U.S. patent application number 11/634844 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-28 for locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat.
This patent application is currently assigned to Recaro Aircraft Seating GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Ulrich Strasser.
Application Number | 20070145791 11/634844 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37709531 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070145791 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Strasser; Ulrich |
June 28, 2007 |
Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular an
aircraft passenger seat
Abstract
In the case of a locking device for a tray table system in a
seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a first (3)
and a second tray table part (5) that can be moved around swivel
axes (25 or 37), different from one another, between horizontal use
positions and non-use or stowed positions, closing parts (43, 47)
are assigned to the two tray table parts (3, 5) and can be adjusted
relative to one another in an active position, in which they close
with respect to one another to keep them from raising a tray table
part (3) in a use position.
Inventors: |
Strasser; Ulrich;
(Ravensburg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROYLANCE, ABRAMS, BERDO & GOODMAN, L.L.P.
1300 19TH STREET, N.W., SUITE 600
WASHINGTON,
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
Recaro Aircraft Seating GmbH &
Co. KG
|
Family ID: |
37709531 |
Appl. No.: |
11/634844 |
Filed: |
December 7, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/162 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 3/004 20130101;
B64D 11/06 20130101; B64D 11/0638 20141201; B60N 3/002
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/162 |
International
Class: |
A47B 83/02 20060101
A47B083/02; A47B 39/00 20060101 A47B039/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 22, 2005 |
DE |
10 2005 061 496.5 |
Claims
1. Locking device for a tray table system in a seat, in particular
an aircraft passenger seat, with a first (3) and a second tray
table part (5) that can be moved around swivel axes (25 or 37),
different from one another, between horizontal use positions and
non-use or stowed positions, characterized by closing parts (43,
47; 73, 77) that are assigned to the two tray table parts (3, 5)
and that can be adjusted relative to one another in an active
position, in which they close with respect to one another to keep
them from raising a tray table part (3) in the use position.
2. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein a first tray
table part (3) that is recessed in its stowed position in a shaft
of a console (1) that delimits the seat to the side can be removed
from the console (1) to be moved into the use position and can
pivot around a shaft (25) that is located on the console (1) and
that runs in a direction of travel/flight.
3. The locking device according to claim 2, wherein a tray table
flap (5) that covers the shaft of the console (1) in the use
position and releases the shaft in the non-use position is provided
as a second tray table part and can be pivoted around an axis (37),
which is placed parallel to the axis (25) of the first tray table
part (3) and is placed offset with respect to the console (1)
against the center of the console.
4. The locking device according to claim 3, wherein the first tray
table part (3) between a first use position--in which it is
oriented to the shaft of the console (1), is connected to the
lateral edge of the tray table flap (5) in the use position, and
forms a lateral extension of the tray table flap surfaces--can be
moved forward along this lateral edge in the direction of
travel/flight into the second use position.
5. The locking device according to claim 4, wherein the closing
parts (43, 47; 73, 77), assigned to the tray table parts (3, 5),
can be adjusted relative to one another in their active position
based on the moving of the first tray table part (3) from its first
use position.
6. The locking device according to claim 5, wherein the first tray
table part (3) is mounted on a support arm (21) that can pivot on
the console (1) for its shifting movement between the first use
position and the second use position, moved forward.
7. The locking device according to claim 6, wherein the closing
part (43) that is assigned to the first tray table part (3) is
mounted below the tray table surface of the first tray table part
(3) on the support arm (21) and can be moved between the active
position and the inactive position.
8. The locking device according to claim 7, wherein as a closing
part on the support arm (21), a locking element (43) is provided
that is pivot-mounted, configured between the support arm and the
underside of the first tray table part (3), and that, when pivoted
to a position corresponding to the active position, works with a
second closing part forming a seat (47) that is provided on the
adjacent lateral edge of the tray table flap (5) to form a
closure.
9. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein a carrier pin
(51) projecting in the direction toward the support arm (21) is
provided on the underside of the first tray table part (3), and
said carrier pin, when the first tray table part (3) is moved from
the first use position, moves the locking element (43) back into
the active position and during retraction into the first use
position moves the locking element (43) back into the inactive
position.
10. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein when the
locking element (43) is in the active position, the closing parts
(43, 47) work to form a closure to keep both the first (3) and the
second tray table parts (5) from being raised from the respective
use positions.
11. The Locking device according to claim 5, wherein the closing
parts have a groove-tongue guide (73, 77) between a first tray
table part (3), on the one hand, and a tray table flap (5), on the
other hand, along which guide the first tray table part (3) moves
forward in its shifting movement from the first use position.
12. The locking device according to claim 1, wherein the
groove-tongue guide has a tongue (77) that projects from the edge
(75) of the first tray table part (3) and extends in the direction
of movement and a groove (73) located on the assigned edge of the
tray table flap (5), which are offset with respect to one another
in the direction of movement of the first tray table part (3) such
that no mutual engagement of tongue (77) and groove (73) is
provided in its first use position, but the latter are inserted in
one another in the shifting movement.
13. The locking device according to claims 4, wherein the first
tray table part (3) in a forward shifted second use position can be
combined to form an enlarged tray table surface with a third tray
table part (15), which for its part can be brought into a use
position extending far from the rear side (17) of the seatback of
an adjacent front seat.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a locking device for a tray table
system in a seat, in particular an aircraft passenger seat, with a
first and a second tray table part that can be moved around swivel
axes, different from one another, between horizontal use positions
and non-use or stowed positions.
[0002] Of course, in seats that are provided for passenger service
in means of transport, attempts are made to provide additional
elements on the seat that afford additional comfort for the seat
occupant. This applies in particular in seats that are suitable for
extended travel periods, for example in ferries or in particular
passenger aircraft. With respect to this, it is prior art to
provide tray table parts that can pivot, which, brought into their
use position, can be used, for example, as a dining tray table
table, or, with smaller tray table surfaces, can form a stand for
drinks as a so-called cocktail tray table table.
[0003] To ensure a reliable and trouble-free handling of tray table
parts in such tray table systems, as well as to secure an
appropriate tray table part in a certain position or use position
from pivoting, the possibility of locking the tray table parts must
be provided.
[0004] With respect to this, the object of the invention is to make
available a locking device that is distinguished by an especially
simple type of design.
[0005] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a
locking device that has the features specified in claim 1 in its
entirety.
[0006] In that, as specified in the characterizing part of claim 1,
both tray table parts are assigned closing parts that can be
adjusted relative to one another in an active position, in which
they close to keep them from raising a tray table part, said tray
table parts can be secured especially simply and reliably in their
use position.
[0007] The locking device according to the invention is suitable
especially in tray table systems in which a first tray table part
that is recessed in its stowed position in a shaft of a console
that limits the seat to the side can be removed from the console to
be moved into the use position and can pivot around an axis that is
located on the console and that runs in a direction of
travel/flight. By means of the locking device, it is ensured in
such tray table systems that the tray table part, which is
provided, for example, as a dining tray table, and which is pulled
out upward from the console and then is swung downward into the
horizontal use position, is not unintentionally or inadvertently
folded upward.
[0008] In such seat systems with the shaft located in the seat
console, a tray table flap that covers the shaft of the console in
the use position and releases the shaft in the non-use position can
be provided as a second tray table part and can be pivoted around
an axis, which is located parallel to the axis of the first tray
table part and offset with respect to the console against the
center of the console.
[0009] In addition, the configuration can be designed such that the
first tray table part between a first use position, in which it is
oriented to the shaft of the console, is adjacent to the lateral
edge of the tray table flap in the use position, and, forming a
lateral extension of the tray table surface, can be moved forward
along this lateral edge in the direction of travel/flight into the
second use position. Such a shifting of this tray table part, the
dining tray table, can be used for the purpose of combining this
tray table part with another additional tray table part, which can
be folded down, for example, from the rear of the seatback of the
next front seat in the horizontal position. The combination of the
dining tray table with this additional tray table part that is
supported by the front seat makes it possible to make available to
the seat occupant an especially large tray table surface as a
working surface.
