US 5,560,681 A · Seat bottom extension mechanism for passenger seats

Abstract

A seat having a seat frame mounting a seat bottom, a seat back extending upwardly from the back of the seat bottom and a leg rest extending downwardly in an area forward of a front side of the seat bottom. The seat includes the combination of a seat bottom extension for increasing or decreasing the length of the seat bottom between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant. The seat bottom extension has a seat bottom extension assembly on which the leg rest is mounted for movement therewith and an adjustment assembly for adjustably mounting the seat bottom extension assembly to the front side of the seat bottom. The seat bottom extension is mounted for incremental movement between a first position wherein the seat bottom extension is retracted to a position adjacent the front side of the seat bottom and a second position wherein the seat bottom extension is extended to a position spaced apart from the front side of the seat bottom to thereby increase the length of the seat bottom between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant.

Claims16

Dependent claims

In a seat having a seat frame mounting a seat bottom, a seat back extending upwardly from the back of the seat bottom, and a leg rest extending downwardly in an area forward of a front side of the seat bottom, a combination of seat bottom extension means for selectively increasing and decreasing the length of the seat bottom between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between an occupant's buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said seat bottom extension means comprising:

(a) a seat bottom extension assembly on which said leg rest is mounted for movement therewith;
(b) adjustment means for adjustably mounting said seat bottom extension assembly to the front side of the seat bottom for incremental movement between a first position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is retracted to a position adjacent the front side of said seat bottom and a second position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is extended to a position spaced apart from the front side of said seat bottom to thereby increase the distance between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said adjustment means comprising:
(c) translation means for permitting translating movement of said seat bottom extension assembly relative to said seat bottom, said translation means comprising:
i) a guide channel carried by one of the seat bottom or the seat bottom extension assembly;
and
(ii) a rail carried by the other of the seat bottom or the seat bottom extension assembly and positioned in said guide channel for sliding movement therein;
and
(d) actuator means for permitting the occupant to initiate, determine the increment of adjustment desired, and terminate the adjustment process.

5 more elements

In a seat having a seat frame mounting a seat bottom, a seat back extending upwardly from the back of the seat bottom, and a leg rest extending downwardly in an area forward of a front side of the seat bottom, a combination of seat bottom extension means for selectively increasing and decreasing the length of the seat bottom between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between an occupant's buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said seat bottom extension means comprising:

(a) a seat bottom extension assembly on which said leg rest is mounted for movement therewith:
(b) adjustment means for adjustably mounting said seat bottom extension assembly to the front side of the seat bottom for incremental movement between a first position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is retracted to a position adjacent the front side of said seat bottom and a second position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is extended to a position spaced apart from the front side of said seat bottom to thereby increase the distance between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said adjustment means comprising:
(i) translation means for permitting translating movement of said seat bottom extension assembly relative to said seat bottom;
(ii) actuator means for permitting the occupant to initiate, determine the increment of adjustment desired, and terminate the adjustment process;
(e) stabilizing means for stabilizing the seat bottom extension assembly both during movement and while stationary, wherein said stabilizing means comprises:
(i) first and second guide brackets positioned on said seat bottom in respective fore and aft position, each of said guide brackets having a guide hole therein in axial alignment with each other;
and
(ii) an elongate guide rod mounted to said seat bottom extension assembly and extending rearwardly towards said seat bottom, said rod positioned in the guide hole in both said first and second guide brackets for sliding movement therein as said seat bottom extension assembly is adjusted.

5 more elements

In a seat having a seat frame mounting a seat bottom, a seat back extending upwardly from the back of the seat bottom, and a leg rest extending downwardly in an area forward of a front side of the seat bottom, a combination of seat bottom extension means for selectively increasing and decreasing the length of the seat bottom between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between an occupant's buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said seat bottom extension means comprising:

(a) a seat bottom extension assembly on which said leg rest is mounted for movement therewith;
(b) adjustment means for adjustably mounting said seat bottom extension assembly to the front side of the seat bottom for incremental movement between a first position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is retracted to a position adjacent the front side of said seat bottom and a second position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is extended to a position spaced apart from the front side of said seat bottom to thereby increase the distance between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said adjustment means comprising:
(c) translation means for permitting translating movement of said seat bottom extension assembly relative to said seat bottom;
said translation means comprising guide means including:
(i) first and second guide channels carried by one of the seat bottom or the seat bottom extension assembly in spaced-apart relation to each other;
and
(ii) first and second rails carried by the other of the seat bottom or the seat bottom extension assembly and positioned in respective first and second said guide channels for sliding movement therein;
and
(d) actuator means for permitting the occupant to initiate, determine the increment of adjustment desired, and terminate the adjustment process.

6 more elements

In a seat having a seat frame mounting a seat bottom, a seat back extending upwardly from the back of the seat bottom, and a leg rest extending downwardly in an area forward of a front side of the seat bottom, wherein said leg rest is moveable from a stowed position against a front face of the seat below the front side of the seat bottom to an elevated position for supporting on legs and feet of the occupant in an elevated position, a combination of seat bottom extension means for selectively increasing and decreasing the length of the seat bottom between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said seat bottom extension means comprising:

(a) a seat bottom extension assembly on which said leg rest is mounted for movement therewith;
(b) adjustment means for adjustably mounting said seat bottom extension assembly to the front side of the seat bottom for incremental movement between a first position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is retracted to a position adjacent the front side of said seat bottom and a second position wherein said seat bottom extension assembly is extended to a position spaced apart from the front side of said seat bottom to thereby increase the distance between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant, said adjustment means comprising:
(c) translation means for permitting translating movement of said seat bottom extension assembly relative to said seat bottom;
and
(d) actuator means for permitting the occupant to initiate, determine the increment of adjustment desired, and terminate the adjustment process.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Seat bottom extension mechanism for passenger seats

Life of this patent

Seat bottom extension mechanism for passenger seats

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16