Abstract: A passenger seat is described which reduces neck deflection in a 16G loading event. The passenger seat includes one or more seatback surfaces which translate to shield a surface, such as a latch mechanism, during the crash event. By shielding the latch mechanism, a smooth surface is created, thereby reducing a likelihood of a passenger's head becoming trapped on the latch mechanism. The seatback surfaces actuated include one or more of a shroud surrounding the latch mechanism, a pocket defined by the shroud, or a hinged surface.

Abstract: A system includes three switches each having a single pole and dual throws. The respective single pole is on a supply side of the each respective switch. The dual throws are on a load side of each respective switch, and include a respective normally open (NO) throw and a respective normally closed (NC) throw. A first voltage detector is connected from the single pole of the first switch to the NC throw of the third switch. A second voltage detector is connected from the single pole of the second switch to the NC throw of the first switch. A third voltage detector is connected from the single pole of the third switch to a NC throw of the second switch.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.

Abstract: A user interface display may have a display and may have a backlight that lights the display. The display may implement pixels to generate colors and images. The display may be backlit. The backlight may use pixels having emitters to generate different color backlighting. In various instances, the display or the backlight or both may include a deep blue emitter. The blue emitter may be used in combination with red and green pixels elements to generate different colors. By implementing deep blue emitters rather than conventional blue (e.g., cyan) emitters, the effects of cyan light on a viewer's circadian rhythm may be limited or eliminated. Moreover, by implementing deep blue emitters, the effects of cyan light on a viewer's circadian rhythm may be varied, while the colors and images are reproduced for viewing without introducing significant color distortion.

Abstract: An aircraft seat diaphragm includes a pre-stretched elastomeric fabric. The elastomeric fabric is bonded to a composite frame with features to insert the diaphragm into aircraft seat spreaders. The composite frame defines a rear extension that extends up along the rear of the seat for added support. The rear extension may correspond to a fabric portion that releasably attaches to the seat back of the aircraft seat. Rear attachment features on the composite frame engage clips on the rear of a seat cushion to hold the seat cushion in place.

Abstract: A deployable ottoman extension fills the gap between the ottoman and fully reclined oblique aircraft seat. The deployable ottoman extension can pivot out from the ottoman about a pivot point and/or slide out along a rail. Alternatively, the ottoman extension may be hinged to the ottoman to deploy by flipping down. The deployable ottoman extension may include deployable support features that extend to the aircraft floor when deployed.

Abstract: A chilled liquid recirculation device (CLRD) is disclosed. In embodiments, the CLRD has a first air-cooling stage wherein a liquid cooling medium (LCM) is pumped through a first-stage radiator and forced-air chilled by axial fans driving ambient air through the radiator fins. The initially chilled LCM passes to a second thermoelectric-cooling stage wherein a second-stage liquid-cooled heatsink receives the LCM, the liquid-cooled heatsink in contact with the cold side of a thermoelectric module having a hot side in contact with a finned heatsink through which second-stage fans force ambient air, cooling the hot side and thereby further chilling the cold side and the LCM by contact. The twice-chilled LCM is then pumped to a remote chiller device to chill the hot side of another thermoelectric module, thereby chilling a recirculating air supply passing through a finned heatsink in contact with the cold side.

Abstract: A passenger seat is described which satisfies a head-injury criterion (HIC). To satisfy the HIC, the passenger seat translates or pivots one or more components of the seatback towards a passenger sitting behind the passenger seat. By translating and/or pivoting the components of the seatback towards the passenger, a crush zone for the passenger seat may be increased, thereby increasing the impact time and correspondingly decreasing the forces felt by the passenger.

Abstract: A system controller may provide a shared clock source to multiple illumination peripherals and multiple wearable vision obstruction devices having shutters. The multiple illumination peripherals may selectably turn on and off during different timeslots and the shutters of the multiple wearable vision obstruction devices may selectably occlude and un-occlude vision of users during the different time slots. By modulating the illumination peripherals and the shutters, different users may perceiver different sensory inputs in a shared environment. For instance, users may experience brighter or dimmer illumination, or may experience different types of illumination. One user may view a movie on an LCD screen while the LCD screen appears blank to another user. In this manner, a passenger cabin of an aircraft may provide individualized sensory experiences to different passengers sharing the aircraft cabin.

Abstract: A speed regulation mechanism suitable for use with a bi-directional actuator is disclosed. The mechanism includes an actuation element and a regulator. The actuation element is configured to reversibly move between a first position and a second position. The regulator is configured to rotate around a regulator axis (A), and the actuation element is coupled to the regulator. Movement of the actuation element in a first direction towards the second position causes rotation of the regulator around the regulator axis (A) in a first rotational direction, and movement of the actuation element in a second direction towards the first position causes rotation of the regulator around the regulator axis (A) in a second rotational direction.

