Simula, Inc.

Flow Technology, Inc.

Richard E Zimmerman

James C Warrick

James F Guthrie

Mark R Cannon

A leg assembly with special floor attachment fittings for mounting passenger seats in transport aircraft is disclosed as being especially configured to absorb energy resulting from a survivable crash or other cause of sudden deceleration, for increased passenger safety. The leg assembly includes a special base member having improved load distribution characteristics and legs which are attached to the base member and the seat in a way which allows the seat and legs to move to a forwardly stroked position in the event of inertial loading in excess of the value required to operate an energy absorbing mechanism that is provided on the leg assembly. The special floor attachment fittings are configured to absorb forces applied in various directions to minimize fitting failures and the changes of the seat being torn loose from the floor.

Energy-absorbing leg assembly for aircraft passenger seats

A turbine wheel is insertable in a line to intercept fluid flowing therethrough. A pickup coil senses the rotation of the turbine wheel. Responsive to the pickup coil when the rotational speed of the turbine wheel exceeds a predetermined safe limit, it is reduced to zero by closure of a gate that prevents further fluid flow through the passage in which the turbine wheel resides. Preferably, the gate comprises a sleeve that covers the housing in which the turbine wheel resides. In one embodiment, two turbine wheels having different rotational characteristics responsive to fluid flow are alternately gated open and closed, depending upon the fluid velocity.

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Tempe, AZ, United States of America

Richard E Zimmerman