Patent ID: 7500639

Claim:
An adjustable seat for mounting to an airframe of an aircraft, said adjustable seat comprising: a seat frame, said seat frame having a back portion, a seat portion and a headrest, a first lifting mechanism operatively attached to said seat frame for moving said seat frame from a first, lowered position to a second, elevated position, said first lifting mechanism comprising a first lead screw and a barrel nut, said first lead screw having a lower end driven by a motor attached to said airframe and an upper end extending upward from said lower end relative to said airframe when said airframe is in a normal horizontal orientation, said barrel nut being attached to said seat frame and engaging a threaded portion of said first lead screw for converting rotational motion of said first lead screw into linear motion of said barrel nut for lifting said seat frame relative to said airframe, said upper end of said first lead screw further including a splined extension: a second lifting mechanism operatively attached to said headrest for moving said headrest from a first elevated position to a second lowered position, said second lifting mechanism comprising a coupling and a second lead screw, said coupling supported by a bearing attached to said seat frame and slidingly engaging said splined extension for transmitting torque from said splined extension to said second lead screw, said second lifting mechanism further comprising a second barrel nut attached to said headrest and engaging a threaded portion of said second lead screw for converting rotational motion of said second lead screw into linear motion of said barrel nut for lifting said headrest relative to said seat frame, said second lead screw having an effective pitch opposite to said first lead screw, whereby as said seat frame is elevated relative to said airframe, said head rest is synchronously lowered relative to said seat frame.