GB1600744A - Arm-stowed table installations - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ARM-STOWED TABLE INSTALLATIONS (71) We, AIRCRAFT FURNISHING190 INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, formerly known as Aircraft Furnishing Limited, a British Company, of Lyon Road, Hersham Industrial Estate, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to arm-stowed table installations.

An arm-stowed table may for instance be used in passenger aircraft for those seats which are not in the normal close proximity to an adjacent row in front. In such cases use is normally made of separate tables to be secured to the arm of the seat but these are not very convenient as they normally have to be stored away from the place of use and carried to and fro, thus making additional work for cabin crews who are normally exceptionally busy at the very times when such additional work is to be carried out.

Accordingly, tables have been designed to be stored within the arm rests of such seats so as to be deployable and retractable by the passengers themselves. However, the mechanism for such table is fairly complex and liable to fail or jam in service, which leads to a seat being unusable until such time as repair may be effected. This may lead to a significant loss of payload for a comparatively trivial reason, which is clearly unacceptable to airlines.

According to the present invention, there is provided an arm-stowed or stowable table installation comprising a table top adapted to be stowed within an arm of a seat across which the top is to extend, and including pivoting and sliding parts to enable the table top to be moved from the stowed position to the extended position, in which the table top and associated mechanisms are mounted in a cassette releasably mounted or mountable in the said arm for removal or replacement as a unit.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments of the invention, and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of an aircraft seat with a table according to one form of the invention shown in the deployed or extended position; Figure 2 is a further perspective view of one arm of an aircraft seat showing the table of Figure 1 in an intermediate stage of retraction; Figure 3 is an exploded and partially cutaway perspective view of the table and associated mechanism and a cassette in which it is stowed; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 is an exploded view of the table and associated mechanism of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a detail of the cassette used in the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5.

Turning first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown an aircraft seat comprising a seat cushion 1, a seat back 2, an arm rest 3 and a central arm rest 4. The armrests 3 are provided with the usual ashbox 5, and also with the conventional controls for headphones. The armrests also have upholstered portions 6 (see also Fig. 2) and it will be seen that beneath the upholstered portion 6 there is located a cassette 7 which is pivotal on an axle shaft 8 received in a bearing in the seat frame. The bearing is so located that access to it may be readily obtained by removal of the seat cushion l and thus the cassette may be readily replaced with a fresh one if it has to be repaired, maintained or cleaned. Thus, the work on the cassette need not be done in situ and the seat may be utilized to the fullest extent possible.

When the table is stowed in the cassette, the cassette is beneath the upholstered por tion 6 and when the table is required to be used, the cassette 7 is pivoted out from beneath this portion 6 and the table withdrawn and unfolded to its extended use position. A suitable handle or fingerhold is provided to obtain this initial movement of the cassette 7.

The cassette illustrated has a spring loaded flap 9 on its open face so as to close the cassette when the table is deployed. On the inner face of the forward edge 10 of the cassette there is provided a generally vertical sliding track 11 which receives a slide 12 which is spring loaded upwardly in the slide 11. Hinged to the upper end of the slide 12 is a support block 13 which carries a slide and rotation bar 14 solid with one half 15 of a foldable table-top. The second half 16 of the table top is hinged to the first in reverse book fashion as illustrated in Fig. 2 so as to form a flat and usable table surface in front of the passenger as illustrated in Fig. 1. The free edge of the half 16 is supported on the adjacent arm rest in such manner as to leave the ashbox 5 free.In this position, the table top is slidable fore and aft by motion of the rods 14 in the support blocks 13. In order to return the table to the stowed position, the centre fold between the two halves 15 and 16 is moved upwardly and the half 15 is also pivoted about the support block 13 so that, via the position of Fig. 2, the two undersides of the table top halves 15 and 16 are brought together to a fully folded position in a generally vertical plane. The support block 13 and the table halves are then pivoted bodily about the hinge pin 17 between the support block 13 and the slide 12 so that the folded table top moves in its own vertical plane and enters the cassette and can slide down therein by virtue of the sliding motion of the slide 12 in the track 11.When the table is fully stowed in the cassette, the table can be held in the stowed position manually against a light spring load while the cassette 7 is stowed back beneath the upholstered portion 6. A limit pin 18 is provided to engage the slide 12 and limit its vertical movement. This last feature is particularly useful if a cassette is to be removed for maintenance or otherwise.

