Abstract: A singular energy absorber and an offset pilot seat including the same. The pilot seat includes a seat base, a seat bucket positioned laterally offset relative to a centerline of the seat base, a singular motion controller movably coupling the seat bucket to the seat base, wherein the singular motion controller is centered relative to the seat bucket and laterally offset relative to the seat base, and the singular energy absorber associated with the singular motion controller, the singular energy absorber operative to maintain relative positions of components of the singular motion controller during normal use of the rotorcraft pilot seat and allow relative motion between the components of the singular motion controller during a dynamic event.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a rotorcraft pilot seat including a seat base attachable to floor tracks, a seat bucket positioned laterally offset relative to a centerline of the seat base, and a singular motion controller movably coupling the seat bucket to the seat base, wherein the singular motion controller is centered relative to the seat bucket and laterally offset relative to the seat base. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a rotorcraft cockpit configuration including a floor defining a well configured to receive retracted landing gear, a pilot seat positioned to one lateral side of the well, and a copilot seat positioned to an opposing lateral side of the well, each seat including an offset configuration.

Abstract: An assembly for an energy attenuation system is described. The assembly offers a lower profile configuration that fits better into tight spaces that exist in the compact seats that are required for military helicopters. The assembly includes a cable that is oriented and positioned to work with the profile. The assembly includes an actuator which ejecting the pins in a multi-stage sequence. The design of the assembly also ensures the pins cannot back drive when the pins are in the ejected position. Additionally, the pins may have part commonality reducing a unique part of the assembly.

Abstract: A shaft locking mechanism includes a rack disposed on a translating shaft and a toothed locking lever disposed on a corresponding translation post. The toothed locking lever engages the rack in a locked orientation to prevent the shaft translating within the translation post. The toothed locking lever is disengaged during translation and the shaft may be translated and locked in place with very granular adjustability. A control rod release mechanism may be biased to maintain the toothed locking lever in the locked orientation. A cam feature on the toothed locking lever engages the body of the control rod which defines a recessed portion that coincides with the cam while in an unlocked orientation.

Abstract: A console mounted armrest includes an adjustable post to raise and lower the armrest, and a linkage. The linkage defines the tilt of the armrest with respect to the post. A single control mechanism controls the motion of the post, and thereby also controls the tilt of the armrest to maintain a desirable orientation with respect to the sidestick. The control mechanism defines multiple positive lock-out positions with respect to the post such that the control mechanism will always engage one of the positive lock-out positions.

Abstract: A rotorcraft seating assembly includes a seat base supporting a seat bucket, the seat base having left- and right-side panel portions. Each side panel portion has a linear bucket guide channel set into its inside face (including an upper portion for adjusting the seat bucket relative to the seat base for pilots of varying heights, and a lower portion for energy attenuation (EA) stroking in response to a crash event) and a bucket guide slot set into its outside face (including a linear upper portion corresponding to the range of adjustment of the seat bucket and a curved lower portion allowing the seat bucket to translate forward and away from the seat base during EA stroking). The curved outer bucket guide slot allows for the required EA stroking distance within a minimal vertical space between the seat bucket and the flight deck floor.

Abstract: A rack is made from a plurality of laminated layers. Each layer defines an alignment feature that allows all of the layers to be affixed to a base plate of an aircraft seat assembly and align the teeth of the rack to within five ten-thousandths of an inch. The rack includes a straight portion and a curved portion such that a pinion gear on the aircraft seat assembly can move the aircraft seat assembly along tracks with straight and curved portions.

Abstract: A rotorcraft seating assembly includes a seat base supporting a seat bucket, the seat base having left- and right-side panel portions. Each side panel portion has a linear bucket guide channel set into its inside face (including an upper portion for adjusting the seat bucket relative to the seat base for pilots of varying heights, and a lower portion for energy attenuation (EA) stroking in response to a crash event) and a bucket guide slot set into its outside face (including a linear upper portion corresponding to the range of adjustment of the seat bucket and a curved lower portion allowing the seat bucket to translate forward and away from the seat base during EA stroking). The curved outer bucket guide slot allows for the required EA stroking distance within a minimal vertical space between the seat bucket and the flight deck floor.

Abstract: A shaft locking mechanism includes a rack disposed on a translating shaft and a toothed locking lever disposed on a corresponding translation post. The toothed locking lever engages the rack in a locked orientation to prevent the shaft translating within the translation post. The toothed locking lever is disengaged during translation and the shaft may be translated and locked in place with very granular adjustability. A control rod release mechanism may be biased to maintain the toothed locking lever in the locked orientation. A cam feature on the toothed locking lever engages the body of the control rod which defines a recessed portion that coincides with the cam while in an unlocked orientation.

Abstract: An aircraft armrest lifting mechanism generally biases the aircraft armrest toward a raised configuration. A linear actuator applies tension to a cable connected to a portion of an armrest hub connected to an armrest shaft. The portion of the armrest hub extends some distance from the armrest shaft so that the linear actuator applies a moment between an attachment point on the armrest and the armrest shaft that tends to rotate the armrest toward a raised configuration.

Abstract: A console mounted armrest includes an adjustable post to raise and lower the armrest, and a linkage. The linkage defines the tilt of the armrest with respect to the post. A single control mechanism controls the motion of the post, and thereby also controls the tilt of the armrest to maintain a desirable orientation with respect to the sidestick. The control mechanism defines multiple positive lock-out positions with respect to the post such that the control mechanism will always engage one of the positive lock-out positions.