[0010] In such systems, it is especially important, by means of the
pertinent locking device, to ensure that the tray table part that
can move forward, the dining tray table, can only be raised and
pivoted upward when it is located in its rear starting position
that is not moved forward, the first use position. With respect to
this, in an especially advantageous embodiment of the locking
device according to the invention, the configuration is designed
such that the closing parts assigned to the tray table parts based
on the moving of the first tray table part (the dining tray table)
from its first use position can be adjusted relative to one another
in their active position. Thus, it is ensured that the first tray
table part can be swiveled upward only in the position that is
aligned with the shaft of the console.
[0011] The first tray table part can be pivot-mounted on a support
arm on the console for its shifting movement between the first use
position and the second use positions that were moved forward,
whereby the closing part that is assigned to the first tray table
part is mounted below the tray table surface of the first tray
table part on the support arm and can be moved between the active
position and the inactive position.
[0012] This closing part can be a locking element that is
pivot-mounted, configured between the support arm and the underside
of the first tray table part, and that, when pivoted to a position
corresponding to the active position, works with a second closing
part forming a seat that is provided on the tray table flap to form
a closure.
[0013] In an especially advantageous way, in this connection, a
carrier element that projects in the direction toward the support
arm can be provided on the underside of the first tray table part,
and said carrier element, when the first tray table part is moved
out from the first use position, moves the locking element back
into the active position, and during retraction into the first use
position moves the locking element back into the inactive position.
As a result, the control of the locking device is virtually
automatic by the moving forward of the first tray table part
activating the locking and by the locking device being inactivated,
i.e., the closing state being ended, when retracting this tray
table part into the use position.
[0014] Below, the invention will be explained in more detail based
on the embodiments shown in the drawing. Here:
[0015] FIG. 1, in a perspective oblique view, shows a partial view
of the center console of an aircraft passenger seat and a seatback
portion of an adjacent front seat;
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a perspective oblique view of the tray table
systems, shown on an enlarged scale compared to FIG. 1, that are
mounted between two adjacent aircraft passenger seats on a central
carrier plate of a center console, whereby only the essential
components of the tray table systems can be seen without linings
and other structures of the console;
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a view similar to FIG. 2, with, however, a
first tray table part from the console being depicted pulled out
upward;
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a cutaway and diagrammatically simplified
perspective oblique view of only one portion of the center console
with tray table parts located therein in the use position;
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a view similar to FIG. 4, with, however, a tray
table part from the first use position shown in FIG. 4 being moved
out in the direction of flight into a second use position, and
[0020] FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatically simplified perspective
oblique view in which the closing parts of the locking device
between tray table parts are illustrated according to another
embodiment of the invention.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows the above section of a center console 1 between
two adjacent aircraft passenger seats that are not shown in the
drawing. A tray table system is assigned to each side of the center
console 1, i.e., to each of the two adjacent seats, from which a
first tray table part in the form of a dining tray table 3 as well
as a second tray table part in the form of a tray table flap 5 that
forms an above-mentioned cocktail tray table are shown in FIG. 1.
Of the tray table system corresponding to the next seat, only the
tray table flap 5 can be seen in FIG. 1. The tray table part that
forms the dining tray table 3 in FIG. 1 is in its first, horizontal
use position in which the dining tray table 3 is relative to the
center console 1 in a position that is oriented to a vertical shaft
that is located in the center console 1, in which the dining tray
table 3 drops and therefore can be stowed. For the respective
dining tray table 3 on each side of the center console 1, in each
case a shaft is provided, whereby the two shafts are separated from
one another by a carrier plate 7 that is central in the center
console 1, see FIG. 2. The latter FIG. 2 shows the dining tray
tables 3 of the two adjacent seats in their non-use position, i.e.,
in the stowed position in the respective shaft.