Abstract: An articulating shelf is disclosed herein including a first shelf portion having a first edge and an opposing second edge, a first hinge coupled the first edge of the first shelf portion, a second hinge coupled to the second edge of the first shelf portion, a second shelf portion having a first edge and an opposing second edge, the second edge of the second shelf portion coupled to the second hinge, a rod having a first end and an opposing second end, a rod support having a first end and a second send, the first end of the rod support coupled to the second edge of the second shelf portion and the second end of the rod support coupled to the rod between the first and the second ends of the rod, and an end cap including a plunger configured to extend and retract from the end cap.

Abstract: A lift assist system for an aircraft seat is disclosed. The lift assist system may include one or more pivoting lift rails configured to couple to one or more fixed seat pan rails of a seat pan frame. The lift assist system may include an actuator sub-system. The actuator sub-system may include an actuator configured to actuate the seat pan frame between one or more positions by actuating the one or more pivoting lift rails a predetermined distance.

Abstract: An active system and a computer-implemented method for reducing vibrations of seats in a vehicle is described. The system and method adjust a damping and/or a stiffness of a vibration damper based on system input signals from the vehicle or seat system. The signals include one or more of a signal associated with a user weight, a signal associated with time-dependent movement of a vehicle frame, and a signal associated with time-dependent movement of a seat back or a seat pan. The damping or the stiffness are adjusted by a closed loop control.

Abstract: An aircraft galley device for heating or cooling an item is disclosed. The device comprises a cavity for receiving the item and arranged to be heated or cooled, a thermal insulation arrangement comprising a chamber that extends at least partially around said cavity, and a pump arranged to evacuate air from the chamber.

Abstract: A seat usage prevention device is disclosed. The seat usage prevention deice includes at least one device component being configured to interact with one or more seat components of a first seat. The device component is configured to prevent usage of at least one of a seat pan or seatback of the first seat. The device component further separates a second seat from at least a third seat, wherein the third seat is proximate to at least one of the first seat or the second seat. The seat usage prevention device may include a device component that further includes a cushion, a base, an amenity console, or a vertical separator, or combination thereof.

Abstract: An aircraft cabin equipment system is provided. The aircraft cabin equipment system comprises a light fitting for illuminating an aircraft cabin by emitting visible light. The light fitting is configured to broadcast a time signal by modulating an intensity of the emitted visible light. The aircraft cabin equipment system comprises an aircraft cabin device configured to detect visible light emitted by the light fitting and to determine the time signal from the detected visible light.

Abstract: A method for controlling a touchless lavatory is disclosed herein. The method includes forming one or more groups of sensors from a plurality of sensors, determining that a trigger event is detected from the first sensor, and identifying a first group of sensors of the one or more groups of sensors to which the first sensor belongs. The method further includes requesting an ambient light measurement from each of the plurality of sensor. The method further includes computing an average ambient light value based on the ambient light measurement, comparing the ambient light measurement of the first sensor to the average ambient light value of all the sensors, determining that the ambient light measurement of the first sensor is less than the average ambient light value of all the sensors, and determining that the first sensor trigger event is valid.

Abstract: An aircraft lavatory trash compactor is disclosed herein. The aircraft lavatory trash compactor includes a water source, a valve actuator connected to the water source, a trash can disposed below the valve actuator, and a controller configured to activate the valve actuator to spray water into the trash can.

Abstract: A passenger seat rear-mounted meal tray assembly with a low-profile inline latch includes a meal tray substantially contoured to the seatback surface and a latch pin assembly mounted within the meal tray beneath the seatback surface, the latch assembly including a latch pin for engaging with the seatback to hold the meal tray in the stowed configuration. The meal tray includes a handle likewise contoured to the exterior surface of the tray, the handle having an outer face articulable by a passenger to pivot the handle and disengage the latch pin from the seatback. Disengaging the latch pin via the handle releases the meal tray by the handle into the hand of the passenger, who may manually pivot the tray into a substantially horizontal deployed configuration. The meal tray may similarly be restowed to the seatback (e.g., by pushing the tray back into stowed position) without engaging the handle.

Abstract: A method for controlling a touchless lavatory is disclosed herein. The method includes collecting, by a processor, sensor data from a sensor, the sensor data including an ambient light measurement and an indication of motion, aggregating, by the processor, the collected sensor data for a time window, extracting, by the processor, features from the aggregated sensor data, and determining, by the processor, a probability of an activity occurring based on the extracted features. The method further includes activating, by the processor, a motor based on the determining that the activity has a high probability of occurring.