Patents Assigned to Burns Aerospace Corporation
  • Patent number: 5787562
    Abstract: A passenger seat with a quick replacement seat bottom diaphragm, comprising a seat frame assembly, including legs for securing the seat to a deck of a vehicle, and a seat bottom frame and a seat back frame carried by the legs in vertically-spaced relation to the deck. The seat bottom frame includes first and second laterally-spaced seat bottom frame members extending from the seat back forward to a position adjacent the knee area of a seat occupant. A seat bottom diaphragm assembly is provided for attachment to the seat bottom frame for supporting a seat bottom cushion. The seat bottom diaphragm assembly comprises fore and aft brackets carried by each of the first and second seat bottom frame members, and fore and aft diaphragm stretcher bars extending laterally across the seat bottom for being locked into the fore and aft brackets of the first and second seat bottom frame members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: James Randall Penley
  • Patent number: 5735578
    Abstract: A passenger seat with a quick replacement seat bottom diaphragm, comprising a seat frame assembly, including legs for securing the seat to a deck of a vehicle, and a seat bottom frame and a seat back frame carried by the legs in vertically-spaced relation to the deck. The seat bottom frame includes first and second laterally-spaced seat bottom frame members extending from the seat back forward to a position adjacent the knee area of a seat occupant. A seat bottom diaphragm assembly is provided for attachment to the seat bottom frame for supporting a seat bottom cushion. The seat bottom diaphragm assembly comprises fore and aft brackets carried by each of the first and second seat bottom frame members, and fore and aft diaphragm stretcher bars extending laterally across the seat bottom for being locked into the fore and aft brackets of the first and second seat bottom frame members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: James Randall Penley
  • Patent number: 5636898
    Abstract: A reclining seat of the type characterized by having a seat back which reclines and a seat bottom which elevates, the improvement which comprises linkage means interconnecting the seat back and the seat bottom and providing a ratio of seat back movement to seat bottom movement of greater than 1 to 1. The pivot axis between the seat back and seat bottom resides on a lateral axis extending from one side of the seat to the opposite side of the seat through the anatomical hip joint region of a seat occupant, for permitting the seat back and seat bottom to move relative to each other about the same pivot axis as the seat occupant will move his or her legs relative to the torso.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Dixon, Lane J. Moncourtois
  • Patent number: 5615928
    Abstract: A seat back diaphragm with a quick replacement bolster for a vehicle passenger seat which comprises a seat back diaphragm formed of a tubular fabric panel for being placed over a seat back frame of the seat, and a pair of seat back bolsters for being positioned overlying the seat back frame. The bolster includes a long zipper for releasably attaching the bolster to the diaphragm and quickly detaching the bolster from the diaphragm for replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: James R. Penley
  • Patent number: 5597139
    Abstract: A passenger seat assembly convertible between a two-seat configuration and a three-seat configuration, including a seat assembly base and first, second and third seats for carrying respective seat bottom and seat back cushions. The first and third seats defining outboard seats are moveable on the seat assembly base and the second seat defines a center seat carried in a fixed position on the seat assembly base. A gear drive is carried by the seat assembly base and interconnects the first and third seats for simultaneous movement relative to each other and to the second seat. The first and third seats move towards each other into the two-seat configuration wherein the first and third seats encroach upon the second seat and define a dead zone between the first and third seat. The first and third seats are moveable away from each other into the three-seat configuration wherein the second seat defines a center seat having the same seating width as the first and third seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Beroth
  • Patent number: 5560681
    Abstract: A seat having a seat frame mounting a seat bottom, a seat back extending upwardly from the back of the seat bottom and a leg rest extending downwardly in an area forward of a front side of the seat bottom. The seat includes the combination of a seat bottom extension for increasing or decreasing the length of the seat bottom between the seat back and the leg rest to fit the distance between the buttocks and the back of the knees of the occupant. The seat bottom extension has a seat bottom extension assembly on which the leg rest is mounted for movement therewith and an adjustment assembly for adjustably mounting the seat bottom extension assembly to the front side of the seat bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Dixon, Tommy G. Plant, Ralph J. Nolan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5560683
    Abstract: A replaceable seat back diaphragm for a vehicle passenger seat, comprising a fabric panel having opposing top and bottom edges and opposing first and second side edges with complementary fasteners carried by the first and second side edges and cooperating with each other in a fastened position to form the fabric panel into a tensioned, tubular seat back diaphragm around a seat back frame of the passenger seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Penley, Steven R. Huddleston
  • Patent number: 5547247
    Abstract: A stowable seat tray table for use with a seat, such as a passenger seat, having a tray table stowage compartment on one side of the seat. The tray table includes a tray table having a long side and a perpendicular short side with the table connected to a seat for permitting the table to be moved into and out of the stowage compartment. The table pivots and translates. The pivot movement and the translating movement permit the table to be moved when out of the stowage compartment between a use position wherein the long side of the table extends across the seat from one side to an opposing side for use by the occupant and an ingress/egress position wherein the table is pivoted about a vertical axis and laterally translated towards the stowage compartment to provide sufficient room for the passenger to ingress or to egress from the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Richard W. Dixon
