in the support structure for receiving a portion of the cushioned section <NUM>. The cushioned section <NUM> is formed having a localised area of increased thickness <NUM>, and fitted to the backrest portion such that a portion <NUM> of the cushioned section <NUM> is locatable in the cavity <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A vehicle seat (<NUM>) comprising a seat base (<NUM>) and a backrest portion (<NUM>), wherein the backrest portion comprises:
a support structure (<NUM>);
a user engagable cushioned section (<NUM>) locatable on a user engagement side of the support structure;
wherein the support structure (<NUM>) is shaped and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the cushioned section (<NUM>) such that the cushioned section comprises at least one localised area of increased thickness (<NUM>), characterised in that the support structure is shaped to define a cavity (<NUM>), the cavity defining an opening (<NUM>) thereinto from the user facing side of the support structure, and wherein the top and/or bottom longitudinal ends (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the cavity are tapered ends such that the cavity (<NUM>) tapers away from the user facing side of the backrest portion (<NUM>).