WO2002006117A1

WO2002006117A1 - Convertible seating and bedding apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2002006117A1
Application number: PCT/GB2001/003215
Authority: WO
Inventors: Juliet Claire Blackburn
Original assignee: Blackburn Management Services Limited
Priority date: 2000-07-13
Filing date: 2001-07-13
Publication date: 2002-01-24
Also published as: GB0017121D0

Abstract

A convertible seating-bedding apparatus is disclosed for providing (in one arrangement) accommodation for one or more persons to sit and (in another arrangement) accommodation for one or more persons to lie down, said apparatus comprising one or more seating/bedding units (1), each unit comprising a plurality of sub-units (4, 5, 6) and being moveably mounted on one of a plurality of substantially vertical posts (3), wherein each unit may be converted from a seating position to a bedding position by rearranging the sub-units of each unit and by moving each unit, via its mounting, up and/or down said one post. The apparatus is particularly suitable for being fitted inside passenger aircraft so as to provide adaptable, cost-effective and easily convertible accommodation toallow each passenger to be fully seated or to completely lie down.

Description

CONVERTIBLE SEATING AND BEDDING APPARATUS

The present invention relates to an apparatus that is convertible between a position for providing multiple seating accommodation and a position for providing multiple bedding accommodation.

In particular, the present invention relates to such an apparatus for use in passenger aircraft, in which a multiple of aircraft seats may be converted into a tier of multiple beds, for example bunk beds.

In first class or business class aircraft cabins, passengers are usually provided with fully reclinable seats to allow them a degree of comfort during long-haul flights. However, conventional reclining seats of this type require a relatively large amount of cabin space per seat and, thus, are not suitable for cabins accommodating economy class passengers.

In the past, the problem of providing economy class passengers with comfortable accommodation in a recumbent position has been addressed by providing high-density accommodation modules.

Thus, US Patent Number 4,071 ,2210 discloses a rack-like sleeping apparatus for aircraft passengers comprising a frame having multiple, spaced sliding couches with open ends or side panels and folding tables. Each rack is subdivided into three vertically-stacked compartments, separated from one another by panels. Each couch is longitudinally slidable between positions that allow each passenger to either lie down or be semi-recumbent. However, passengers are not able to sit in a fully seated position.

Further, in US Patent Number 4,589,612 a further high-density accommodation module is disclosed, which is vertically convertible between parallel bedding and staggered-seating configurations. Again, positions for lying down and being recumbent are provided for the passengers, but no provision is made to allow passengers to sit in a fully seated position in which the passenger's knees may be flexed rather than extended.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and so provide a seating-bedding apparatus for providing multiple accommodation for passengers that allows them to adopt both fully seated and fully lying positions.

Thus, according to a first aspect, the present invention provides a convertible seating-bedding apparatus for providing (in one arrangement) accommodation for one or more persons to sit and (in another arrangement) accommodation for one or more persons to lie down, said apparatus comprising one or more seating /bedding units, each unit comprising a plurality of sub-units and being moveably mounted on one of a plurality of substantially vertical posts, wherein each unit may be converted from a seating position to a bedding position by rearranging the sub-units of each unit and by moving each unit, via its mounting, up and/or down said one post.

In a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal axes of the units when in their seating position and when in their bedding position respectively are not parallel. Thus, in a particularly preferred embodiment, these two axes are at right angles to one another (as seen by comparing diagrams A and X of accompanying Figure 1 ). However, other angles and arrangements of these planes may also be used as desired. The longitudinal axis of each unit is defined as being the longitudinal axis of its back-rest sub-unit, for example when fully upright for the seating position and when fully horizontal for the bedding position.

Typically, each unit comprises a first sub-unit adapted to act as a back rest in the seating position attached, by a first hinge joint, to a second sub-unit that is adapted to act as a bottom support in the seating position and is attached by a second hinge joint to a third sub-unit that is adapted to act as a leg support in the bedding position. However, the units may comprise greater or fewer sub-units depending upon the user's requirements, for example each sub-unit may be divided into further sub-sections, and so forth.

Preferably, these sub-units may be moved relative to one another, so that the unit is converted from its sitting position to its bedding position or vice versa, by extension or flexion of the hinged joints, which attach the sub-units together. However, different types of joint may also be used, other than those of the hinge type, so long as the units can be folded and unfolded into arrangements that allow the resultant positions to be fixed.

