Abstract: Mounting techniques and systems are detailed. Such techniques and systems are particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, useful for connecting vehicle seat tracks to fixtures for dynamic testing. No holes need necessarily penetrate central portions of the base plates of the tracks.

Abstract: The invention provides a design innovation to conventional air passenger seats. The design innovation relates to the positioning of IFE boxes. For a better understanding, the reader may recall the last flight in the airline seat and the way the passenger's leg room was inhibited by a box mounted on the seat leg in front of the passenger. The new design innovation repositions (or “pancakes”) the IFE box underneath the seat pan.

Abstract: Systems for supplying emergency oxygen or other gases to persons are addressed. The systems may include pod assemblies mounted on fixed-position masts between or adjacent passenger seats or pop-up modules installed within upper portions of seat backs. The pod assemblies and pop-up modules additionally may include other passenger-service equipment. Also optionally included in the systems are modular central gas supplies and alternative oxygen mask designs for passengers.

Abstract: Addressed are couplings for transferring rotational motion from one shaft to another. The couplings may include flexible components and may be designed to accommodate angular, axial, and parallel misalignments. Included as components of the couplings may be hub portions, each having dowel pins and clearance holes, and a center member positioned intermediate the hub portions.

Abstract: Structures and assemblies for stowable tables and similar objects are detailed. Versions of the assemblies may cooperate with pivoting covers mounted to vehicle seats for purposes of deploying and retaining the tables. Other versions may include tables biased to fit snugly in recessed portions of backrests of seats, with compression of the biasing mechanism occurring sometimes when backrests are reclined and expansion of the mechanism occurring sometimes when the tables are deployed. Yet other versions may include tables latching to bars or other objects protruding rearward from the backrests.

Abstract: Adjustable seats and components thereof are detailed. The seats, particularly (although not exclusively) useful in commercial aircraft, permit substantial angular recline without the corresponding rearward linear movement necessarily occurring in conventional seats. The seats additionally may have discontinuous, or non-integral, seat bottoms, with the heights of the forward portions of the bottoms being adjustable mechanically. Tray tables optionally associated with the seats further omit any central slot and may define one or more pivot axes in locations different than exist in conventional seats.

Abstract: Multi-function, adjustable seats and methods and systems for their manufacture and utilization are disclosed. Such seats are especially, although not exclusively, designed for use in commercial aircraft in response to consumer requests for enhanced comfort during long-haul flights. In addition to providing rocking motion, the seats have bottoms whose lengths are adjustable and provide stowable tables adapted not only to permit vertical adjustment, but also to tilt out of a horizontal plane and latch in an as-tilted position to function as a rest for a book, magazine, computer, or other object. Digital control technology, including a touch screen or similar device, may be employed to actuate features of the disclosed seats.

Abstract: A coffee maker for use in a vehicle such as a commercial aircraft. The coffee make accepts a sealed can of ground coffee. The can is pierced from the side by a pair of can-piercing spikes by actuating the can against the spikes. The can is drawn by a hydraulically operated cylinder mechanism powered by the water pressure of the aircraft's potable water supply. Hot water is injected into the can through a passage within at least one of the spikes and the hot water is circulated within the can thereby brewing the coffee. Brewed coffee exits the can along the sides of one or both of the spikes and is channeled down into a reservoir located below the can. The brewed coffee may be filtered before and/or after the flowing into the reservoir. A desired volume of coffee may then be drawn from the reservoir.

Abstract: A track fitting assembly for removably securing a seat through a swivel bearing to a generally channel-shaped track secured to the fuselage of an aircraft. The track fitting assembly includes a forged body member having spaced track lugs projecting laterally from a narrow finger portion. The body member has a socket which receives a threaded shear plunger adjusting screw such that a head on the adjusting screw moves into the socket to indicate when the shear plunger is properly seated to lock the track lugs in the track.

