Patents by Inventor Mark B. Dowty

Mark B. Dowty has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11299273
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a privacy shell element proximate to an aircraft seat installed within the aircraft passenger compartment suite. The privacy shell element may include a first section configured to conform to a primary section of the aircraft seat, and a second section configured to conform to an auxiliary section of the aircraft seat. The privacy shell element may include a first profile configured to conform with the aircraft seat when the aircraft seat is in a first position, and a second profile configured to conform with the aircraft seat when the aircraft seat is in a second position. The second profile of the privacy shell element may be configured to occupy a greater amount of passenger aircraft living space surrounding the aircraft passenger compartment suite than an amount of passenger aircraft living space occupied by the first profile of the privacy shell element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Glenn A. Johnson, Adil Mumdood Ali
  • Publication number: 20220106043
    Abstract: A static aircraft seat privacy panel may include a body. At least a portion of a surface of the body may be shaped to at least partially conform with at least a portion of an aircraft seat. A lower edge of the body may be configured to couple to a floor via a set of floor-mounted components. The set of floor-mounted components may be within the floor separate from a set of seat tracks of an aircraft seat compliant with 16G force requirements for aviation transport. An upper edge of the body may be configured to be offset a selected distance from a surface of one or more overhead structures of the aircraft cabin when the body is coupled to one or more structures positioned proximate to a ceiling of the aircraft cabin. The static aircraft seat privacy panel may be compliant with 9G force requirements for aviation transport.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Johnson, Mark B. Dowty, Jefferey M. McKee, Tracy Pence, Michael M. Princip
  • Publication number: 20220105975
    Abstract: An aircraft cart retention system may include at least one aircraft cart retention device. The at least one aircraft cart retention device may be configured to retain an aircraft cart in a position proximate to an exterior surface of the structure with at least two combined points of contact during non-taxi, takeoff, or landing (non-TTL) stages of flight when the at least one aircraft cart retention device is in at least one deployed position. The at least one aircraft cart retention device may be configured to allow the aircraft cart to be removed from the position proximate to the exterior surface of the structure when the at least one aircraft cart retention device is in the stowed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Daniel M. Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20220106044
    Abstract: A slanted aircraft seat privacy panel may include a body. The body may be defined by a contour line along at least a portion of a height of the body. The contour line may be a straight line slanted at an angle relative to a vertical line. The vertical line may be defined relative to a floor of the aircraft cabin. The contour line being slanted may generate increased shoulder space in the passenger compartment in the aircraft cabin. The increased shoulder space in the passenger compartment may use a portion of non-fully utilized space in an adjacent passenger compartment in the aircraft cabin. The passenger compartment and the adjacent passenger compartment may be offset relative to an aisle in the aircraft cabin. A portion of each of the passenger compartment and the adjacent passenger compartment may be formed by the slanted aircraft seat privacy panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Tracy Pence, Michael M. Princip, Mark B. Dowty, Glenn A. Johnson, Jefferey M. McKee
  • Publication number: 20220055754
    Abstract: A deployable ottoman extension fills the gap between the ottoman and fully reclined oblique aircraft seat. The deployable ottoman extension can pivot out from the ottoman about a pivot point and/or slide out along a rail. Alternatively, the ottoman extension may be hinged to the ottoman to deploy by flipping down. The deployable ottoman extension may include deployable support features that extend to the aircraft floor when deployed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventor: Mark B. Dowty
  • Publication number: 20220024591
    Abstract: An aircraft interior structure may include a primary monument, an auxiliary monument, and a passenger seating section. The primary monument may include one or more storage compartments and a primary panel configured to actuate between a primary panel stowed position and a primary panel deployed position. The auxiliary monument may be spaced a select distance from the primary monument across a floor area of an aircraft cabin, and may include an auxiliary panel configured to actuate between an auxiliary panel stowed position and an auxiliary panel deployed position. The passenger seating section may include a footwell at least partially within the primary monument and proximate to the one or more storage compartments. The footwell may correspond to an aircraft seat. The aircraft seat may be configured to form a bed surface with at least a portion being within the footwell when the aircraft seat is in a lie-flat position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Daniel N. Moe, Jefferey M. McKee, Shawn W. Raybell
  • Patent number: 11230382
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger compartment suite may include at least one single passenger compartment including at least one single aircraft seat. The at least one single aircraft seat may be configured to seat a single passenger. The aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a combined divan passenger compartment with a combined divan aircraft seat. The combined divan aircraft seat may be configured to seat at least one passenger. The combined divan aircraft seat may have a width greater than a width of the at least one single aircraft seat. The combined divan passenger compartment may include a stowage compartment configured to stow large passenger amenities in a substantially vertical orientation. The aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a privacy divider separating the combined divan passenger compartment and the at least one single passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Robert J. Henshaw, Suzuko Hisata, Robert D. Wilkey, Glenn A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11203433
