Pilot seat armrest assembly with synchronous lift and tilt adjustment
AssigneeAMI Industries, Inc.
InventorsDouglas E. Hoover, Nicholas DeCola
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable armrest assembly for a seat such as a pilot seat. In embodiments, the armrest assembly includes an armrest frame, a leadscrew rotatably mounted in the armrest frame, a control wheel mounted to the leadscrew, an armpad subassembly pivotally attached to the armrest frame, and a tilt link subassembly coupled between the armrest frame and the armpad subassembly. In use, rotating the leadscrew synchronizes rotational motion of the armrest frame relative to the seat, and armpad subassembly motion relative to the armrest frame. In embodiments, the adjustment capability of the armrest assembly facilitates use with a flight controller positioned forward of the armrest.
Claims20
An armrest assembly, comprising:
- an armrest frame for pivotal attachment to a seat frame member;
- a leadscrew rotatably mounted in the armrest frame;
- a control wheel mounted to the leadscrew;
- an armpad subassembly pivotally attached to the armrest frame, the armpad subassembly including at least one inclined slot;
- and
- a tilt link subassembly having a first end mounted on the leadscrew and a second end engaged in and configured to travel along the at least one inclined slot;
- wherein the leadscrew, the tilt link, and the at least one inclined slot are arranged such that, in use:
- rotating the leadscrew in a first direction causes the armrest frame to pivot upward and the armpad subassembly to pivot away from the armrest frame;
- and
- rotating the leadscrew in a second direction, opposite the first direction, causes the armrest frame to pivot downward and the armpad subassembly to pivot toward the armrest frame.
A pilot seat assembly, comprising:
- left and right seat frame members each including an armrest hub;
- a seat back and a seat bottom positioned between the left and right seat frame members;
- and
- an armrest assembly rotatably attached to each of the left and the right seat frame members, the armrest assembly comprising:
- an armrest frame rotatably mounted to its respective armrest hub;
- a leadscrew rotatably mounted in the armrest frame;
- a control wheel mounted to the leadscrew;
- an armpad subassembly pivotally attached to the armrest frame, the armpad subassembly including at least one inclined slot;
- and
- a tilt link subassembly having a first end mounted on the leadscrew and a second end engaged in and configured to travel along the at least one inclined slot;
- wherein the leadscrew, the tilt link, and the at least one inclined slot are arranged such that, in use:
- rotating the leadscrew in a first direction causes the armrest frame to pivot upward and the armpad subassembly to pivot away from the armrest frame;
- and
- rotating the leadscrew in a second direction, opposite the first direction, causes the armrest frame to pivot downward and the armpad subassembly to pivot toward the armrest frame.
A pilot seat configuration, comprising:
- a pilot seat including left and right seat frame members each including an armrest hub;
- an armrest assembly rotatably attached to each of the left and the right seat frame members, the armrest assembly comprising:
- an armrest frame rotatably mounted to its respective armrest hub;
- a leadscrew rotatably mounted in the armrest frame;
- a control wheel mounted to the leadscrew;
- an armpad subassembly pivotally attached to the armrest frame, the armpad subassembly including at least one inclined slot;
- and
- a tilt link subassembly coupled to the leadscrew and engaged in the at least one inclined slot;
- and
- a flight controller positioned forward of one of the armrest assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.