Abstract: An aircraft seat includes infinitely adjustable, lateral tilt control within a specified range. The aircraft seat includes a stationary support, a tilting frame rotatably or translatably attached to the stationary base, and a tilt control mechanism to adjust the tilt within the defined range and positively lock the frame without back-driving. The tilt control mechanism may include a plurality of linkages connected to the stationary support and the tilting frame, and to each other via a threaded block; a threaded shaft adjusts the linkages and thereby adjust the tilt. Alternatively, the tilt control mechanism comprises a curved rack and a pinion. The threaded block and threaded shaft, or the rack and pinion define ACME threads to prevent back-driving.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a deployable and height adjustable armrest assembly for use with, for example, an aircraft pilot seat. The assembly includes an armrest positioned atop a rack comprising a plurality of detents each corresponding to a deployed armrest position. A lever carries a pawl that travels along one edge of the rack which locates in a selected one of the plurality of detents to lock the armrest in one of its deployed positions. The armrest is configured to be raised manually to deploy and adjust the armrest upward. The lever is configured to be actuated manually to disengage the pawl from its engagement in one of the detents to lower or return the armrest to its stowed positions. The armrest is particularly advantageous in close quarters such as a flight deck, or where a stowed armrest can be used to expand the width of the seat bottom.

Abstract: An armrest is disclosed that includes an armrest subframe configured to couple to an arm of the seat that includes a slot within a face of the armrest subframe configured to receive a stop pin. The armrest further includes an arm pad translatably coupled to the armrest subframe and includes a plurality of grooves formed on one edge of the armrest subframe. The arm pad further includes the stop pin that restricts the translation of the arm pad and a spring anchor. The armrest further includes a lever rotationally coupled to the armrest that includes a locking pin configured to engage one or more grooves of the plurality of grooves, and an actuating end, wherein a movement of the actuating end at least one of engages or disengages the locking pin from the one or more grooves of the plurality of grooves. The armrest further includes a biasing spring.

Abstract: Disclosed is an armrest assembly for a vehicle seat such as a pilot seat positioned in an aircraft cockpit. The armrest assembly generally includes a pivoting armrest and an arm pad repositionable relative to the armrest to change the arm pad width. The arm pad includes two functional sides each having a different width dimension. The arm pad is coupled to the armrest such that sequential translational and rotational motion of the arm pad moves one of the first and second sides into a use position atop the armrest and the other of the first and second sides into an out of use position alongside the armrest. The armrest assembly according to the present disclosure is ideal for use in tight quarters within the flight deck, among other installation environments requiring a functional armrest.

Abstract: An armrest is disclosed that includes an armrest frame rotationally coupled to a seat frame, an armrest subframe pivotably couple to a second end of the armrest frame, and an arm pad laterally aligned and translatably coupled to the armrest subframe. The armrest further includes a tilting mechanism configured to pivot the armrest subframe relative to the armrest frame. The armrest further includes a translation mechanism configured to translate the arm pad relative to the armrest subframe. The armrest further includes a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the armrest relative to the seat frame. At least one of the tilting mechanism, the translation mechanism, or the rotation mechanism includes a spring-loaded linkage.

Abstract: Disclosed is an armrest assembly for a vehicle seat such as a pilot seat positioned in an aircraft cockpit. The armrest assembly generally includes a pivoting armrest and an arm pad repositionable relative to the armrest to change the arm pad width. The arm pad includes two functional sides each having a different width dimension. The arm pad is coupled to the armrest such that sequential translational and rotational motion of the arm pad moves one of the first and second sides into a use position atop the armrest and the other of the first and second sides into an out of use position alongside the armrest. The armrest assembly according to the present disclosure is ideal for use in tight quarters within the flight deck, among other installation environments requiring a functional armrest.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a deployable and height adjustable armrest assembly for use with, for example, an aircraft pilot seat. The assembly includes an armrest positioned atop a rack comprising a plurality of detents each corresponding to a deployed armrest position. A lever carries a pawl that travels along one edge of the rack which locates in a selected one of the plurality of detents to lock the armrest in one of its deployed positions. The armrest is configured to be raised manually to deploy and adjust the armrest upward. The lever is configured to be actuated manually to disengage the pawl from its engagement in one of the detents to lower or return the armrest to its stowed positions. The armrest is particularly advantageous in close quarters such as a flight deck, or where a stowed armrest can be used to expand the width of the seat bottom.

Abstract: An aircraft seat includes infinitely adjustable, lateral tilt control within a specified range. The aircraft seat includes a stationary support, a tilting frame rotatably or translatably attached to the stationary base, and a tilt control mechanism to adjust the tilt within the defined range and positively lock the frame without back-driving. The tilt control mechanism may include a plurality of linkages connected to the stationary support and the tilting frame, and to each other via a threaded block; a threaded shaft adjusts the linkages and thereby adjust the tilt. Alternatively, the tilt control mechanism comprises a curved rack and a pinion. The threaded block and threaded shaft, or the rack and pinion define ACME threads to prevent back-driving.

Abstract: A rack is made from a plurality of laminated layers. Each layer defines an alignment feature that allows all of the layers to be affixed to a base plate of an aircraft seat assembly and align the teeth of the rack to within five ten-thousandths of an inch. The rack includes a straight portion and a curved portion such that a pinion gear on the aircraft seat assembly can move the aircraft seat assembly along tracks with straight and curved portions.