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring passenger activity in an aircraft cabin environment to predict immediate future passenger needs. The systems and methods make use of sensors positioned within an aircraft cabin environment configured to sense condition changes of objects corresponding to predetermined service issues, device(s) usable by the service crew indicating the sensed condition changes, and processing circuitry configured to receive sensor signals and indicate the condition changes through the device(s) such that the service crew is made aware of the condition changes requiring actions to be completed by the service crew to attend to the immediate future passenger needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Glenn A. Johnson, Kent Kroener
  • Publication number: 20210371109
    Abstract: An aircraft interior structure may include a galley section with a galley cart portion and a passenger seating section proximate to a passenger compartment. The galley cart portion may include at least one galley cart cavity configured to receive one or more galley carts. The galley cart portion may be accessible from a floor area of an aircraft cabin. The passenger seating section may include a footwell. The footwell may be integrated or may be part of an auxiliary aircraft interior structure. The footwell may be at least partially inserted within the galley cart section. The footwell may be surrounded at least in part within the galley section by the at least one galley cart cavity. The footwell may correspond to an aircraft seat within the passenger compartment. The aircraft seat may be configured to form a bed surface when the aircraft seat is in a lie-flat position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Daniel N. Moe
  • Publication number: 20210331806
    Abstract: A system for attaching a seat cover to a seat, seat cushion, and/or seat frame is disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the system includes a seat cover, a seat, seat cushion, and/or seat frame, and a hook and loop fastener structure. The system further includes a first part of the hook and loop fastener structure attached to the seat cover, seat, seat cushion, and/or seat frame comprised of a plurality of hooks configured to align in a single direction. The system further includes a second part of the hook and loop fastener structure attached to the seat, seat cover, seat cushion, and/or seat frame comprised of a plurality of loops configured so that at least a portion of the plurality of loops is configured to attach to at least a portion of the plurality of hooks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: Mark B. Dowty
  • Patent number: 11142321
    Abstract: A privacy panel assembly for a passenger cabin environment including a flexible privacy panel having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the flexible privacy panel moveable between a stowed position leaving open an opening between spaced structures and a deployed position closing the opening, wherein the leading edge of the flexible privacy panel, when the flexible privacy panel is in the deployed position, is moveable out of a plane of the opening by way of force against the flexible privacy panel. A passenger suite configuration including a suite entrance formed between spaced walls and a flexible privacy panel moveable between a stowed position leaving open the suite entrance and a deployed position closing the suite entrance, wherein a portion of the flexible privacy panel is moveable out of a plane of the opening by way of force against the flexible privacy panel, for example, during emergency exit from the suite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Kent M. Kroener
  • Patent number: 11130578
    Abstract: An ottoman for an aircraft passenger seat is disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the ottoman may include a base. The ottoman may include a frame. The ottoman may include a shell. The ottoman may include a resting surface. The ottoman may include an actuation assembly. The actuation assembly is configured to actuating the resting surface from a first actuation position relative to the base. The ottoman may include an attachment surface. The attachment surface provides and anchor point for the actuation assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Bobby Lawson
  • Patent number: 11124300
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger seat arrangement such as a business seating class arrangement including a plurality of passenger seat groups positioned adjacent a longitudinal aisle, each passenger seat group including an inboard seat and an outboard seat angled toward the longitudinal aisle, with the inboard seat angle being greater than the outboard seat angle to improve access to the outboard seat along a branch aisle extending from the longitudinal aisle forward of the inboard seat to a forward end of the outboard seat, as well as reducing seat pitch between longitudinally adjacent inboard and outboard seats with at least equivalent seat egress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Eric J. Aulet
  • Publication number: 20210261255
    Abstract: An aircraft interior structure may include a social area section including a surface. The social area section may be accessible from a floor area of an aircraft cabin. The aircraft interior structure may include a passenger seating section proximate to an aircraft seat. The passenger seating section may include a footwell. The aircraft interior structure may include a partition separating the passenger seating section and a first portion of the social area section. The footwell of the passenger seating section may be positioned underneath at least one of the partition or the surface of the social area section in a second portion of the social area section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Daniel N. Moe
