Patent Description:
Airlines are increasingly providing aircraft cabins which incorporate facilities for companion travel into first-class or business-class suites. For example, the "Skyroom" provided by Zodiac Seats UK for Singapore Airlines uses two first class seat units within a column of seat units to create a shared space for companion travel. Furthermore, there are business class seating arrangements which can be configured with shared space for companion travellers using the middle seats of a <NUM>-<NUM>-<NUM> configuration, e.g. the "Skylounge" provided by Zodiac Seats France for Emirates. Qatar Airways' "QSuites" (RTM) also allows for companion travel in the middle columns of a <NUM>-<NUM>-<NUM> configuration for two travellers and can also be extended for interaction of up to four travellers in two adjacent rows. The "Optima" seats by Zodiac Seats UK are another example of a seating arrangement in which the middle two seats of a <NUM>-<NUM>-<NUM> configuration can be converted into a shared space for companion travellers, this arrangement also provides the option of creating a double bed.

<CIT> discloses an arrangement of seats for installation in an aeroplane cabin having a first set of two seats and a second set of two seats and a central partition extending along a longitudinal axis which is movable to a deployed position in which it separates the seats of the same set.

<CIT> discloses a vehicle passenger seating unit having first and second seats facing each other. A privacy divider is provided that includes first and second video monitors positioned between the first and second seats and selectively moveable between respective stowed positions.

<CIT> discloses a premium class seating arrangement for an aircraft cabin includes at least three passenger suites, each passenger suite including a seat. The passenger suites may cooperatively form a nested arrangement capable of nesting with identical passenger suite arrangements longitudinally within the cabin area. Each passenger suite in the arrangement is afforded direct aisle access without interference by another passenger suite.

There is a desire to provide companion travellers with more shared space. However, space within an aircraft cabin is relatively limited and it is difficult to provide shared space that is usable by companion travellers wishing to enjoy privacy from other travellers during flight.

The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problems.

The present invention provides an aircraft cabin in accordance with appended claim <NUM>.

By providing the first and second seat units with a partition that is deployable to a position in which the partition at least partially blocks the aisle, it is possible to convert the aisle space between the first and second seat units into a private space that is shared between the first and second seat units. Furthermore, an item of furniture can be deployed into the shared space in the aisle so that the item of furniture can be shared between passengers in the first and second seat units. For example, when an aircraft comprising the cabin is being boarded, the partition and item of furniture can be stowed away such the aisle is unblocked and passengers and crew can pass through the aisle space between the first and second seat units to reach other parts of the aircraft cabin, for example. In its stowed position, the partition does not block the aisle. In its stowed position, the item of furniture is positioned out of the aisle. The partition and item of furniture may remain stowed during taxi, take-off and landing. During flight, when it is not necessary for passengers and crew to access the aisle space between the first and second seat units, the partition and item of furniture can be moved to their deployed positions, thereby creating a private space that is shared between passengers of the first and second seat units.

Each seat unit may comprise one or more seats. Each seat unit may comprise exactly one seat that is convertible to a bed. In embodiments of the invention comprising more than one partition, the partition may be referred to as a first partition. There may be one, two, three, or four partitions. The partition may remain stowed during taxi, take-off and landing. In its stowed position, the partition does not block the aisle. The item of furniture may remain stowed during taxi, take-off and landing. In its stowed position, the item of furniture is positioned out of the aisle. In embodiments of the invention comprising more than one aisle, the aisle may be referred to as a first aisle.

In the deployed position, the partition may block the aisle between the first and second seat units such that a person cannot pass through the aisle space between the first and second seat units without moving the partition from the deployed position. In the deployed position, the partition may fully block the aisle.

The cabin may further comprise a floor, the first seat unit may comprise a first seat, and the second seat unit may comprise a second seat, wherein at least one of the first and second seats is rotatably mounted upon the cabin floor. At least one of the first and second seats may be rotatable to face the aisle. Both of the first and second seats may be rotatably mounted upon the cabin floor and rotatable to face across the aisle to the other seat.

