GB2298131A

GB2298131A - Aircraft seat mounting

Info

Publication number: GB2298131A
Application number: GB9503276A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chun Hoi Yeung
Original assignee: CHUN HOI YEUNG
Current assignee: CHUN HOI YEUNG
Priority date: 1995-02-20
Filing date: 1995-02-20
Publication date: 1996-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-20
Also published as: CN2242850Y; GB2298131B; GB9503276D0

Abstract

Aircraft seats are supported by feet 13 which slidingly fit into floor ducting members 12. Adjacent feet, front and back, are separated by a wedge of rubber 16. If the aircraft decelerates abnormally rapidly, the rubber 16 absorbs energy so that the passengers experience considerably smaller forces and are less likely to suffer serious injuries.

Description

PASSENGER VEHICLE SEATING The invention relates to passenger vehicle seating.

The invention relates particularly to aircraft seating or vehicle seating in which passengers are arranged in rows along the length of the vehicle. It is well known that in non-catastrophic collisions or accidents many injuries are caused by excessive forces or pressure exerted by sudden deceleration even or especially if the passengers are strapped to their seats.

It is an object of the invention to provide seating apparatus which at least reduces this problem.

According to the invention there is provided a passenger seating arrangement including a plurality of seats arranged in a vehicle in rows, and longitudinally directed ducting for anchoring the seats to the vehicle, in which each seat has a foot slidably held in the ducting and resilient spacers mounted in the ducting and extending between the feet to absorb energy when the seats are urged together due to deceleration of the vehicle.

The ducting may be generally T-shaped in cross-section and the feet shaped to fit into the T-shape to allow the feet to slide relatively along the ducting.

Preferably, stops are arranged to hold each foot relative to the ducting, each arranged to shear if the longitudinal forces of the foot in the ducting exceeds a predetermined value.

The seats are preferably arranged with their backs towards the normal forward direction of the vehicle.

Passenger seating arrangements according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is an elevation of an aircraft; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of part of a seat and a floor ducting; Figure 3 is another sectional elevation of part of the seat and the floor ducting; Figure 4 is another sectional view taken at a position displaced from one of the feet of a seat; and Figure 5 is a top plan view of part of a floor of the aircraft.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 an aircraft 10 has a cut-away section showing the orientation of seats 11 inside the aircraft. The backs of the seats face the normal direction of travel.

In Figure 2, a floor ducting member 12 is fixed in parallel lengths (see Figure 5) to a passenger floor of the aircraft 10. Each passenger chair has one or two feet 13 having generally T-shaped bases which fit into the respective ducting members 12. The feet 13 are slidable along each length of the ducting members 12 but are unable to be lifted up out of the member 12.

In Figure 3, a split plastics bolt 14 is shown which fits at one side of each foot 13 and extends through an aperture 15 in the base of the ducting member to hold each foot in a fixed relative position in the ducting member.

Each foot extends, front and back, from the upstanding part of the foot along the ducting member 12 (see Figure 5). The bolt 14 is formed of resilient material and shaped so that it can be pressed through the aperture 15 and thereafter springs back and holds the foot 13 in position. The bolt 14 is designed to shear if the sliding forces on the foot exceed say four times gravitational forces to allow the foot 13, and the seat, to slide along the ducting members 12.

In Figure 4, a wedge shaped length of rubber 16 is shown which is formed of high energy absorbing material and extends in use between the feet 13 of adjacent seats (see Figure 5). The rubber 16 fits and can slide along the ducting members 12 but cannot normally be lifted out the ducting members 13.

In Figure 5, the ducting members 12 extend along the length of the aircraft and the feet 13 (shown sectioned, i.e. cut-off a few inches about the top of the members 12) are placed to hold the passenger seats (not shown) in position as required. Between each adjacent foot 13 there is a length of rubber 16 forming a spacer between the feet.

In use, in a situation where the aircraft decelerates quickly, significantly more quickly than during normal flights, the bolts 14 will shear to allow the seats to slide along the aircraft. As a result, the wedges of rubber 16 are somewhat compressed and absorb a significant amount of energy. In fact, the rubber 16 is designed to absorb so much energy that the deceleration, and hence the forces, applied to the passengers is considerably reduced.

In a non-catastrophic situation or accident, at least the forces that are applied to any passengers using the described seating arrangements are unlikely to cause any fatal injuries.

As described, the passenger seats are arranged facing backwards and this also as a matter of practice lessens the possibility of less serious injuries, albeit no less disabilitating in some cases, such as neck-lash. However, it will be noted by and large that passengers will normally be quite comfortable travelling backwards in an aircraft whereas, although the wedges of rubber 16 and seating arrangements described can be used in a bus, passengers are generally more reluctant to travel backwards, and it is more likely the seats will face forwards.

Claims

1. Passenger seating arrangement including a plurality of seats arranged in a vehicle in rows, and longitudinally directed ducting for anchoring the seats to the vehicle, in which each seat has a foot slidably held in the ducting and resilient spacers mounted in the ducting and extending between the feet to absorb energy when the seats are urged together due to deceleration of the vehicle.

2. Passenger seating arrangements according to claim 1, in which the ducting is generally T-shaped in crosssection and the feet are shaped to fit into the T-shape to allow the feet to slide relatively along the ducting.

3. Passenger seating arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, including stops arranged to hold each foot relative to the ducting, each arranged to shear if the longitudinal forces of the foot in the ducting exceeds a predetermined value.

4. Passenger seating according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the seats are arranged with their backs towards the normal forward direction of the vehicle.

5. Passenger seating arrangements substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.