Patents Assigned to Zodiac Seats US LLC
  • Publication number: 20180056833
    Abstract: A passenger seat headrest (100) includes a body (102) and a side wing (120A, 120B). The body includes a forward (104), an aft side (106) distal from the forward side, a first side (108) extending between the forward side (104) and the aft side (106), and a second side (110) distal from the first side (108) and extending between the forward side (104) and the aft side (106). The side wing (120A) is pivotably connected to the first side (108) of the body (102) and is pivotable between a stowed position, at which the side wing (120A) is positioned against the forward side (104) of the body (102), and a deployed position, at which the side wing (120A) is spaced apart from the forward side (104) of the body (102).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventor: Manon Kühne
  • Patent number: 9902335
    Abstract: Described are adjustable support assemblies that include a base (16), a support platform (14) elastically coupled to the base, and a slide bar (12) elastically coupled to a pair of tracks on the base, wherein the adjustable support assembly is positioned within a recess (62) of a passenger seat back (64) and at least partially surrounded by a shroud (72) so that only portions of the support platform and the slide bar extend through the shroud, wherein the adjustable support assembly is configured to securely hold portable electronic devices having a range of heights, widths, and thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Aram Krikorian, Raul Daniel Flores Aguirre, Maria Fernanda Molinar Gutierrez, Juan Hernandez, Oscar Ruiz Lara, John Allen, Merardo Vela Hinojos
  • Patent number: 9873405
    Abstract: Described are seat belt connection assemblies having a seat belt twist link integrally formed as a single piece construction having a mounting portion and a linking portion connected by a twist portion. A plane of the mounting portion is positioned at approximately a right angle to a plane of the linking portion. The linking portion has a planar section and a curled section, and a slot that extends through at least some of the planar section and the curled section. The curled section of the linking portion has a pronged end that extends along sides of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventor: Sanmathi Bangalore Chandrakeerthy
  • Publication number: 20170369172
    Abstract: Described are consoles for use in a passenger seat row. The console may include a base of a support material. The base may include a top surface, a first side wall, and a second side wall opposite the first side wall. A tray may be configured to be releasably affixed to the top surface of the base. The tray be manufactured as a piece of molded plastic. The molded plastic may be molded to include one or more storage compartments. A bottom of the molded plastic may be configured to fittingly mate with the top surface of the base. The base may further include one or more straps configured to secure the base to a passenger seat cushion, passenger seat support structure, or a passenger seat restrain system. The one or more storage compartments may be a cupholder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Wade G. Matthews, Eric L. Parks, Andrew B. Severance
  • Publication number: 20170361933
    Abstract: Described are headrests with integrated entertainment systems. The headrest includes a shell that is coupled to a seat through a headrest mount that has at least one degree of freedom of movement. The headrest shell also supports a visor with at least one side arm and a display span that may rotate between stowed and deployed positions. A neutral position mechanism supports the headrest in a neutral position and provides resistance to movement between the headrest and the passenger seat. The attachment of the visor to the headrest shell may also include an adjustment slot to allow fore and aft translation of the visor with respect to the headrest shell. The fore and aft translation of the visor allows for positioning the visor at different focal lengths, and provides extra clearance for the visor as it moves between stowed and deployed positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Kenzie VAN DER KLOOSTER, Michael Parker
  • Publication number: 20170355465
    Abstract: Described are tray table assemblies having a table body (114) and a biasing mechanism (144). The table body can be movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The table body in the stowed configuration can be positioned so that at least a portion of the table body can be situated within a cavity (142) defined along a downwardly projecting lip (140). The table body in the deployed configuration can extend transverse to the orientation of the table in the stowed configuration. The biasing mechanism can bias the table body into the cavity in the stowed configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventor: Robert W. Trimble
  • Patent number: 9815615