The first and/or second seats may be rotatable by at least <NUM> degrees, preferably by at least <NUM> or <NUM> degrees. The first and/or second seats may be rotatable by at least <NUM> degrees, and preferably by at least <NUM> degrees, or more preferably, by <NUM> degrees. The first and/or second seats may be rotatable to face away from the aisle and preferably face away from the other seat. The aircraft cabin has a longitudinal axis. The first row may run substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and/or aisle. The first and/or second seat may be rotatable between a position in which the first and/or second seat faces a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a direction in which the first and/or second seat faces substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

The aisle may comprise a floor and the item of furniture, in its deployed position, may be mounted to the floor or one of the first and second seat units.

In the deployed position, the item of furniture may block the aisle between the first and second seat units such that a person cannot pass through the aisle space between the first and second seat units without first moving the item of furniture from the deployed position.

At least one of the aisle floor, first seat unit, and second seat unit may be provided with a mounting attachment for mounting the item of furniture.

The item of furniture may be a display monitor, such as an In-Flight-Entertainment (IFE) screen, a screen connectable to a personal electronic device (PED) or a computer games' console screen. The item of furniture may be a piece of exercise equipment. The item of furniture may be a further seat. Advantageously, the item of furniture may be a table. The first and second seat units may therefore be provided with a table which both of the passengers of the first and second seat units may share and use together. In a preferred arrangement in which both of the first and second seats are rotatable to face across the aisle to the other seat, the table may be positioned between the first and second seat units such that the first and second seats are rotatable so that passengers of the first and second seats can use the table to, for example, dine or work together while facing one another.

One of the first and second seat units may comprise a seat that is at least partially enclosed by one or more privacy walls. The privacy walls may be at least <NUM> millimetres (<NUM> inches) high as measured from the cabin floor. Preferably, the privacy walls may be at least <NUM> millimetres (<NUM> inches) high, even more preferably at least <NUM> millimetres (<NUM> inches) high as measured from the cabin floor.

In the deployed position, the partition may be positioned adjacent a privacy wall. In the deployed position, the partition may be positioned substantially parallel to a privacy wall and, preferably act as an extension of the privacy wall into the aisle.

The aircraft cabin may comprise a second partition movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the second partition is positioned at least partially in the aisle between the first and second seats units thereby at least partially blocking the aisle, and wherein, in the deployed position, the first partition is positioned adjacent a first privacy wall and the second partition is positioned adjacent a second privacy wall, the first and second privacy walls being located adjacent different regions of the aisle.

For example, the first privacy wall may be adjacent a region toward a front of the seat units (towards the front of the cabin). The second privacy wall may be located adjacent a region towards a rear of the seat units (towards the rear of the cabin). The privacy walls may therefore be located at different positions along the longitudinal axis of the cabin.

The aircraft cabin may comprise a third seat unit in the first row of seat units. The third seat unit may be positioned adjacent one of the first or second seat units, the third seat unit being separated from the one of the first or second seat unit by a privacy screen. The privacy screen may be at least <NUM> millimetres (<NUM> inches) high as measured from the cabin floor. Preferably, the privacy screen may be at least <NUM> millimetres (<NUM> inches) high, even more preferably at least <NUM> millimetres (<NUM> inches) high as measured from the cabin floor. The privacy screen may be moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The privacy screen may be moveable to the stowed position by being lowered from the deployed position. Moving the privacy screen to the stowed position may provide a shared space between the third seat unit and the one of the first or second seat units.

The aircraft cabin may further comprise a fourth seat unit in the first row of seat units, the third and fourth seat units being separated from each other by a second aisle. The cabin may comprise a further partition movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the further partition is positioned at least partially in the second aisle between the third and fourth seat units thereby at least partially blocking the second aisle. The cabin may further comprise a further item of furniture movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the further item of furniture is positioned in the aisle between the third and fourth seat units.

