Offset helicopter pilot seat with singular energy absorber
AssigneeAMI Industries, Inc.
InventorsChad Pacheco, Douglas E. Hoover
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A singular energy absorber and an offset pilot seat including the same. The pilot seat includes a seat base, a seat bucket positioned laterally offset relative to a centerline of the seat base, a singular motion controller movably coupling the seat bucket to the seat base, wherein the singular motion controller is centered relative to the seat bucket and laterally offset relative to the seat base, and the singular energy absorber associated with the singular motion controller, the singular energy absorber operative to maintain relative positions of components of the singular motion controller during normal use of the rotorcraft pilot seat and allow relative motion between the components of the singular motion controller during a dynamic event.
Claims15
A rotorcraft pilot seat, comprising:
- a seat base attachable to a floor;
- a seat bucket positioned laterally offset relative to a centerline of the seat base;
- a singular motion controller movably coupling the seat bucket to the seat base, wherein the singular motion controller is centered relative to the seat bucket and laterally offset relative to the seat base;
- and
- a singular energy absorber associated with the singular motion controller, the singular energy absorber operative to maintain relative positions of components of the singular motion controller during normal use of the rotorcraft pilot seat and allow relative motion between the components of the singular motion controller during a dynamic event exceeding a predetermined threshold force.
A singular energy absorber for use in a pilot seat to attenuate energy during a dynamic event exceeding a predetermined threshold force, comprising:
- a single sheet of stainless steel having a first end attachable to a carrier assembly and a second end attachable to a carriage assembly, the carrier assembly movably coupled to a seat base and the carriage assembly coupled to a seat bucket;
- and
- the single sheet of stainless steel including a folded portion positioned proximate the first end;
- wherein, during normal use of the pilot seat, the single sheet of stainless steel resists deformation to prevent relative motion between the carrier assembly and the carriage assembly;
- and
- wherein, during the dynamic event exceeding the predetermined threshold force, the single sheet of stainless steel plastically deforms to allow the carriage assembly to stroke downward relative to the carrier assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.