Air cushion arrangement for a passenger seat
A passenger seat comprising a reclinable backrest that is provided with a cover on its front side, and a foam-filled air cushion arrangement disposed below the cover and comprising, relative to the backrest, at least one centrally disposed air cushion and at least two side air cushions.
The present invention relates to an air cushion arrangement for a passenger seat, in particular for a passenger aircraft.
Passenger seats have a large number of requirements to fulfil, among which are the comfort requirements of the users. For example, with aircraft seats in the upright position the backrest must guarantee a lateral support, while in a flat or fully prone position it should provide as far as possible a flat lying surface similar to a mattress. In an intermediate position, which can be designated as a position of rest, a number of different selectable supports for the lumbar vertebral column or lumbar region is desirable.
From DE3607258A1 self-inflating cushions filled with foam material are known, which are arranged beneath the cover of an aircraft seat. These are used in the back and seat area to allow for an adaptation of the contour and thickness of the padding to the anatomical requirements of the user. No provision is made for separate adjustability of the central area and the side areas of the backrest.
From actual practice, passenger seats are known which are equipped with one or two lumbar or lumbar-dorsal cushions designed as air cushions. The aim with these cushions is to satisfy the different requirements for comfort solely by the variation of the air volume in this cushion. This succeeds with seats in motor vehicles, the backs of which are only used in an essentially upright position. With reclining seats or sleeping seats, such as in aircraft, this is not completely achieved.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a passenger seat which presents more extensive adjustment possibilities.
This object is resolved by a passenger seat with the features of Claim 1.
Because the passenger seat is provided with a reclinable backrest that is provided with a cover on the front side and with a foam-filled air cushion arrangement disposed under the cover, such that the air cushion arrangement has at least one centrally located air cushion and two lateral air cushions, the contour of the backrest can be varied in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, a shell shape can be attained to provide lateral support in a generally vertical position as well as a wholly or almost flat form in a recumbent position of the backrest.
The attainment of a flat contour is further simplified if the backrest has a concave back recess arranged under the cover, which recess in the inflated state is essentially filled by the central air cushion. Preferably, the lateral air cushions in the evacuated state are arranged essentially flat beneath the cover. In the evacuated state in particular, together with the central air cushion arranged between the lateral air cushions in the inflated state, they can form an essentially flat surface.
For a shell-shaped contour of the backrest, it is advantageous if the lateral air cushions delimit the central air cushion and in the inflated state have a lesser thickness close to the air cushion than in an area facing away from the central air cushion. Preferably, the lateral air cushions are designed in such a way that in the inflated state they continue laterally the concave shape of the back recess and the evacuated central air cushion located in it laterally in an essentially uninterrupted manner.
The subjectively pleasant impression of a fixed cover material is enhanced if the cover is secured in a detachable but pull-resistant manner at least to the lateral air cushions, and preferably also to the central air cushion, so that, when an air cushion is evacuated, the cover remains in contact with it.
Simple operation or an automatic actuation of the air cushions is made possible if the air cushions, as a function of a control arrangement, can be connected to a device for the creation of a vacuum. Provision can be made for the air cushions to be self-inflating. The air cushions, as a function of a control unit, can be connected to a device for the generation of compressed air.
Additional comfort can be achieved by providing in the lower lumbar vertebral column region of the backrest at least one further lumbar air cushion between the central air cushion and the cover which can be inflated independently of the central air cushion. Rapid inflating and emptying of this air cushion is promoted if the lumbar air cushion is not filled with foam material.
With a method according to the invention for the adjustment of a passenger seat, in particular with a seat with the preceding features, the following steps are provided:
- a) Evacuation of at least one of the air cushions centrally arranged in the backrest and inflation of at least two lateral air cushions located laterally next to the air cushion for the forming of a shell shape in an upright position of the backrest;
- b) Partial inflation of the central air cushion and partial evacuation of the lateral air cushions in an inclined position of the backrest; and
- c) Evacuation of the lateral air cushions and inflation of the central air cushion to form an essentially flat lying surface in a lying position of the backrest.
Provision can be made for the method steps a) to c) to be carried out by a control unit automatically as a function of the inclination angle of the backrest.
In this way, the automatic transition from a contoured backrest to a flat seat surface can be achieved.
An embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter on the basis of the drawings. These show:
For a better illustration of the position of the air cushions 2-4 relative to one another, the contours of these air cushions are represented as transparent. In a real embodiment, in the individual overlap areas the air cushions 2 and 3 are located above the lateral air cushions 4.