The third seat unit may be separated from one of the first or second seat units by a second aisle. The cabin may further comprise a further partition movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the further partition is positioned at least partially in the second aisle between the second and third seat units thereby at least partially blocking the second aisle. The cabin may further comprise a further item of furniture movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the further item of furniture is positioned in the aisle between the second and third seat units.

The first row of seat units may be the only row of seat units in the cabin provided with a moveable partition and a moveable item of furniture. For reasons of passenger safety in an emergency, certification reasons, or, for example, reasons relating to passenger and/or crew access to cabin facilities, it may be necessary to have only one row of seats units configured so that aisle space between the seat units is convertible into a shared private space. The first row of seats may be a front or rear row of seats of the cabin.

The aircraft cabin may comprise a first further seat unit and a second further seat unit, the first further seat unit and second further seat unit being in a second row of seat units, the second row of seat units being positioned adjacent the first row of seat units, the first further seat unit and second further seat unit being separated from each other by the aisle, wherein each of the first seat unit, second seat unit, first further seat unit, and second further seat unit comprises a seat and a privacy wall positioned between the seat and the aisle, the privacy wall being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the seat is at least partially enclosed by the privacy wall.

Such an arrangement would therefore convert the aisle space between four seat units into a private space that is shared between companion passengers of those seat units. There may be additional substantially identically configured rows of seat units so that the size of the shared space can be increased on a row-by-row basis therefore enabling a shared space to be created between six, eight, and so on, seat units positioned either side of the aisle.

The cabin may comprise two or multiple items of furniture movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the item of furniture is positioned in the aisle between the first and second seat units and/or between the first further seat unit and second further seat unit. The cabin may comprise an additional partition movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the additional partition is positioned at least partially in the aisle between the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit thereby at least partially blocking the aisle.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides.

an aircraft comprising the aircraft cabin of the first aspect of the invention.

A plan view of an aircraft cabin <NUM> according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown <FIG>. The cabin <NUM> comprises four seat units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> arranged in a first row <NUM>. A first seat unit <NUM> and a second seat unit <NUM> are separated by a first aisle <NUM> and a third seat unit <NUM> and a fourth seat unit <NUM> are separated by a second aisle <NUM>. The first seat unit <NUM> and fourth seat unit <NUM> are positioned at the port and starboard sides of the aircraft, respectively, and the second seat unit <NUM> and third seat unit <NUM> are positioned adjacent one another between the first and second aisles <NUM>, <NUM>.

Each seat unit <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> comprises a seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Each of the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is rotatably mounted upon the cabin floor and rotatable by <NUM> degrees between a position in which the seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> faces into the aisle and a position in which the seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> faces away from the aisle <NUM>. During taxi, take-off, and landing the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> face in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis X (the third seat <NUM> is shown in this position in <FIG>).

A front privacy wall <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is located in front of each seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and a rear privacy wall <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is located behind each seat, the front privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and rear privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> extend to a height of <NUM> millimetres (<NUM> inches), as measured from the cabin floor, thereby enclosing the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> from the front and the rear, in relation to the longitudinal axis X.

During boarding of the aircraft, for example, access through the first aisle <NUM> and second aisle <NUM> is needed for the aircraft crew and passengers (in <FIG>, the second aisle <NUM> allows such access). However, when such access is not needed, for example during flight, it is possible to block one or both aisles <NUM>, <NUM> to convert the aisles <NUM>, <NUM> into a space which is shared between the seat units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> either side of the aisles <NUM>, <NUM>. In <FIG>, first aisle <NUM> provides such a shared space (in <FIG>, the first aisle <NUM> is shown in this configuration).

The cabin also comprises tables <NUM> that are deployable to between the first and second seats <NUM>, <NUM> and/or the third and fourth seats <NUM>, <NUM> to provide furniture that is shareable between the passengers sitting in those seats. A table <NUM> is shown in its deployed position between the first and second seats <NUM>, <NUM> in <FIG> and <FIG>. In order to deploy the table <NUM>, the table <NUM> is mounted to a mounting attachment located in the cabin floor (not shown).