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multiple seat shipping container (100) that includes a bottom base structure (101) configured to attach one or more first seats (120), a forward wall (103) with a lower portion (103a) pivotally attached to a forward side of the bottom base structure, a top wall (104) pivotally attached to an upper portion (103b) of the forward wall, the top wall configured to attach one or more second seats (121), and a rear wall (105) attached to a rear side of the bottom base structure. The multiple seat shipping container is configured to fold into a box shape configuration such that the one or more second seats are suspended from the top wall adjacent to the one or more first seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventor: Travis D. Doolittle
  • Publication number: 20170320418
    Abstract: Described are lightweight headrests with a perimeter frame 200 with an open central region. The open central region is spanned by a suspension membrane 100 held in tension. The suspension membrane provides support and cushioning functions to a passenger head without the need for internal structures or compression cushions. The perimeter frame of the headrest may have additional cross members spanning the rear portion of the headrest. These cross members may provide additional structure or locate attachment points for the headrest onto the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Jose Madrigal, Ty Parker, Patricia Luevano
  • Publication number: 20170313258
    Abstract: Described are passenger seats that include a system for storing objects disposed on a rear side of the passenger seat. The system may include a cavity and a divider wall disposed within the cavity, wherein the divider wall separates a lower portion of the cavity into at least two compartments including a personal electronic device compartment on a rear side of the cavity and a secondary compartment on a forward side of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Wade G. Argyle, Eric L. Parks, Andrew B. Severance, Jason K. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170305385
    Abstract: Described are seat belt connection assemblies having a seat belt twist link integrally formed as a single piece construction having a mounting portion and a linking portion connected by a twist portion. A plane of the mounting portion is positioned at approximately a right angle to a plane of the linking portion. The linking portion has a planar section and a curled section, and a slot that extends through at least some of the planar section and the curled section. The curled section of the linking portion has a pronged end that extends along sides of the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventor: Sanmathi Bangalore Chandrakeerthy
  • Publication number: 20170274998
    Abstract: Described is a passenger seat that includes a seat bottom assembly (201) with a forward edge and a rear edge and a seat back assembly (101) extending up from the rear edge of the seat bottom assembly (201). The seat back assembly (101) may include a frame (103), a plurality of panels (104-107) within a perimeter of the frame (103), and at least one attachment member (161) configured to attach the plurality of panels (104-107) to the frame (103). The seat bottom assembly (201) may include a frame (203) and a plurality of panels (204,205,206) within a perimeter of the frame (103).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Oscar Ruiz Lara, Jose Ramon Madrigal Carmona, Patricia Luevano Gonzalez
  • Publication number: 20170274999
    Abstract: Described is an extendable joint (10,100) for attaching a passenger seat to a cabin floor or support structure. The extendable joint (10,100) exhibits behavior of a rigid mounting during normal usage, such as when carrying or securing passengers or luggage. However, if a force threshold is exceeded, such as with an emergency situation, the extendable joint (10,100) may lengthen to absorb energy applied from the cabin floor through the passenger seat and vice versa. Additional force damping mechanisms may also be incorporated into the joint to further absorb, distribute, or reduce loadings that may otherwise separate the passenger seat from the floor or support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Farhan Alamgir, Robert Trimble
  • Publication number: 20170275001
    Abstract: Described is a passenger seat that includes a seat bottom with a rear edge, the seat bottom including a bottom seating surface and a seat bottom adjustment mechanism where the seat bottom adjustment mechanism forms at least a portion of the bottom seating surface. The passenger seat also includes a seat back extending from the rear edge of the seat bottom, the seat back including a back seating surface and a seat back adjustment mechanism where the seat back adjustment mechanism forms at least a portion of the back seating surface. The adjustment mechanisms may each be configured to move between a deployed configuration and a retracted configuration. The seat bottom adjustment mechanism may be substantially flush with the bottom seating surface in the retracted configuration, and the seat back adjustment mechanism may be substantially flush with the back seating surface in the retracted configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Patricia Luevano Gonzalez, Oscar Ruiz Lara
