Patent ID: 7469861

Claim:
A seating system for use in an airplane having a longitudinal airplane axis with at least one aisle extending in a same general direction as the longitudinal airplane axis, comprising: a plurality of seats arranged in a column adjacent to the aisle to define a longitudinal column axis, each seat having a front end and a back end and further including a foot-rest at the front end of the seat, a reclinable back rest at the back end of the seat and a seat pan positioned between the foot-rest and the back rest, each seat having a seat axis extending from the front end to the back end and having a first sitting position and a second sleeping position wherein a substantially flat bed is formed; each of the plurality of seats being positioned with the seat axis at a fixed angle of between 30 and 60 degrees with respect to the longitudinal column axis for accommodating a passenger with the passenger's feet directed towards the aisle; each of the plurality of seats having an associated rear wall substantially parallel to the aisle and being positioned behind its associated seat; a plurality of screens, wherein each of the plurality of seats is associated with at least one screen, the at least one screen having a first end positioned adjacent to the rear wall of the associated seat to form a wall-screen corner and a second end positioned adjacent to the aisle to separate the associated seat from an adjacent seat; each of the plurality of seats having a substantially horizontal surface positioned behind the back end of the seat, the substantially horizontal surface being at a fixed height above a floor and extending from the wall-screen corner towards the back end of the seat; each seat having a space that is defined by a portion of its associated rear wall, a portion of its associated screen and the back end of the seat when in the sitting position; and wherein, in the second sleeping position, the substantially flat bed is formed with the foot-rest defining a first bed end and having an opposite second bed end that extends into the space, the substantially horizontal surface being about the same height as an upper sleeping surface of the substantially flat bed to provide usable space to a passenger when in the sleeping position.