Turning now to Figures 4, 5 and 6, there is shown an alternative embodiment in which a modified form of a table construction is shown. In the particular form shown, two such cassettes are mounted in a centre console, but it will be appreciated that the same form of cassette could be mounted in an arm rest if required.

In the form illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, a pair of cassettes are each shown at 7, and each is provided with a track 11 and slide 12 similar to those already described. A support block 13a is similarly pivoted to the slide 12, but this has the table half 15a directly pivoted thereto rather than with the intervention of a slide bar 14. Also, two halves of the table top 15a and 16a are folded in normal book, as opposed to inverted book, fashion so that the second half 1 6a is folded away from the passenger about a transverse axis.

The slide 12 is again spring-loaded upwardly within the cassette 7, and is held in the lowermost position by means of a catch releasable by downward pressure of a release mechanism 19 at the rear lower corner of the cassette. This pressure may be applied by manual pressure on the rear side of the folded table.

In order to extend the table from the stowed position, this pressure on the rear edge of the stowed table releases the catch for initial upward movement of the slide and stowed table. The table is then pulled upward vertically by hand and folded down, first about the hinge between the slide 12 and support block 13a and then about the support block 13a itself. The outer half of 16a of the table is then pivoted about the book hinge to complete deployment. Stowage is obtained by reversal of these operations and on retraction of the folded table into the cassette, the catch will retain the table in the stowed position. It will be noted that in this case, the cassettes are not hinged in the arm and access to them for removal is obtained by release of a table facia 21 at the forward part of the console or arm in which the cassette is mounted.

It will be noted that for the smaller type of arm rest, particularly as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the stowage of the table in its cassette sideways into a recess beneath the arm rest provides an uninterrupted arm rest surface without any slot or hinged padding which would need to be provided with normal vertical stowage or that of the Figures 4, 5 and 6 embodiment. Also, the use of the table as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and its deployment adjacent rather than out of the arm rest itself leaves the front end of the arm rest clear for installation of the ashbox and passenger service control, so that these still remain usable with the table deployed. Access to them with other types may be difficult or impossible. It will also be noted that the movement of the table into or out of the stowed or used position is initiated by direct handling rather than by release buttons or other remote controls. This minimises the number of working parts and simplifies service, maintenance and manufacture and also reduces the possible causes of malfunction.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An arm-stowed or stowable table installation comprising a table top adapted to