In a preferred arrangement, the units are located adjacent to one another, for example in a row, and each unit is moved and folded/unfolded one after the other in sequence, so that the apparatus provides a row of seats that is convertible into a series of beds, for example in a bunk-bed arrangement, in which each bed is located above or below the other beds. However, it is also possible for the units to be located in a block or in a staggered arrangement with respect to one another if desired.

Preferably, when the apparatus is converted into a bunk-bed arrangement, fixing means, for example straps, cords and so forth, are unrolled from the roof and/or floor of the apparatus and are attached to, and thus used to fix, each bunk-bed to the others, as well as to the roof and/or floor of the apparatus. However, other forms of fixing the bunk-beds may be used, for example a plurality of detachable rods may be attached between adjacent bunks and to the roof and/or floor of the apparatus.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least two of the units are slidably mounted to the same post or pole, thus for example, in a row of four seats, the first and second adjacent seats may be slidably mounted to the same post, whereas the third and fourth seats may be slidably mounted to separate posts. Various arrangements for such slidable mountings (with respect to the number of posts or poles present) may be used, depending upon the number of seats chosen to form the block, row or stagger. Typically, the slidable mountings are attached to the back rest sub-units of the seats, for example they are usually located to the side of the back rest midway up its height, or are located at the base, and to the side of, the base of the back-rest. The position of attachment of the slidable mountings for each seat will depend on the number of seats forming the block, row or stagger and therefore the number of posts that is required. Thus, for a row of seats, the typical number of posts required will be one less than the number of seats chosen to form the row.

In a preferred embodiment, and typically for a row of seats, the height of each backrest is substantially twice the depth of the bottom rest and the posts are separated by a distance substantially equal to the depth of the bottom rest. Such an arrangement allows sufficient space within the apparatus to become available during the conversion of the apparatus so as to allow each seat to be folded, slid up the post, rotated about the post and then unfolded, in succession, without being hindered by the presence of the other seats.

Preferably, the slidable mountings and/or fixing means comprise an amount of resilient material, for example an elastic polymer (or any other such suitable material), which can be arranged so as to allow the mountings and/or fixing means to be capable of helping to absorb any vibration that the apparatus may experience. Thus, passengers may be shielded from aircraft vibration, for example during turbulent flights, by the characteristics of the mountings anα/or fixing means themselves, as well as by those of the materials forming the posts, seats, and so forth.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an aircraft fitted with one or more apparatus as mentioned above.

The invention will now be further described by way of the following non- limiting example as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, in diagrams A to X, the successive sliding and folding operations required to convert a row of four seats into a bunk-bed arrangement, according to the present invention.

In diagram A of Figure 1 , a convertible seating-bedding apparatus is shown comprising four seats 1 , each seat being slidably mounted by a clamp 2 to one of three vertical posts 3. Each seat may be converted from a sitting position to a bedding position by moving (for example by sliding or by totally unclamping and re-clamping) the clamp 2 up and/or down the respective post 3 and by folding and unfolding the several parts of the seat 1. Thus, as shown in diagram A, each seat 1 comprises a plurality of sub-units, namely a backrest 4, a bottom-rest 5 and a leg-rest 6.

An example of an order of moving the seats of such a row, one after another, so as to allow conversion of the apparatus into bunk beds is illustrated in the sequence of further diagrams B to X.

Thus, diagram B shows a first seat (on the right side of the row of four seats 1) that is capable of being detached from its floor support, and of being undamped from its seating position. This first seat has an arrangement in which the clamp 2 is connected in a fixed manner to the side of, and mid-way up the height of, the back-rest 4.

After detachment from the floor and unclamping of clamp 2, the folded seat is raised up with respect to the post (see diagram C), then the seat is rotated about 90° (see diagram D) and the back-rest is rotated along an axis extending from the clamp and perpendicular to the post, whilst the hinged joint connecting the back-rest 4 to the bottom-rest 5 is extended (see diagram E). The joint attaching the foot-rest 6 to the bottom-rest 5 is extended so that the seat 1 forms a uniformly horizontal bunk-bed. Next, this first bunk-bed is moved up to the roof 8 of the apparatus (see diagram F), so as to provide space within the apparatus so that the remaining seats may be converted into further bunk-beds. Diagrams G to K show the same sequence of events as shown in diagrams B to F, but with respect to the second seat (from the right of the row), which is subsequently converted from its sitting position into a bedding position so as to provide a second bunk-bed. This second seat is attached to the second post via a clamp 2 located to the side and at the base of its back-rest. Such a location of the latter clamp 2 allows the converted second bunk-bed to be arranged such that it lies exactly below the first bunk-bed.