In addition, in a complete embodiment the backrest 1 is surrounded with a cover material and a further padding, so that the air cushions 2-6 are not identifiable.
A cross-section along the line III—III is represented in
In
Finally,
In
In practice, the air cushion system described in this way is operated as follows. The foam-filled air cushions 2-4 cause the effect of contouring of the backrest in different inclination states. For example, when the aircraft takes off the backrest 1 is initially set upright as shown in
If the backrest is raised again after the sleeping position, the procedures described to change the degree of filling of the air cushions 2-4 are carried out in reverse order. It is preferable for the filling and evacuation procedures to be carried out automatically as a function of the inclination of the backrest 1, so that the passenger does not have any possibility of interfering in the controlling of these four air cushions.
To increase the seat comfort, the lumbar system shown in
Finally, provision is made with the air cushions described for the cover arranged over them to be connected in a pull-resistant but detachable manner to the cushions 2-4, for example by means of a self-adhering strip (Velcro strip). This connection leads to the situation that, on the evacuation of the air cushions 2-4, the cover material follows the air cushion. This prevents the cover material from being arranged in an undefined manner when the air cushion is evacuated.
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. A passenger seat comprising:
- a reclinable backrest that is provided with a cover on a front side thereof; and
- a foam-filled air cushion arrangement disposed below said cover and comprising, relative to said backrest, at least one centrally disposed air cushion and at least two side air cushions.
16. A passenger seat according to claim 15, wherein said backrest is provided with a concave back recess below said cover, and wherein said recess is essentially filled by said at least one centrally disposed air cushion in an inflated state of the latter.
17. A passenger seat according to claim 16, wherein said at least two side air cushions border against said at least one centrally disposed air cushion, and wherein in an inflated state said at least two side air cushions are less thick in a region adjacent to said at least one centrally disposed air cushion than in a region remote from said at least one centrally disposed air cushion.
18. A passenger seat according to claim 16, wherein in an inflated state said at least two side air cushions laterally continue the concave shape of said back recess and of evacuated ones of said at least one centrally disposed air cushion disposed in said backrest in an essentially uninterrupted manner.
19. A passenger seat according to claim 16, wherein in an evacuated state said at least two side air cushions are disposed essentially flat below said cover.
20. A passenger seat according to claim 16, wherein said at least two side air cushions, in an evacuated state, and said at least one centrally disposed air cushion, in an inflated state, together form an essentially flat surface.
21. A passenger seat according to claim 16, wherein said cover is secured in a pull-resistant yet detachable manner to at least said at least two side air cushions so that upon evacuation of an air cushion said cover remains in contact therewith.
22. A passenger seat according to claim 21, wherein said cover is also secured in a pull-resistant yet detachable manner to said at least one centrally disposed air cushion.
23. A passenger seat according to claim 15, wherein said air cushions are adapted to be connected to a device for generating a vacuum as a function of a control unit.
24. A passenger seat according to claim 16, wherein said air cushions are self-inflating.
25. A passenger seat according to claim 15, wherein said air cushions are adapted to be connected to a device for generating compressed air as a function of a control unit.
26. A passenger seat according to claim 16, wherein at least one further lumbar air cushion is provided in a lower lumbar vertebral column region of said backrest between said at least one centrally disposed air cushion and said cover, and wherein said at least one further lumbar air cushion is adapted to be inflated independently of said at least one centrally disposed air cushion.
27. A passenger seat according to claim 26, wherein said at least one further lumbar air cushion is not filled with foam material.
28. A method of adjusting a passenger seat, including the steps of
- providing a backrest having a cover on a front side thereof and a foam-filled air cushion arrangement disposed below said cover and comprising, relative to said backrest, at least one centrally disposed air cushion and at least two side air cushions;
- evacuating at least one of said at least one centrally disposed air cushion and inflating at least two of said at least two side air cushions to form a shell shape in an upright position of said backrest;
- partially inflating said at least one centrally disposed air cushion and partially evacuating at least two side air cushions in an inclined position of said backrest; and
- evacuating at least two side air cushions and inflating at least one centrally disposed air cushion to form an essentially flat resting surface in a lying position of said backrest.
29. A method according to claim 28, which includes the step of automatically carrying out said evacuating and inflating steps via a control unit as a function of an angle of inclination of said backrest.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 15, 2004
Publication Date: May 24, 2007
Inventor: Joachim Voigt (Nidderau)
Application Number: 10/583,172
International Classification: A47C 7/02 (20060101);