[0022] As later explained in more detail, the dining tray table 3
can be moved forward from the first use position shown in FIG. 1 in
the direction of flight indicated with arrow 9, so that it adjoins
an edge 13 of an additional tray table 15 in another use position
with its front edge 11. Said additional tray table can be pivoted
from a stowed position located in the rear of the seatback of an
adjacent front seat into the horizontal position shown pulled out
in FIG. 1, as indicated with bent arrow 19. After moving the dining
tray table 3 forward, the edges 11 and 13 can be connected to one
another, for example by a snap connection or by means of tongues
and grooves or the like, such that dining tray table 3 and
additional tray table 15 make available to the aircraft passenger a
large working surface.
[0023] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the vertical inner carrier plate 7,
which, in the center console 1, separates the two adjacent shafts
for receiving the dining tray table 3. The respective dining tray
table is mounted on a support arm 21, which in turn can pivot on an
articulated support 23 around a swivel axis 25. The swivel axis 25
runs horizontally and in the lengthwise direction of the seat,
i.e., in the direction of flight.
[0024] The articulated support 23 can be moved corresponding to the
double arrow 27 (FIG. 3) to make it possible to pull out the dining
tray table 3 from the shaft of the center console. For this
purpose, the articulated support 23 can move vertically on the
solid carrier plate 7 along vertical dovetail guides 29, in which
guide elements 31 engage. The dining tray table 3 in turn also has
dovetail guides 33, in which guide elements 35 engage, which
project from the support arm 21 (see FIG. 4) and make possible the
shifting movement of the dining tray table in the direction of the
double arrow 37.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows the state of the dining tray table 3 that is
fully retracted into the shaft, with the tray table flaps 5, which
can be folded at the upper end of the carrier plate 7 around swivel
axes 37, shown in their horizontal use position, in which they form
the upper cover of the respective shaft. If the dining tray table
3, as shown in FIG. 3, together with the support arm 21 is pulled
upward from the shaft of the console, the joint element 23 that
defines the swivel axis 25 of the dining tray table 3 is located at
the upper end of the carrier plate 7, whereby the position
indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is created for the swivel axis 25. It
can also be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the swivel axis 37 of tray
table flap 5 is located at a distance from the swivel axis 25 of
the support arm 21 and the dining tray table 3 and that namely the
swivel axis 37 of the tray table flap 5 is offset with respect to
the center of the console.
[0026] As mentioned, the dining tray table 3 can be shifted
relative to the support arm 21 in the direction of the double arrow
27 (FIG. 3) with the assistance of guides 33 and guide elements 35.
This shifting movement, however, is only to be possible if the
dining tray table 3 is pivoted downward from the position shown in
FIG. 3 into its horizontal use position (around the swivel axis
25), so that it occupies the first use position shown in FIG. 4. To
prevent a shifting movement of the dining tray table 3 that is not
in its horizontal use position, in each case a safety bracket 39
that forms a quarter-circle arc is located on the tray table flaps
5. The latter is extended, as can be seen most clearly from FIG. 3,
in the sliding track of the raised dining tray table 3, which only
extends from the closing area of the bracket 39 if the dining tray
table 3 is swiveled downward into the horizontal use position.
Thus, the dining tray table 3 is prevented from being able to move
forward (arrow 9), until it is in a raised intermediate position,
in which a collision with the front console head 41 would be
possible, in which optionally sensitive seat-operating elements are
located. Only once the horizontal use position is achieved and thus
the tray table flap 5 can close, see FIGS. 1 and 4, is the safety
bracket 39 located below the front edge 11 of the dining tray table
3, so that its shifting movements can be carried out from the
first, rear use position.
[0027] The first use position of the dining tray table 3 is shown
in FIG. 4. In this position, no mutual locking of the two tray
table parts, i.e., of dining tray table 3 and tray table flap 5, is
provided, i.e., the dining tray table 3, which is flush with the
shaft in the console 1 in this position, can be raised with its
support arm 21 around the swivel axis 25, the tray table flap 5,
which in turn pivots around the swivel axis 37, being raised
simultaneously.
[0028] Since the dining tray table 3 is in the horizontal position
outside of the area of the safety bracket 39, the dining tray table
can be moved forward, for example to bring it up to the additional
tray table 15. FIG. 5 shows that the dining tray table 3 is moved
forward from the first use position, whereby the locking device
that is provided between dining tray table 3 and tray table flap 5
is activated. As FIGS. 4 and 5 show, the locking device has a first
closing part, assigned to dining tray table 3, in the form of a
locking element 43, which is pivot-mounted on the support arm 21,
as well as a seat 47, located on the underside of the cover plate
45 of the tray table flap 5, for a closing engagement with the
closing element 49 of the locking element 43. The latter is
pivot-mounted between the underside of the dining tray table 3 and
the facing side of the support arm 21. As indicated only in FIG. 4
with dashed lines, a carrier pin 51 projecting against the support
arm 21 is located on the underside of the dining tray table 3. If
the dining tray table 3 is moved forward from the position shown in
FIG. 4 relative to the support arm 21, the locking element 43 is
located in the movement track of the carrier pin 51, such that the
locking element 43, as soon as the dining tray table 3 leaves the
first use position or starting position shown in FIG. 4, rotates
and is brought into the active position shown in FIG. 5, in which
the closing element 49 is brought up toward the seat 47 on the tray
table flap 5 that is being used as a second closing part. If an
attempt is now made, which is to be prevented by the locking
device, to raise the dining tray table 3, moved forward, with the
support arm 21, whereby the tray table flap 5 is raised, then
extended since the swivel movements around swivel axes 25 or 37
that are offset with respect to one another produce the closing
elements 49 of the locking element 43 in closing engagement with
the seat 47 on the tray table flap, since because of the different
positions of the swivel axes 25 and 37, a movement component for
bringing the closing element 49 up to the seat 47 is carried out.
The latter has a closing surface 53, formed like a shell and
sitting below the cover plate 45, for the closing element 49.
[0029] A spacing element 55 that projects from the support arm 21
is located between the underside of the cover plate 45 and the
support arm 21. The latter assists both in lifting the tray table
flap 5 when the support arm 21 is pivoted upward and also in
forming a spacer that, by defining a predetermined distance between
the underside of the tray table flap 5 and the adjacent surface of
the support arm 21, ensures that, in the use position, the surfaces
of the dining tray table 3 and the tray table flap 5 are at the
same level with respect to one another, with no height distance
between them.
[0030] If the dining tray table 3 is moved back again into the
starting position or the first use position from the position,
shown in FIG. 5, opposite the direction of flight, the carrier pin
51 again runs to the locking element 43 at the end of the shifting
movement and rotates the latter in the rotational position shown in
FIG. 4, such that the locking device is again deactivated. Thus,
only in this position where the dining tray table 3 in turn is
aligned to the shaft in the console 1 do the raising and the
subsequent stowing of the dining tray table 3 in the console take
place.
[0031] FIG. 6 shows a modified embodiment of the locking device. In
this figure, only the tray table flap 5 that is located on the left
side in the center console 1 is shown in the raised position, and
the dining tray table 3 is in its first use position. At this
lateral edge, which adjoins the dining tray table in the tray table
flap 5 folded down in the use position, i.e., at the lateral edge
71, a groove designated as 73 is located for forming a
groove-tongue connection. The latter is located on the end area of
edge 71 located forward in the direction of flight and extends only
over a small portion of the edge 71. The dining tray table 3 has a
tongue 77 that projects like a fin at the edge 75 that faces the
tray table flap 5, and said tongue 77 begins at a distance from the
end of the edge 75 that is located forward in the direction of
flight, and said distance is matched to the length of the groove
73, whereby the tongue 77 extends up to near the rear end area of
the edge 75.
[0032] In this configuration, when the tray table flap 5 is folded
downward, the tongue 77 engages with the groove 73 only if the
dining tray table 3 is in the first use position. If the dining
tray table is moved forward from the first use position, the tongue
77 runs into the groove 73. If an attempt is now made to raise the
dining tray table 3, the groove 73 and the tongue 77 engaged
therein then form closing parts to lock the tray table elements to
keep them from being raised. In other words, the dining tray table
3 can be raised only in the retracted first use position.
* * * * *