<FIG> shows an alternative arrangement where first and second seat units <NUM>', <NUM>' comprise first and second seats <NUM>', <NUM>'. The first and second seats <NUM>', <NUM>' comprise deployable tray tables <NUM>', <NUM>' mounted upon the rear privacy wall <NUM>', <NUM>', of the respective seat units <NUM>', <NUM>'. As can be seen in <FIG>, when the first and second seats <NUM>', <NUM>' are rotated such that they face one another across the first aisle <NUM>', the tray tables <NUM>', <NUM>' can be deployed and together form a shared table that can be used, for example, for face-to-face dining. In an aircraft cabin comprising an arrangement as shown in <FIG> therefore, there may be no need for the deployable table <NUM> arrangement shown in <FIG>.

As can be seen in both <FIG> and <FIG>, a front partition <NUM> is moveable to a deployed position in which it is positioned adjacent and in between the front privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM> of the first and second seat units <NUM>, <NUM> to fully block the first aisle <NUM> from a front direction. <FIG> and <FIG> also show that a rear partition <NUM> is moveable to a deployed position in which it is positioned adjacent and in between the rear privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM> of the first and second seat units <NUM>, <NUM> to fully block the first aisle <NUM> from a rear direction. The partitions <NUM>, <NUM> are configured to slide into place to block the first aisle <NUM>. Deploying both the front and rear partitions <NUM>, <NUM> creates a substantially enclosed private space that is shared between passengers sat in the seats <NUM>, <NUM> of the first and second seat units <NUM>, <NUM>. Further front and rear partitions are deployable to block the second aisle <NUM> in a similar manner, to form an enclosed private space that is shared between passengers sat in the seats <NUM>, <NUM> of the third and fourth seat units <NUM>, <NUM>.

As can be seen, because the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are rotatably mounted it is possible for the passengers sat in the first and second seats <NUM>, <NUM> to rotate their seats <NUM>, <NUM> to face one another and share the table <NUM> to, for example, dine or work together. Should the passengers not want to share the table <NUM>, the seats <NUM>, <NUM> can be rotated to a position which faces away from the first aisle <NUM> so that secondary tables <NUM>, <NUM> positioned at the sides of the seat units <NUM>, <NUM> opposite the first aisle <NUM> can be used separately. In <FIG> the seat <NUM> belonging to the fourth seat unit <NUM> is shown as facing away from the second aisle <NUM> so that a secondary table <NUM> can be used.

The adjacent second and third seat units <NUM>, <NUM> are separated by a privacy screen <NUM> that is shown in <FIG> in its deployed position. The privacy screen <NUM> is stowable should the passengers located in the second and third seat units <NUM>, <NUM> wish to create a shared space during flight. The privacy screen <NUM> is shown in its stowed position in <FIG>. There, the screen <NUM> has been lowered to be underneath secondary tables <NUM>, <NUM> so that a top edge of the screen <NUM> is flush with the tables <NUM>, <NUM>. As can be seen, the second and third seats <NUM>, <NUM> are able to rotate away from the aisles <NUM>, <NUM> to face one another so that the passengers sitting in the second and third seats <NUM>, <NUM> can, for example, dine or work together at a shared table that is formed by the secondary tables <NUM>, <NUM> belonging to each seat unit <NUM>, <NUM>.