  • Patent number: 5509722
    Abstract: A passenger seat assembly convertible between a first two-seat configuration, and a second two-seat configuration having increased seating space between seat armrests and spacing between seats. The seat assembly includes a seat assembly base with first and second seats mounted on the seat assembly base for carrying respective seat bottom and seat back cushions. The first seat is slidably mounted on the seat assembly base. The first seat includes first and second armrest assemblies positioned on opposite sides of the first seat. The second seat mounted in fixed relation on the seat assembly base, the second seat having a third armrest assembly positioned in fixed relation on the side of the second seat opposite the second armrest assembly of the first seat. The first armrest assembly is mounted in slidable relation to both the first seat and the second seat. The second armrest assembly is mounted in slidable relation to the first seat and in fixed relation to the second seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Beroth
  • Patent number: 5507556
    Abstract: An improved seat includes a seat bottom and adjustable seat back. The seat back is movable between an upright position and a reclined position. The improvement in the seat includes an adjustable display screen assembly mounted on a back side of the seat back. The display screen assembly defines on one side thereof a display screen surface for being viewed by a viewer located behind the seat. A pivot bolt is associated with the display screen assembly for allowing pivoting movement of the display screen assembly relative to the seat back. A control cable assembly automatically controls the pivoting movement of the display screen assembly in coordination with the movement of the seat back. The control cable assembly operates to maintain the display screen assembly at a predetermined viewing angle relative to the viewer as the seat back moves between the upright and reclined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Richard W. Dixon
  • Patent number: 5282665
    Abstract: A passenger seat leg assembly with an energy absorbing zone. The seat includes fore and aft located legs for being fastened to a seating track mounted on a floor and fore and aft located seat-bottom support for supporting a seat bottom assembly including a cushion. The seat legs and the seat bottom supports are integrally formed with each other to define a unitary seat leg assembly. The seat leg assembly is characterized in that the fore located leg and the fore located seat bottom support diverge from each other to define an intermediate concavity and includes an integrally-formed, peripherally enclosed and laterally-extending through chamber formed in the area of the concavity to define an energy-absorbing zone. An auxiliary crush-resisting member having predetermined magnitude of resistance to crushing cooperates with the chamber to provide additional resistance to crushing. The member may be a cover plate positioned over the chamber, inserts of various designs positioned within the chamber, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Beroth
  • Patent number: 5224755
    Abstract: A passenger seat leg assembly with an energy absorbing zone. The seat includes fore and aft located legs for being fastened to a seating track mounted on a floor and fore and aft located seat-bottom support for supporting a seat bottom assembly including a cushion. The seat legs and the seat bottom supports are integrally formed with each other to define a unitary seat leg assembly. The seat leg assembly is characterized in that the fore located leg and the fore located seat bottom support diverge from each other to define an intermediate concavity and includes an integrally-formed, peripherally enclosed and laterally-extending through chamber formed in the area of the concavity to define an energy-absorbing zone. An auxiliary crush-resisting member having predetermined magnitude of resistance to crushing cooperates with the chamber to provide additional resistance to crushing. The member may be a cover plate positioned over the chamber, inserts of various designs positioned within the chamber, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Beroth
  • Patent number: 5178346
    Abstract: A track fastener apparatus for use with a locking track of the type used to secure a seat or cargo apparatus to the floor of an aircraft. The track includes a slot, and the upper walls of the slot have regularly spaced-apart enlarged openings separated by relatively narrower track slot segments defining locking segments. The track also includes a channel for carrying wiring along the length of the aircraft. The track fastener apparatus includes a housing. A screw member cooperates with the track fastener housing and the locking wedge to perform first and second functions in distinct first and second locking wedge positions. In the case of the first position the locking wedge is not completely positioned in alignment with and into the one enlarged opening, preventing the locking wedge from being tightened into the track. In the case of the second position the locking wedge is positioned in alignment with and into the enlarged opening, permitting the locking wedge to be tightened into the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Beroth
  • Patent number: 5154374
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger seat assembly, including an emergency oxygen system, a seat frame, seat bottom and seat back, and respective cushions for the seat bottom and seat back. A chemical reaction oxygen generating canister is positioned in the seat bottom below the seat bottom cushion. Oxyen flow conduit interconnect the oxygen canister and an oxygen mask compartment. A cable is operatively connected by a first end to the firing pin mechanism of the oxygen generating canister and extends from the firing pin mechanism to the mask compartment. A lever arm is positioned in the oxygen mask compartment to which a second end of the cable is attached. Another lever also includes a tether releasably connected to the lever arm and to a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Burns Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Beroth