  • Patent number: 9758248
    Abstract: Described are portable electronics device coupling assemblies including a cradle configured to electronically couple and releasably engage a portable electronics device, and an adaptor configured to electronically couple and releasably engage the cradle to a passenger seat. Other examples may include a passenger seat having an electronics port configured to electronically couple to the portable electronics device, and a receptacle coupled to the electronics port and configured to releasably engage the portable electronics device. As examples, the portable electronics device may be a tablet computer, a cell phone, a smart phone, a handheld video game system, a personal digital assistant, a palmtop computer, a DVD player, data or audio-video media, or a multi-media enabled device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: John Procter, Rik Westerink
  • Publication number: 20170246972
    Abstract: Described are passenger seat assemblies including spreaders with a transitional region having a forward surface with a radius of curvature of about 3.5 to 3.7 inches and an aft surface with an angular profile configured so that the aft surface is located forward of a plane formed by a surface of the at least one seat back in a fully upright position. The passenger seat assemblies also include leg assemblies with a forward leg portion having a forward surface that is substantially aligned with a forward base frame tube, and an aft surface with an angular profile having a shape of an “r.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Wegenka, Allen Shirey, Aram Krikorian, Shreyas Krishna
  • Patent number: 9744894
    Abstract: Footrest assembly for a passenger seat having a saddle (22) and a post (16) pivotally coupled to a fastener (38) connected to the saddle. A ratcheting mechanism (86) with at least one tooth (88) is positioned on a first end (20) of the post and a pawl (90) is pivotally coupled to a pawl shaft (98) fixedly coupled to the saddle. A cam follower (96) is pivotally coupled to the fastener and positioned within a slot (106) formed in the end of the post in order to prevent the pawl from engaging with a tooth while pivoting in a direction of a fully deployed position of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Victor Carlioz, Alexandre Dufour
  • Patent number: 9725175
    Abstract: Described are passenger seats with a seat pan (12) releasably coupled to a seat frame (14) via at least one coupling device (20), which includes a ramp (22) mounted on a lower surface (36) of the seat pan (12) and a latch (42) pivotally coupled to an open end of the ramp (22). The latch (42) includes a flap configured to substantially cover the open end of the ramp (22) when the latch (42) is in a closed position, and a handle (48) that is accessible from an upper surface of the seat pan (12) via an aperture (50) in the seat pan (12). The coupling device also includes a spring (44) configured to position the latch (42) in the closed position until a force is applied to the handle (48) to rotate the latch (42) to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Allen L. Shirey, Justin K. Murnan, Bob A. Halcombe
  • Patent number: 9701229
    Abstract: Described are arm rest stop assemblies including an arm rest pivotally coupled to a fixed portion of a passenger seat and a down-stop mechanism comprising an adjustment pin inserted through the fixed portion of the passenger seat and an adjustment fastener coupled to the adjustment pin and the fixed portion of the passenger seat, wherein the location of the adjustment pin does not present a pinch point for passengers when the arm rest is lowered to the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Vishwanath Bhat, Ray Napier, Robert Bernal
  • Patent number: 9701409
    Abstract: Described herein are integrated keyboard tray assemblies including a tray table comprising a top surface of substantially planar construction and a body, wherein the top surface may be disposed above the body when the tray table is in an open position. The integrated keyboard tray assemblies also including a passenger seat, wherein a rear portion of the passenger seat may share a pivotal connection with at least the body of the food tray, and a sensor adjacent the tray table and configured to detect a user interaction at the top surface of the tray table when the tray table is in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Armando Valdes, Raul Reyes, Garrett Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20170174345
    Abstract: Described is a passenger seat that includes a seat back with a lower portion disposed adjacent to the seat bottom, and recline mechanism configured to move the passenger seat between an upright position and a reclined position. The recline mechanism may move the passenger seat in two directions. The recline mechanism may include a plurality of corresponding members configured to interface with a plurality of elongate motion members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Zodiac Seats US LLC
    Inventors: Justin K. Murnan, Ty Parker, Marc W. Kinard, Josh T. Smith, Andreas Bucher, John D. Allen, Raul G. Reyes, Hollie C. Driscoll