B/e Aerospace, Inc.

Catalin Bunea

Daniel I Udriste

Twinkle V Jacob

Peter A Stahl

Michael T Beroth

Javier Valdes De La Garza

Christopher Wilson

Sean E Hames

Tracy N Pence

Bobby Lawson

Horng Jaan Lin

Aaron D LaPrade

Samantha L Huckabay

Daniel Udriste

Bobby W Lawson

Aaron Laprade

An aircraft seat may include a seat pan cushion coupled to a seat base. The aircraft seat may include a seat back cushion. The aircraft seat may include an auxiliary rear section. The auxiliary rear section may be configured to transition between an extended position and a retracted position. The seat pan cushion and the seat back cushion may be configured to transition between a first position and a second position. The auxiliary rear section may be configured to be in the extended position when the seat pan cushion and the seat back cushion are in the first position. The auxiliary rear section may be configured to be in the retracted position when the seat pan cushion and the seat back cushion are in the second position.

Aircraft seat with extendable and retractable rear section

A ventilated seat assembly with active air circulation including a structural frame element, a cushion assembly supported by the structural frame element, a perforated dress cover, a conduit network embedded in the cushion assembly configured to direct air to at least one target region of the cushion assembly, an air mover coupled in fluid communication with the conduit network, and a controller operable for activating the air mover to cause air to flow through the conduit network to the at least one target region. In operation, the controller activates the air mover to flow air, such as unconditioned air, through the conduit network to be released through the dress cover in the at least one target region.

Ventilated seat assembly with active air flow

A low profile armrest articulation mechanism for a passenger seat is disclosed. The passenger seat has a seatback reclinable from an upright configuration to a berthed or horizontal configuration (e.g., parallel to the seatpan). The mechanism includes moving stops connecting the armrests on either side to the seatback and linkages connecting the moving stops to the seat frame. As the seatback reclines, the moving stops maintain the armrests at an optimally ergonomic angle (e.g., substantially parallel to the seatpan) for as long as possible. When the seatback reaches the fully reclined or berthed configuration, the armrests may be pivoted upward into a berthed orientation flush with the seatback, adding bed space to the berthed configuration.

Low-profile armrest articulation mechanism for aircraft passenger seat

A passenger seat incorporating a path and follower mechanism for nonlinear deployment of a passenger leg rest is disclosed. The passenger seat incorporates lightweight tubular members linked to backrest linkages, the backrest linkages driven by a passenger occupying the seat, e.g., via a reclining motion of the seatback. The reclining motion drives the backrest linkages which in turn drive path followers through a curving path such that, as the path follower drives forward or backward, the leg rest deploys at a variable rate between undeployed and fully deployed configurations, consistently providing an optimally relaxing leg position at any point between.

Aircraft passenger seat leg rest deployment using path and follower mechanism

A ventilated seat assembly such as an aircraft passenger seat including a cushion assembly supported by a structural element, a plurality of Venturi tubes positioned to direct a flow of air through the cushion assembly, an air compressor supplying compressed air, a manifold assembly coupled in fluid communication with the air compressor, a conduit network fluidly coupling the manifold assembly with the plurality of Venturi tubes, and a controller for activating the air compressor and actuating the manifold assembly. Supplying a small volume of pressurized air to the Venturi tubes induces a larger flow of ambient air and a multiplied air effect to ventilate the passenger seat.

Seat assembly with ventilation system utilizing venturi effect to multiply air flow

A system for heating and cooling a passenger seat utilizing a single unit for producing hot and cold conditioned air. The system includes a source of pressurized air, a vortex tube coupled to the source of pressurized air for producing hot and cold air streams, a duct network coupled to the vortex tube through a valve assembly, and a controller controlling passage of the flow of hot and cold air streams through the manifold assembly based on passenger selection. Conditioned air flow can be dispersed into a cushion assembly such as an interior of a spacer mesh component of the cushion assembly.

System for heating and cooling a seat and seat assemblies

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.