As can be seen from <FIG>, the aircraft cabin may comprise a fifth seat unit <NUM>" and a sixth seat unit <NUM>" in a second row <NUM>" of seat units, positioned behind the first row <NUM> of seat units, the fifth and sixth seat units <NUM>", <NUM>" also being separated by the first aisle <NUM>. The first and second row <NUM>, <NUM>" of seat units share privacy walls such that the rear privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM> belonging to the first and second seat units <NUM>, <NUM> also provide the front privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM> belonging to the fifth and sixth seat units <NUM>", <NUM>" respectively. The fifth and sixth seat units <NUM>", <NUM>" comprise a rear partition <NUM>", which is shown in its deployed position in <FIG>, substantially identical to the rear partition <NUM> that belongs to the first and second seat units <NUM>, <NUM>. It is therefore possible to deploy the front partition <NUM> belonging to the first and second seat units <NUM>, <NUM> and the rear partition <NUM>" belonging to the fifth and sixth seat units <NUM>", <NUM>" in order to convert the first aisle <NUM> between the first, second, fifth, and sixth seat units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>", <NUM>" into a space that is shared between the first, second, fifth and sixth seat units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>", <NUM>" such that four companion travellers located in those seat units can share the space between the seat units. Furthermore, the second row may also comprise a seventh and eighth seat unit, <NUM>", <NUM>" which are positioned either side of the second aisle <NUM>, behind the third and fourth seat units <NUM>, <NUM> respectively as shown in <FIG>. Front and rear partitions (not shown) may be deployable in substantially the same way as described above in relation to the front and rear partitions <NUM>, <NUM>" to create a shared space between the third, fourth, seventh, and eighth seat units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>", <NUM>".

A section of an aircraft cabin <NUM> according to another embodiment of the invention is shown in <FIG>. The aircraft cabin <NUM> comprises a first seat unit <NUM> and a second seat unit <NUM> separated by an aisle <NUM> in a first row <NUM> of seat units, and comprises a second seat unit <NUM> and a third seat unit <NUM> separated by the aisle <NUM> in a second row <NUM> of seat units, wherein each seat unit <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> comprises a seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Each of the seats comprises a privacy wall <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> positioned between its seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the aisle <NUM>, thereby enclosing the seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and acting as a barrier between the seat <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the aisle <NUM>. Each of the privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is shown in a deployed position in <FIG> in which the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are enclosed by the privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. However, the privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are movable to a stowed position, as shown in <FIG>, in which the privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are lowerable to a position in which they no longer enclose the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, thereby removing the barrier between the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the aisle <NUM>. As can be seen <FIG>, when the privacy walls <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are lowered, a shared space can be created in the aisle <NUM> between the first, second, third, and fourth seat units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Furthermore, partitions (not shown) are moveable to deployed positions within the aisle <NUM>, in substantially the same way as described with respect to the first embodiment of the invention, so that a substantially enclosed private space that is shared between passengers sat in the seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the first second, third and fourth seat units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Furthermore, tables (not shown) are also moveable to deployed positions within the aisle <NUM>, in substantially the same way as described with respect to the first embodiment of the invention.

In certain embodiments of the invention the partitions may be hinged, or alternatively, may be completely detachable and stowed within, for example, a compartment somewhere within the aircraft cabin. Alternatively, the partitions could be curtains.

The aircraft cabin may comprise only three seat units arranged in the first row (and second row, if present). A first seat unit and a second seat unit are separated by a first aisle, as before, and the second seat unit and a third seat unit are separated by a second aisle. Partitions are deployable between the first and second seat units to provide a shared spaced between the first and second seat units. Partitions are also deployable between the second and third seat units to provide a shared space between the second and third seat units.

Claim 1:
An aircraft cabin (<NUM>) comprising a first seat unit (<NUM>, <NUM>), a second seat unit (<NUM>, <NUM>), and a movable partition (<NUM>), the first and second seat units being in a first row (<NUM>, <NUM>) of seat units and being separated from each other by an aisle (<NUM>, <NUM>) running substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin,
characterised in that the partition (<NUM>) is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the partition is positioned at least partially in the aisle (<NUM>, <NUM>) between the first and second seat units thereby at least partially blocking the aisle so to convert the aisle space between the first and second seat units into a private space that is shared between the first and second seat units, and
wherein the cabin further comprises an item of furniture (<NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>') movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the item of furniture is positioned in the aisle between the first and second seat units so that the item of furniture can be shared between passengers in the first and second seat units.