Fairchild Industries, Inc.

The Jepson Burns Corporation

Ralph G Marrujo

Russell B Howell

Thomas D Hire

R Steven Sheek

Adrianus A Cooper

An improved aircraft seat is equipped with a special flexible lumbar panel to better and more comfortably support the back of the passenger seated in the aircraft seat. The flexible lumbar panel can be used with different type of reclining chairs but is especially useful with high hinge point aircraft seats. The lumbar panel has a moveable lower end which can be guided by guide members. The upper end of the lumbar panel can be secured to a torque bar.

Aircraft seat with flexible lumbar panel

An improved seat fitting assembly has an impact resistant construction to increase the safety, stability, longevity, and reliability of passenger seat equipment. The fittings has specially designed outer openings to accommodate normal loads, rotation of the track or seat, and bending of the fastener. The fitting can be equipped with a bushing and can comprise a composite body.

Aircraft seat track fitting assembly

Aircraft seat

An energy attenuating seat and a leg therefor for use in a vehicle. The leg for the seat is configured to allow it to be initially elastically deformed when subjected to a predetermined load. This elastic deformation is achieved by constructing the leg with two spaced apart flange portions. Spacers are located on one of the flange portions which are adapted to contact the other flange portion after a certain amount of elastic deformation has taken place. When the spacers are in contact the leg is capable of withstanding an increased load. However, further loading eventually results in the plastic deformation of the leg. Since the deformable legs are located on the forward portion of the seat, the seat pivots forwardly and downwardly when subjected to excessive loads which lowers the center of gravity of the seat. The elastic and plastic deformation of the leg absorbs energy and helps the seat and its occupants withstand peak loads or shocks resulting from excessive forward loads such as would occur during a vehicle crash. The lowering of the center of gravity also tends to prevent the seat from becoming detached from the vehicle when the seat is subjected to excessive forward loads.

Energy attenuating seat and leg therefor

Tray unit for mounting on the backrest of an aircraft seat

A lightweight, economically constructed support structure for vehicle seats having a minimum number of components having a substantial commonality and a number of interchangeable components. The seat support structure includes a pair of spaced horizontal tubular members which extend beneath individual seating stations. These tubular members are maintained in a predetermined spaced relationship by a multiplicity of spacing members each located adjacent to the individual seating stations and adapted to support the pivotable armrest situated between each seating station. The horizontal tubular members and associated structure support a diaphragm of fabric or the like at each seat location which is stretched between and fastened to the forward tubular member and a plate member supported and located in proximity to the rear tubular member. These diaphragms are adapted to support the individual seat cushions at each seat location. Each of the spaced tubular members is also provided with a plurality of spaced apertures which facilitate the reception of fastenings which can be used to secure seat legs to the tubular members at different locations in order to locate the leg positions so that they will correspond to varying seat locking track locations that may be provided in the floor of a vehicle in which the seat structure may be mounted. The seat legs are identical to one another and have a bifurcated lower end which can accommodate a seat track locking fixture and supporting members that are fixed to the leg structure to furnish added rigidity thereto.

Seat support structure

End standard for an aircraft seat

Leg for an aircraft seat

A multi-component seat armrest that is particularly suitable for use in connection with vehicle seats. The seat armrest includes two basic interconnectible shell members. These interconnected members have portions that are sized and shaped to fit into portions of a third member called an insert member. The insert member has an aperture extending through it and an armrest panel is provided that is adapted to fit into this aperture. The armrest panel is removable for cleaning or it can be removed and interchanged with a different type or color panel. The armrest is particularly adapted for use in connection with aircraft seats where it would serve as the armrest for the end of the seat located near the aisle of the aircraft.

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Ralph G Marrujo