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US 8,146,999 B2Granted
Aircraft seat with adjustable armrest
AssigneeAMI Industries, Inc.
InventorsKeith Michael Ferguson, Donald R. Pinkal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft seat has an adjustable armrest in which the armrest platform is supported by a hinged attachment to an armrest support member. The hinged attachment between the armrest platform and the arm support member is located at the wrist-end of the arm support member near the aircraft control stick. The armrest platform and the armrest support are locked into position by means of telescoping struts that are controlled at the wrist-end of the arm platform member. The telescoping struts can be selectively locked to create triangular and/or quadrilateral trusses that lock the armrest firmly into position and may include springs or other elements to bias the armrest platform up and forward so that the armrest “floats” when the telescoping struts re released.
Claims20
A seat comprising:
- a seat frame having a seat back portion and a seat pan portion,
- an arm support member, said arm support member having a hinged end and a free end, the hinged end of said arm support member being pivotably mounted to said seat frame;
- an arm platform member, said arm platform member having a hinged end and a free end, the hinged end of said arm platform member being pivotably mounted to the free end of said arm support member;
- a first telescoping strut, said first telescoping strut having a hinged end and a free end, the hinged end of said first telescoping strut being pivotably mounted to said seat frame, the free end of said first telescoping strut slidably engaging said arm platform member proximal the free end of said arm support member, said frame, said first telescoping strut, said arm platform member and said arm support member forming a quadrilateral linkage;
- a second telescoping strut, said second telescoping strut having a hinged end and a free end, the hinged end of said second telescoping strut being pivotably mounted to said arm support member, the free end of said second telescoping strut slidably engaging the arm platform member proximal the free end of said arm support member said second telescoping strut, said arm platform member and said arm support member forming a triangular linkage;
- and
- a locking mechanism for selectively engaging said first and second telescoping struts to prevent sliding engagement between said first and second telescoping struts and said arm platform member.
4 more elements
A seat comprising:
- a seat frame having a seat back portion and a seat pan portion,
- an arm support member, said arm support member having a hinged end and a free end, the hinged end of said arm support member being pivotably mounted to said seat frame;
- an arm platform member, said arm platform member having a hinged end and a free end, the hinged end of said arm platform member being pivotably mounted to the free end of said arm support member;
- a first telescoping strut, said first telescoping strut operatively attached between said seat frame and the free end of said arm platform member so that said frame, said first telescoping strut, said arm platform member and said arm support member form a quadrilateral linkage;
- a second telescoping strut operatively attached between said arm support member and the free end of said arm platform member so that said second telescoping strut, said arm support member and said arm platform member form a triangular linkage;
- a locking mechanism moveable between a first position in which said first and second telescoping struts are free to telescope thereby allowing said arm support member and said arm platform member to pivot about their fixed ends, and a second position in which said first and second telescoping struts are locked in a rigid configuration, thereby preventing said arm support member and said arm platform member from pivoting about their fixed ends.
3 more elements
A latch mechanism comprising:
- first and second sliding linkages, each of said first and second sliding linkages having a free end, the free ends of said first and second sliding linkages each comprising a threaded rod member;
- first and second barrel nuts, each of said first and second barrel nuts having a hole formed therein having a longitudinal axis and an oblong cross section, the hole further comprising a plurality of helical threads formed along a portion of an interior wall, said first and second barrel nuts being moveable along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the hole from a first locked position in which the helical threads simultaneously engage the threaded rod members of said first and second sliding linkages to a second unlocked position in which the plurality of helical threads disengage the threaded the threaded rod members of said first and second sliding linkages to permit said threaded rod members to slide through said first and second barrel nuts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.