CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Pat. Application No. 63/253,771 filed Oct. 8, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

Reference is also made to U.S. Pat. Application No. 16/955,572 filed Dec. 18, 2018, now granted as U.S. Pat. No. 11,186,374, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The application relates generally to reclinable seats and, more particularly, to such seats provided in an aircraft.

BACKGROUND

A variety of different configurations exist for reclinable seats such as to allow the backrest and seat pan to move from a sitting configuration to either a reclined configuration or a fully flat configuration. Some of these existing seats include slide mechanisms, for example provided between the base of the seat and the backrest and/or the seat pan, where rollers or other suitable sliding elements are received in straight or curved slots to guide the motion of the backrest and/or the seat pan with respect to the base. However, slide mechanisms may be prone to misalignment and/or jamming, forcing the occupant to return the seat to a previous configuration before configuring the seat in a desired configuration.

SUMMARY

There is disclosed a reclinable passenger seat comprising: a base configured to be connected to a floor structure; a seat pan frame supporting a seat pan and having a front end connected to the base via a first fixed pivot; a support arm having one end connected to the base via a second fixed pivot located rearward of the first fixed pivot; a backrest frame having an upper backrest member supporting a backrest and a lower backrest member extending away from the upper backrest member, an opposed end of the support arm pivotally connected to the lower backrest member at a first location spaced from the upper backrest member, a rear end of the seat pan frame pivotally connected to the lower backrest member at a second location between the first location and the upper backrest member; a seat pan linear actuator having a rear end pivotally connected to the rear end of the seat pan frame proximate to the second location, and a front end pivotally connected to the base by a third fixed pivot located between the first and second fixed pivots; and a backrest linear actuator having an upper end pivotally connected to the upper backrest member, and a lower end pivotally connected to the base by a fourth fixed pivot, a length of the backrest linear actuator defined between the upper and lower ends; wherein the backrest frame and seat pan frame are configured to move simultaneously between at least a reclined configuration and a berth configuration through pivoting motion about the first and second fixed pivots and about the first and second locations, the length of the backrest linear actuator being substantially the same in the reclined configuration and in the berth configuration.

The reclinable passenger seat as defined above and described herein may further include one or more of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

In certain aspects, the fourth fixed pivot is located closer to the second fixed pivot than to the third fixed pivot.

In certain aspects, the fourth fixed pivot is located rearward and upward of the second fixed pivot.

In certain aspects, the second fixed pivot and the fourth fixed pivot are coaxial.

In certain aspects, a length of the seat pan linear actuator defined between the rear end and the front end of the seat pan linear actuator is greater in the berth configuration than in the reclined configuration.

In certain aspects, the seat pan linear actuator remains forward of the backrest linear actuator as the backrest frame and the seat pan frame move between the reclined configuration and the berth configuration.

In certain aspects, the backrest linear actuator remains rearward of the seat pan frame as the backrest frame and the seat pan frame move between the reclined configuration and the berth configuration.

In certain aspects, the backrest frame and the seat pan frame are configured to move simultaneously between the reclined configuration and a sitting configuration through pivoting motion about the first and second fixed pivots and about the first and second locations, whereas the length of the backrest linear actuator is greater in the sitting configuration than in the reclined configuration.

In certain aspects, a length of the seat pan linear actuator defined between the rear end and the front end of the seat pan linear actuator is greater in the berth configuration than in the reclined configuration, and the length of the seat pan linear actuator is greater in the sitting configuration than in the reclined configuration.

In certain aspects, a length of the seat pan linear actuator defined between the rear end and the front end of the seat pan linear actuator is greater in the berth configuration than in the reclined configuration, and the length of the seat pan linear actuator is greater in the berth configuration than in the sitting configuration.

In certain aspects, a headrest is connected to the upper backrest member at a location spaced away from the lower backrest member, the upper end of the backrest linear actuator connected to the upper backrest member at a location between the headrest and the lower backrest member.

In certain aspects, the upper end of the backrest linear actuator is closer to the headrest than to the lower backrest member.

In certain aspects, the seat pan linear actuator and the backrest linear actuator are gas springs.

In certain aspects, the backrest gas spring is fully compressed in the reclined configuration and in the berth configuration.

In certain aspects, the backrest gas spring forms a load-bearing support arm when fully compressed, the backrest gas spring supporting the backrest frame as the backrest frame moves between the reclined configuration and the berth configuration.

In certain aspects, the seat pan gas spring is fully extended in the berth configuration.

In certain aspects, the seat pan linear actuator and the backrest linear actuator are electrically-driven.

In certain aspects, a side linear actuator having an upper end pivotally connected to the upper backrest member and a lower end pivotally connected to the lower backrest member.

In certain aspects, the side linear actuator is a gas spring, the side linear actuator being more compressed in the berth configuration than in the reclined configuration.

There is also disclosed an aircraft comprising: a fuselage defining a cabin having a floor structure; a reclinable seat located inside the cabin, the reclinable seat including: a base connected to the floor structure; a seat pan frame supporting a seat pan and having a front end connected to the base via a first fixed pivot; a support arm having one end connected to the base via a second fixed pivot located rearward of the first fixed pivot; a backrest frame having an upper backrest member supporting a backrest and a lower backrest member extending away from the upper backrest member, an opposed end of the support arm pivotally connected to the lower backrest member at a first location spaced from the upper backrest member, a rear end of the seat pan frame pivotally connected to the lower backrest member at a second location between the first location and the upper backrest member; a seat pan linear actuator having a rear end pivotally connected to the lower backrest member and to the rear end of the seat pan frame at the first location, and a front end pivotally connected to the base by a third fixed pivot located between the first and second fixed pivots; and a backrest linear actuator having an upper end pivotally connected to the upper backrest member, and a lower end pivotally connected to the base by a fourth fixed pivot located rearward of the first fixed pivot, a length of the backrest linear actuator defined between the upper and lower ends; wherein the backrest frame and seat pan frame are configured to move simultaneously between at least a reclined configuration and a berth configuration through pivoting motion about the first and second fixed pivots and about the first and second locations, the length of the backrest linear actuator being substantially the same in the reclined configuration and in the berth configuration.

The aircraft as defined above and described herein may further include one or more of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

In certain aspects, the upper end of the backrest linear actuator is located over the base when the reclinable seat is in the reclined configuration and over the floor structure rearward of the base when the reclinable seat is in the berth configuration.