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tion 6 and when the table is required to be used, the cassette 7 is pivoted out from beneath this portion 6 and the table withdrawn and unfolded to its extended use position. A suitable handle or fingerhold is provided to obtain this initial movement of the cassette 7. The cassette illustrated has a spring loaded flap 9 on its open face so as to close the cassette when the table is deployed. On the inner face of the forward edge 10 of the cassette there is provided a generally vertical sliding track 11 which receives a slide 12 which is spring loaded upwardly in the slide 11. Hinged to the upper end of the slide 12 is a support block 13 which carries a slide and rotation bar 14 solid with one half 15 of a foldable table-top. The second half 16 of the table top is hinged to the first in reverse book fashion as illustrated in Fig. 2 so as to form a flat and usable table surface in front of the passenger as illustrated in Fig. 1. The free edge of the half 16 is supported on the adjacent arm rest in such manner as to leave the ashbox 5 free.In this position, the table top is slidable fore and aft by motion of the rods 14 in the support blocks 13. In order to return the table to the stowed position, the centre fold between the two halves 15 and 16 is moved upwardly and the half 15 is also pivoted about the support block 13 so that, via the position of Fig. 2, the two undersides of the table top halves 15 and 16 are brought together to a fully folded position in a generally vertical plane. The support block 13 and the table halves are then pivoted bodily about the hinge pin 17 between the support block 13 and the slide 12 so that the folded table top moves in its own vertical plane and enters the cassette and can slide down therein by virtue of the sliding motion of the slide 12 in the track 11.When the table is fully stowed in the cassette, the table can be held in the stowed position manually against a light spring load while the cassette 7 is stowed back beneath the upholstered portion 6. A limit pin 18 is provided to engage the slide 12 and limit its vertical movement. This last feature is particularly useful if a cassette is to be removed for maintenance or otherwise. Turning now to Figures 4, 5 and 6, there is shown an alternative embodiment in which a modified form of a table construction is shown. In the particular form shown, two such cassettes are mounted in a centre console, but it will be appreciated that the same form of cassette could be mounted in an arm rest if required. In the form illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, a pair of cassettes are each shown at 7, and each is provided with a track 11 and slide 12 similar to those already described. A support block 13a is similarly pivoted to the slide 12, but this has the table half 15a directly pivoted thereto rather than with the intervention of a slide bar 14. Also, two halves of the table top 15a and 16a are folded in normal book, as opposed to inverted book, fashion so that the second half 1 6a is folded away from the passenger about a transverse axis. The slide 12 is again spring-loaded upwardly within the cassette 7, and is held in the lowermost position by means of a catch releasable by downward pressure of a release mechanism 19 at the rear lower corner of the cassette. This pressure may be applied by manual pressure on the rear side of the folded table. In order to extend the table from the stowed position, this pressure on the rear edge of the stowed table releases the catch for initial upward movement of the slide and stowed table. The table is then pulled upward vertically by hand and folded down, first about the hinge between the slide 12 and support block 13a and then about the support block 13a itself. The outer half of 16a of the table is then pivoted about the book hinge to complete deployment. Stowage is obtained by reversal of these operations and on retraction of the folded table into the cassette, the catch will retain the table in the stowed position. It will be noted that in this case, the cassettes are not hinged in the arm and access to them for removal is obtained by release of a table facia 21 at the forward part of the console or arm in which the cassette is mounted. It will be noted that for the smaller type of arm rest, particularly as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the stowage of the table in its cassette sideways into a recess beneath the arm rest provides an uninterrupted arm rest surface without any slot or hinged padding which would need to be provided with normal vertical stowage or that of the Figures 4, 5 and 6 embodiment. Also, the use of the table as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and its deployment adjacent rather than out of the arm rest itself leaves the front end of the arm rest clear for installation of the ashbox and passenger service control, so that these still remain usable with the table deployed. Access to them with other types may be difficult or impossible.It will also be noted that the movement of the table into or out of the stowed or used position is initiated by direct handling rather than by release buttons or other remote controls. This minimises the number of working parts and simplifies service, maintenance and manufacture and also reduces the possible causes of malfunction. Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An arm-stowed or stowable table installation comprising a table top adapted to

be stowed within an arm of a seat across which the top is to extend, and including pivoting and sliding parts to enable the table top to be moved from the stowed position to the extended position, in which the table top and associated mechanisms are mounted in a cassette releasably mounted or mountable in the said arm for removal or replacement as a unit.

2. A table installation as claimed in claim 1, in which the table top is folded in the stowed position.

3. A table installation as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the table top is rotatably mounted on a support block to provide for its pivoting between a horizontal extended position and a vertical position.

4. A table installation as claimed in claim 3, in which the table top is also slidably mounted on the support block to provide for forward and rearward movement relative thereto.

5. A table installation as claimed in claim 3 or 4 in which the support block is pivotally mounted on a vertical slide at the front end of the cassette so that the table top may be returned into the cassette from the vertical position.

6. A table installation as claimed in claim 5, in which the slide is spring loaded upwardly of the cassette.

7. A table installation as claimed in claim 6, in which the slide is retained at a stowed position by means of a releasable catch mechanism.

8. An arm-stowed or stowable table installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.