US 6,629,671 B1 · Airline seat parachute

Abstract

A parachute is stored within the specially configured seat back of each passenger seat of a commercial aircraft, behind a removable front upholstery panel. The parachute harness extends outwardly from the concealed parachute, through and beyond the periphery of the removable panel, for donning by the seated passenger. An openable upper cover extends over the top of the concealed parachute. When the parachute is needed, the passenger (having previously donned the parachute harness) pulls forward from the seat to release the front upholstery panel from the seat back to pull the parachute free, and escapes from the aircraft. In the event the seat structure separates from the aircraft, the still seated passenger opens the top flap of the seat back to access the parachute rip cord. A second embodiment comprises a child harness having a series of D-rings thereon, for face-to-face attachment to the parachute harness of an accompanying adult.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An emergency parachute system for a commercial aircraft, comprising:

at least one passenger seat having a seat back structure;
a removable front upholstery panel, covering said seat back structure, said seat back structure and said removable front upholstery panel, each having a congruent periphery;
first and second mating upholstery panel attachment fasteners disposed respectively about the periphery of said seat back structure and about the periphery of said removable front upholstery panel, securing said removable front upholstery panel removably to said seat back structure;
a parachute receptacle disposed within said seat back structure behind said removable front upholstery panel;
an emergency parachute stored within said parachute receptacle and concealed by said removable front upholstery panel;
and
a parachute harness extending forwardly from said emergency parachute, between and from said congruent periphery of said seat back structure and extending in front of said removable front upholstery panel.

4 more elements

A passenger carrying commercial aircraft and a passenger emergency parachute system therefor, comprising in combination:

a passenger carrying commercial aircraft having at least one passenger compartment;
at least one passenger seat disposed within said passenger compartment of said aircraft, said seat having a seat back structure;
a removable front upholstery panel, covering said seat back structure, said seat back structure and said removable front upholstery panel, each having a congruent periphery;
first and second mating upholstery panel attachment fasteners disposed respectively about the periphery of said seat back structure and about the periphery of said removable front upholstery panel, securing said removable front upholstery panel removably to said seat back structure;
a parachute receptacle disposed within said seat back structure behind said removable front upholstery panel;
an emergency parachute stored within said parachute receptacle and concealed by said removable front upholstery panel;
and
a parachute harness extending forwardly from said emergency parachute, between and from said congruent periphery of said seat back structure and extending in front of said removable front upholstery panel.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Airline seat parachute

Life of this patent

Airline seat parachute

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20