Passenger seat having side sleep support assembly

In an illustrative embodiment, electromechanical actuation systems and methods for use in an aircraft passenger suite include aircraft suite actuators for allowing passenger-initiated adjustment of a passenger seat and other suite components, a LRU coupled to each of actuators including control circuitry for controlling actuation of a given actuator in response to a passenger-initiated adjustment request, and wireless communication circuitry configured to: initiate communication links with LRUs creating a communication network, establish master/slave relationships with LRUs, and communicate actuation commands via the communication network.

Wireless control systems and methods for aircraft seating systems

A seat pan assembly including spaced left and right seat spreaders and a seat cushion assembly supported on the spaced left and right spreaders, the seat cushion assembly including a spring assembly incorporated within at least one layer of seat foam. A seat cushion assembly including at least one layer of seat foam and a spring assembly having a plurality of springs incorporated into the at least one layer of seat foam such that portions of the at least one layer of seat foam are positioned both above and below the plurality of springs.

Seat pan assembly with encased comfort spring

A laterally and recline adjustable aircraft passenger seat assembly including a seat, spaced forward and rear rails, a seat recline motion assembly attached to the seat and slidable along the length of the spaced forward and rear rails and including a first actuator dedicated for seat recline motion, and a lateral seat motion assembly disposed between the spaced forward and rear rails and including a second linear actuator dedicated for driving lateral motion of the seat recline motion assembly.

Laterally and recline adjustable aircraft passenger seat

A passenger seat includes a seat back pivotably connected to a seat pan assembly, an armrest pivotally connected to the seat back, and a main linkage pivotably connected to the seat pan assembly at a first pivot point defining a first pivot axis. The main linkage is interconnected to the seat back through a secondary linkage and the main linkage is also interconnected to the armrest through a guide member that travels within a guide slot carried on the armrest and defining a guide pathway. Inclination of the seat back with respect to the seat pan assembly pivots the main link about the first pivot axis with respect to the seat pan assembly, which vertically moves the armrest with respect to the seat pan assembly, and maintains an upper surface of the armrest in substantially parallel relation with the seat pan assembly.

Passenger seat armrest recline mechanism

A seat swivel for providing angular adjustment of a seat to an infinite number of rotational positions with respect to a seat base. The seat swivel includes a swivel assembly having a swivel plate rotatably supported between a pair of fixed plates, the swivel plate being adapted to be affixed to the seat and the fixed plates being adapted to be affixed to a seat base. The seat swivel further includes a brake assembly having a mechanism for releasably retaining the seat in any one of the infinite number of positions when the seat is subjected to a first dynamic impact loading, the mechanism being either mechanically or electrically actuated, the mechanism being adapted to withstand a dynamic impact loading of up to about 16 g in at least one rotational position of the seat.

Seat swivel with brake for infinite rotational position adjustment

A one-piece upholstery cover that covers all the visible surfaces of a typical seat such as seatback cushion, seat pan cushion, seat pan extension cushion, leg rest cushion, and leg rest extension cushion. A seat covering system is also disclosed. The seat covering system includes a single elongated piece of upholstery having a first end and a second end and a loop portion intermediate the first and second ends. A first attachment portion is adjacent to the first end of the upholstery, and at least one spring mechanism attached to the second end. A first and second pivot member are attached to opposite sides of a seat back of a reclining chair. These first and second pivot members are also fixed to a seat pedestal while a connecting member having a first end attached to the first pivot member and a second end attached to the second pivot member extends through the loop portion of the elongated piece of upholstery.

One-piece dress cover for aircraft seat

A headrest support assembly capable of moving a headrest simultaneously in an up/down and fore/aft position. The headrest support assembly is located in a seat back and includes a headrest frame mounted on a support bracket, the support bracket includes a first and second guide track spaced apart from one another. Each guide track defines a substantially vertical first channel and a curved second channel therein. A first and second support pillar is mounted to the headrest frame. These first and second support pillars are located adjacent to the first and second guide track, respectively. A first and second guide roller is located on each of the first and second support pillars. The first guide roller is positioned within the first channel and the second guide roller is positioned within the second channel of the respective guide tracks.

Growing community of inventors

Miramar, FL, United States of America

Catalin Bunea