Abstract: A beverage water heating supply system. A tank stores water while heaters heat the water. The heated water is distributed through a manifold assembly, which has a multiplicity of components, to a coffee brewer water and a hot water spigot which are controlled by independent solenoid valves. The water is filtered before entering the tank and is filtered a second time before leaving the tank to enter the manifold assembly. The tank employs a combination temperature sensing and water level detection circuit probe to prevent over heating and heating when the tank is not full. The manifold assembly includes a pressure release valve, a blowout port backup pressure release valve, an automatic vent valve, a brewer water pickup, a lower hot water pick up, and a pressure compensating flow control for the brewer water. The manifold is quickly connected to and disconnected from the tank with a bayonet type connection without removing any of the connections to the manifold.

Abstract: A spreader and leg assembly for the base frame of an aircraft passenger seat including spaced saddles on the spreader and spaced stirrups on the leg assemblies that encircle a plurality of quadrants of the stretcher tubes to form a base frame.

Abstract: A saddle assembly for securing an aircraft seat to a seat leg assembly wherein the seat leg assembly has a pair of elongated openings and a chamber formed therein. A compression tube extends through the chamber formed in the seat leg such that opposite ends of the tube extend outwardly to be engaged by a pair of slide blocks mounted on opposite sides of the leg. A saddle, having spaced legs, supports the pair of slide blocks adjacent end portions of the compression tube such that an upward force on the saddle moves the slide blocks into engagement with opposite ends of the compression tube for dissipating energy.

Abstract: An improved aircraft seat having a base frame including leg assemblies for supporting front and rear horizontal stretcher tubes and spreaders. A bottom diaphragm supporting a bottom seat cushion of an individual passenger seat is positioned between two of the spreaders and is removably connected to the front and rear stretcher tubes. The bottom diaphragm is preferably a formed tray-like member of unitary construction forming an open receptacle for a floatation portion on the bottom seat cushion.

Abstract: A track fitting assembly for removably securing a seat to a generally channel-shaped track secured to the fuselage of an aircraft. The track fitting assembly includes a forged body member having spaced track lugs projecting laterally from a narrow finger portion. The body member has a socket which receives a threaded shear plunger adjusting screw. A head on the adjusting screw moves into the socket to indicate when the shear plunger is properly seated to lock the track lugs in the track.

Abstract: An armrest for an individual seat wherein the armrest has a deployment arm for extending a video device from inside the armrest to a viewing position and retracting the video device into the armrest for storage.The video device is connected to a deployment arm. The video device and deployment arm are configured to retractably fit within the hollow interior of an armrest. The interior of the armrest has a track system including at least two tracks to which the deployment arm is slidingly engaged. The two tracks diverge from one another so that the spaced relation between the tracks varies along the track system. The deployment arm has at least two rollers that slidingly engage the track system. The diverging tracks urge the deployment arm to change orientation as the rollers slide along the track system, thereby urging the deployment arm to extend the video device from the armrest into a viewing position.

Abstract: A legrest assembly mounted on the frame of an aircraft seat which includes first and second legrest panels slidably secured together. A first hydraulic actuator rotates the first panel relative to the frame of the seat and a second actuator moves the second panel relative to the first panel. The actuators are controlled independently.

Abstract: A seat leg and track fitting assembly for removably securing a seat to a generally channel-shaped track secured to the fuselage of an aircraft. The track fitting assembly includes a forged body member having a narrow finger portion; a plurality of spaced track lugs projecting laterally from the narrow finger portion, and an enlarged boss portion having a recess formed therein. The recess extends through the narrow finger portion to form a pair of shoulders adjacent opposite sides of the recess and a plunger has surfaces positioned between the shoulders such that the shoulders limit movement of the plunger. An actuating arm is secured to the plungers in each of a plurality of track fitting assemblies to move the plungers in the recesses between first positions wherein the lower ends of the plungers are positioned adjacent the lower edge of the narrow finger portion of each body and an elevated position wherein the plungers are retracted from the track.

Abstract: A seatback fitting assembly is provided with means to allow the complete forward rotation of the seatback, while remaining anchored to the seat structure, upon an excessive dynamic load or force impact on the seatback. This is accomplished by the use of a structural "breakover" device operating within the fitting assembly, which restrains the seatback within a limited, "forward tilt" range of motion under normal conditions, but allows complete forward rotation once load forces above an allowable level act on the seatback to cause a restraining pin to shear. A friction brake or clutch arrangement is provided to inhibit tilting of the seatback at all times but does not prevent the complete forward rotation of the seatback.