  • Publication number: 20210245886
    Abstract: An aircraft seat for an aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a primary section with an upper actuatable portion and a lower actuatable portion. The primary section may be configured to actuate between a primary upright position and a primary lie-flat position. The aircraft seat may include an auxiliary section including an auxiliary seatback portion coupled to a privacy shell element of the aircraft passenger compartment suite and an auxiliary seat base portion configured to actuate between an auxiliary upright position and an auxiliary lie-flat position. The auxiliary seatback portion may include an actuatable element. The actuatable element may be configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position. The actuatable element may be configured to provide access to a stowage compartment when the actuatable element is in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Ian L. Frost, Martti Johannes Lampela, Adil Mumdood Ali, Garen P. Moreno, Suzuko Hisata, Robert J. Henshaw
  • Publication number: 20210237879
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger compartment suite may include at least one single passenger compartment including at least one single aircraft seat. The at least one single aircraft seat may be configured to seat a single passenger. The aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a combined divan passenger compartment with a combined divan aircraft seat. The combined divan aircraft seat may be configured to seat at least one passenger. The combined divan aircraft seat may have a width greater than a width of the at least one single aircraft seat. The combined divan passenger compartment may include a stowage compartment configured to stow large passenger amenities in a substantially vertical orientation. The aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a privacy divider separating the combined divan passenger compartment and the at least one single passenger compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Robert J. Henshaw, Suzuko Hisata, Robert D. Wilkey, Glenn A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11077947
    Abstract: A passenger suite seating unit is disclosed. In embodiments, the passenger suite seating unit includes a first set of one or more passenger suites and a second set of one or more passenger suites. The passenger suite seating unit may further include a first privacy shell element defining at least a portion of a first side of the passenger suite seating unit, and a second privacy shell element defining at least a portion of a second side of the passenger suite seating unit. The passenger suite seating unit may further include a privacy bridge assembly including a bridge structure extending from the first privacy shell element to the second privacy shell element, and a partition wall coupled to the bridge structure, the partition wall configured to at least partially separate the first set of one or more passenger suites and the second set of one or more passenger seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Ian L. Frost, Martin R. Darbyshire, Dennis M. Heuer
  • Patent number: 11072427
    Abstract: A four-suite unit positionable in an aircraft cabin to one side of a longitudinal aisle and including first and second suites positioned longitudinally-aligned and facing each other, a shared passageway positioned between foot ends of the first and second suites, third and fourth suites positioned longitudinally-aligned and to one side of the respective first and second suites, a first passageway positioned between a portion of the first suite and a portion of the third suite for accessing the third suite from the shared passageway, and a second passageway positioned between a portion of the second suite and a portion of the fourth suite for accessing the fourth suite from the shared passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Tracy N. Pence, Matt Round, Vien Mcarthur Nguyen, Martin Hong Lun Mo, Erik Eivind Sutton Nilsen, Anthony Michael Charles, Brian Jeremy Conner, Harry Howard Hanson
  • Publication number: 20210221514
    Abstract: An aircraft passenger compartment suite may include a privacy shell element proximate to an aircraft seat installed within the aircraft passenger compartment suite. The privacy shell element may include a first section configured to conform to a primary section of the aircraft seat, and a second section configured to conform to an auxiliary section of the aircraft seat. The privacy shell element may include a first profile configured to conform with the aircraft seat when the aircraft seat is in a first position, and a second profile configured to conform with the aircraft seat when the aircraft seat is in a second position. The second profile of the privacy shell element may be configured to occupy a greater amount of passenger aircraft living space surrounding the aircraft passenger compartment suite than an amount of passenger aircraft living space occupied by the first profile of the privacy shell element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Glenn A. Johnson, Adil Mumdood Ali
  • Publication number: 20210214086
    Abstract: An aircraft seat for an aircraft passenger compartment suite is disclosed. In embodiments, the aircraft seat includes a primary section including a primary seatback portion and a primary seat base portion, and an auxiliary section including an auxiliary seatback portion and an auxiliary seat base portion. In embodiments, the aircraft seat may further include an actuatable element configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position. The actuatable element may include a first surface which defines at least a portion of the auxiliary seatback portion when the actuatable element is in the closed position, and a second surface which defines a surface of an armrest when the actuatable element is in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Martti Johannes Lampela, Adil Mumdood Ali, Garen P. Moreno, Suzuko Hisata, Robert J. Henshaw