Diagrams L to P show, in a similar way, the third seat of the row being folded (see diagram L), rotated 90° in an opposite direction (see diagram N) unfolded (and mid way up the height of O) and again moved upwards towards the roof of the apparatus (see diagram P) to allow adequate space for conversion of the last, fourth seat of the row.

Finally, diagrams Q to T show the folding (see diagram Q), rotating (see diagram R) extending (see diagram S) and moving down (see diagram T) of the fourth seat/bunk bed. Further, diagrams U to X show the first three horizontal bunk-beds being moved slidably down into position above the fourth bunk-bed. Diagram X shows fixing means 7 in the form of flexible straps or belts, which have been unrolled from the roof 8 of the apparatus and attached to, and thus used to fix, each bunk-bed to the others, as well as to the roof of the apparatus.

The structure that holds the bunk seats is generally entirely rigidly supported on the cabin floor and so the apparatus is generally not directly attached to the fuselage of the plane. Thus, for a row of four seats 1 , it is arranged in a box-like structure of posts with three vertical posts 3 extending from the floor of the cabin to the roof of the apparatus, the roof consisting of horizontal supporting beams connecting to the top of each vertical post 3.

Such a structure is suitable for either a cabin-type arrangement with the seats facing each other when in the seating position, or for rows of seats facing the front or back of the aircraft. A ladder for allowing passengers to climb up to their respective bunk-beds may be stored beneath or above the row of bunk- seats when the apparatus is arranged to be in its sitting position.

The present invention thus provides a cost-effective and simple to use apparatus for accommodating passengers in either fully lying down or fully seated positions. The apparatus is easily convertible by, for example aircraft cabin crew, and may be adapted to flexibly accommodate greater or fewer passengers, as required. Hence, the apparatus is particularly suited to meet the needs of the airline industry, in which size and type of cabins desired may vary between the different aircraft types used by, and within, each airline.

Claims

1. A convertible seating-bedding apparatus for providing (in one arrangement) accommodation for one or more persons to sit and (in another arrangement) accommodation for one or more persons to lie down, said apparatus comprising one or more seating/bedding units, each unit comprising a plurality of sub-units and being moveably mounted on one of a plurality of substantially vertical posts, wherein each unit may be converted from a seating position to a bedding position by rearranging the sub-units of each unit and by moving each unit, via its mounting, up and/or down said one post.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is for providing multiple accommodation and comprises a plurality of seating/bedding units.

3. An apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the longitudinal axes (as herein defined) of the units, when arranged in their seating position and when arranged in their bedding position respectively, are not parallel.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each unit comprises a first sub-unit adapted to act as a back-rest in the seating position attached, by a first hinge joint, to a second sub-unit that is adapted to act as a bottom support in the seating position and is attached by a second hinge joint to a third sub-unit that is adapted to act as a leg support in the bedding position, and wherein the sub-units are movable relative to one another, so that the unit is convertible from its sitting position to its bedding position or vice versa, by rotation about the hinged joints.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the units are located adjacent to one another, for example in a row, and each unit is moved and folded/unfolded one after the other in sequence, so that the apparatus provides a row of seats that is convertible into a series of beds, for example in a bunk-bed arrangement, in which each bed is located at a different height.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 as dependent on claim 3, wherein each bed is located above or below the other beds when the longitudinal axes of the units are at right angles to one another.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of units form a seating/bedding block, row or stagger, for example in a passenger aircraft.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising fixing means, for example straps or cords adapted to be unrolled from a roof and/or floor of the apparatus or detachable, rigid rods, said fixing means attachable to, and thus adapted to fix, each bunk bed to the other bunk bed(s) and to the roof and/or floor.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fixing means comprises an amount of resilient material capable of helping to absorb any vibration that the apparatus may experience.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least two of the units are slidably mounted to the same post, thus for example, in a row of four seats, the first and second adjacent seats are slidably mounted to the same post, whereas the third and fourth seats are slidably mounted to separate posts.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the height of each back-rest is substantially twice the depth of the bottom support and the posts are separated by a distance substantially equal to the depth of the bottom support and the movable mountings are attached to the back-rest sub- units of the seats, for example they are usually located to the side of the back- rest mid-way up its height, or are located at the base, and to the side of, the base of the back-rest.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the movable mountings comprise an amount of resilient material, for example an elastic polymer, capable of helping to absorb any vibration that the apparatus may experience.

13. An aircraft fitted with one or more apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim.