Abstract: An aircraft passenger seat adapted for maintaining a seated passenger in a recline position in the seat during TTOL of a passenger aircraft. The seat includes a seat carriage mounted for fore and aft translating movement relative to a deck of the aircraft, with a seat pan base mounted on the seat carriage for translating movement with the seat carriage. A seat pan is mounted for articulating movement relative to the seat pan base about a first pivot positioned on the seat pan base. A seat back is mounted for articulating movement about a second pivot positioned on the seat pan base proximate the first pivot on the seat pan base. The seat pan and the seat back are positioned for independent pivotal adjustment within a predetermined range of motion to permit the seat pan and seat back to move to a zero gravity recline position with the passenger's knees positioned above the passenger's hip region, providing resistance to forward movement of the passenger in the seat during TTOL.

Abstract: An aircraft passenger seat configured to facilitate ergonomic alignment of a passenger while in a sleeping position, including a seat bottom; and a seatback including a central opening corresponding to a shoulder region of a passenger, and a sleep support assembly mounted within the central opening, the sleep support assembly including an adjustable support member spanning a central portion of the seatback, where the adjustable support member is configured for at least one of translation and deformation; where, when the seat bottom is aligned with the seatback in a lie-flat seating position, a load provided by the shoulder region of the passenger, at least in a side-sleeping position, causes translation and/or deformation of the adjustable support member toward a floor of an aircraft cabin, thereby facilitating ergonomic alignment of the spine.

Abstract: An aircraft cabin arrangement including a first passenger seating class and a second passenger seating class separated from the first passenger seating class and equipped with at least one amenity dedicated to a need of an infant or a pet. A method of minimizing disruptions between aircraft passengers travelling with children or pets and aircraft passengers travelling without children or pets.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, electromechanical actuation systems and methods for use in an aircraft passenger suite include aircraft suite actuators for allowing passenger-initiated adjustment of a passenger seat and other suite components, a LRU coupled to each of actuators including control circuitry for controlling actuation of a given actuator in response to a passenger-initiated adjustment request, and wireless communication circuitry configured to: initiate communication links with LRUs creating a communication network, establish master/slave relationships with LRUs, and communicate actuation commands via the communication network.

Abstract: A seating arrangement for a cabin of a passenger aircraft that includes 5-abreast passenger accommodation suites, each including a privacy wall and a seat movable between a seating position and a lie-flat bed position, and adapted to be laterally positioned in the aircraft cabin in respective adjacent outboard, middle and inboard positions. Three of the suites are adapted to be positioned in a longitudinally-offset position in relation to each other and defining respective ingress/egress paths to a cabin aisle extending along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin adjacent the third suite. Two of the suites are positioned in a longitudinally-offset position in relation to each other and defining respective ingress/egress paths on the opposite side of the cabin aisle. At least some of the suites define an angular offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the cabin aisle.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuation system for an aircraft passenger suite for allowing passenger-initiated adjustment of a passenger seat and related passenger accoutrements including a suite control unit configured to receive command signals from a user interface, and a first line replacement unit comprising a first integral electronic control unit and a second line replacement unit coupled to the first line replacement, wherein the first electronic control unit controls operation of the first line replacement unit and the second line replacement unit in response to command signals received from the suite control unit.

Abstract: A seat swivel for providing angular adjustment of a seat to an infinite number of rotational positions with respect to a seat base. The seat swivel includes a swivel assembly having a swivel plate rotatably supported between a pair of fixed plates, the swivel plate being adapted to be affixed to the seat and the fixed plates being adapted to be affixed to a seat base. The seat swivel further includes a brake assembly having a mechanism for releasably retaining the seat in any one of the infinite number of positions when the seat is subjected to a first dynamic impact loading, the mechanism being either mechanically or electrically actuated, the mechanism being adapted to withstand a dynamic impact loading of up to about 16 g in at least one rotational position of the seat.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for securing a moveable scat substructure of a vehicle seating system to a stationary base substructure of the vehicle seating system during a dynamic event such as, for example, rapid vehicle deceleration. In one embodiment, an inertia lock apparatus is provided for a vehicle seating system and includes: a striker bar; a pendulum latch pivotally moveable between a normal orientation and a latching orientation; and a lock mechanism configured to prevent the pendulum latch from moving from the latching orientation to the normal orientation. In another embodiment the inertia lock apparatus includes a release mechanism for moving the pendulum latch from the latching orientation to the normal orientation, thereby unlocking the lock mechanism and resetting the apparatus. In another aspect, a vehicle seating system including the inertia lock apparatus is provided.

Abstract: A seat swivel for providing angular adjustment of a seat to an infinite number of rotational positions with respect to a seat base. The seat swivel includes a swivel assembly having a swivel plate rotatably supported between a pair of fixed plates, the swivel plate being adapted to be affixed to the seat and the fixed plates being adapted to be affixed to a seat base. The seat swivel further includes a brake assembly having a mechanism for releasably retaining the seat in any one of the infinite number of positions when the seat is subjected to a first dynamic impact loading, the mechanism being either mechanically or electrically actuated, the mechanism being adapted to withstand a dynamic impact loading of up to about 16 g in at least one rotational position of the seat.

Abstract: A one-piece upholstery cover that covers all the visible surfaces of a typical seat such as seatback cushion, seat pan cushion, seat pan extension cushion, leg rest cushion, and leg rest extension cushion. A seat covering system is also disclosed. The seat covering system includes a single elongated piece of upholstery having a first end and a second end and a loop portion intermediate the first and second ends. A first attachment portion is adjacent to the first end of the upholstery, and at least one spring mechanism attached to the second end. A first and second pivot member are attached to opposite sides of a seat back of a reclining chair. These first and second pivot members are also fixed to a seat pedestal while a connecting member having a first end attached to the first pivot member and a second end attached to the second pivot member extends through the loop portion of the elongated piece of upholstery.

Abstract: A one-piece upholstery cover that covers all the visible surfaces of a typical seat such as seatback cushion, seat pan cushion, seat pan extension cushion, leg rest cushion, and leg rest extension cushion. A seat covering system is also disclosed. The seat covering system includes a single elongated piece of upholstery having a first end and a second end and a loop portion intermediate the first and second ends. A first attachment portion is adjacent to the first end of the upholstery, and at least one spring mechanism attached to the second end. A first and second pivot member are attached to opposite sides of a seat back of a reclining chair. These first and second pivot members are also fixed to a seat pedestal while a connecting member having a first end attached to the first pivot member and a second end attached to the second pivot member extends through the loop portion of the elongated piece of upholstery.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for securing a moveable seat substructure of a vehicle seating system to a stationary base substructure of the vehicle seating system during a dynamic event such as, for example, rapid vehicle deceleration. In one aspect, an inertia lock apparatus is provided for a vehicle seating system and includes: a striker bar; a pendulum latch pivotally moveable between a normal orientation and a latching orientation, wherein the pendulum latch includes a first end with a mass portion configured to pivot about a pivot point relative to a predetermined deceleration, a second end with a catch portion configured to catch the striker bar in the latching orientation and a cam slot intermediate the first end and the second end; and a lock mechanism configured to prevent the pendulum latch from moving from the latching orientation to the normal orientation. In another aspect, a vehicle seating system including the inertia lock apparatus is provided.

Abstract: A headrest support assembly capable of moving a headrest simultaneously in an up/down and fore/aft position. The headrest support assembly is located in a seat back and includes a headrest frame mounted on a support bracket, the support bracket includes a first and second guide track spaced apart from one another. Each guide track defines a substantially vertical first channel and a curved second channel therein. A first and second support pillar is mounted to the headrest frame. These first and second support pillars are located adjacent to the first and second guide track, respectively. A first and second guide roller is located on each of the first and second support pillars. The first guide roller is positioned within the first channel and the second guide roller is positioned within the second channel of the respective guide tracks.

Abstract: A one-piece upholstery cover that covers all the visible surfaces of a typical seat such as seatback cushion, seat pan cushion, seat pan extension cushion, leg rest cushion, and leg rest extension cushion. A seat covering system is also disclosed. The seat covering system includes a single elongated piece of upholstery having a first end and a second end and a loop portion intermediate the first and second ends. A first attachment portion is adjacent to the first end of the upholstery, and at least one spring mechanism attached to the second end. A first and second pivot member are attached to opposite sides of a seat back of a reclining chair. These first and second pivot members are also fixed to a seat pedestal while a connecting member having a first end attached to the first pivot member and a second end attached to the second pivot member extends through the loop portion of the elongated piece of upholstery.

Abstract: A headrest support assembly capable of moving a headrest simultaneously in an up/down and fore/aft position. The headrest support assembly is located in a seat back and includes a headrest frame mounted on a support bracket, the support bracket includes a first and second guide track spaced apart from one another. Each guide track defines a substantially vertical first channel and a curved second channel therein. A first and second support pillar is mounted to the headrest frame. These first and second support pillars are located adjacent to the first and second guide track, respectively. A first and second guide roller is located on each of the first and second support pillars. The first guide roller is positioned within the first channel and the second guide roller is positioned within the second channel of the respective guide tracks.

Abstract: An anti-rattle door assembly includes a first member and a second member. The first member includes a first base plate and a roller disposed on the first base plate. The second member is configured to receive the roller of the first member. The second member includes a bumper that is configured to at least partly enclose the roller of the first member when the first member and the second member are engaged.

Abstract: An anti-rattle door assembly includes a first member and a second member. The first member includes a first base plate and a roller disposed on the first base plate. The second member is configured to receive the roller of the first member. The second member includes a bumper that is configured to at least partly enclose the roller of the first member when the first member and the second member are engaged.