A seat base assembly for an aircraft seat includes parallel rails attached to an aircraft bulkhead, each rail including a slot extending vertically within the rail. The seat (e.g., seatback and seat frame) is attached to a sled capable of vertical translation relative to the bulkhead via slidable members that translate along the slots. The sled includes a hole for accommodating a locking pin controllable by the seat occupant. A metering plate attached to the seat base behind the sled is folded over a lateral axis into a forward and rear layer, the forward layer including holes for the locking pin wherein each hole corresponds to a desired seat height to which the seat may be adjusted by securing the locking pin through the sled hole and metering hole. In response to an impact event, the metering plate deforms to absorb impact energy and control downward deceleration of the seat.

There is disclosed an energy absorption device comprising a plurality of pillars mountable to a ceiling of a hull, each pillar having a fixed portion and a movable portion, the movable portion slidable relative to the fixed portion; a deformable material disposed between the fixed portion and movable portion such that the deformable material resist the sliding movement of the movable portion in one direction; the deformable material further adapted to permanently deform when a blast energy is directed towards the ceiling; and a seat assembly attached to the movable portion, the seat assembly adapted for an occupant.

An aircraft seat assembly including stanchions defining elongated guide channels and elongated motion sleds nested in the guide channels and affixed to a seat bucket. An energy absorber implemented as a wire bender assembly is coupled between the stanchions and the motion sled. In use, the elongated guide channels guide motion of the motion sleds and the wire bender assemblies attenuate energy during a dynamic event exceeding a predetermined threshold load value. The elongated interface between the guide channels and motion sleds serve to transfer excessive loading to the seat frame thereby protecting the seat assembly from damage and the occupant from excessive lumbar spinal loads.

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.

Apparatus for controlling vehicle impact absorption systems and related methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a predictor to generate a prediction of an impact event for a vehicle based on data received from sensors of the vehicle. The example apparatus includes an energy absorption allocator to determine an amount of vehicle energy to be absorbed by a crash protection system of the vehicle upon the impact event. The example apparatus includes a communicator to generate an instruction to activate the crash protection system based on the prediction and the amount of vehicle energy to be absorbed by the crash protection system and transmit the instruction to a controller of the crash protection system.

Apparatus for controlling vehicle impact absorption systems and related methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a predictor to generate a prediction of an impact event for a vehicle based on data received from sensors of the vehicle. The example apparatus includes an energy absorption allocator to determine an amount of vehicle energy to be absorbed by a crash protection system of the vehicle upon the impact event. The example apparatus includes a communicator to generate an instruction to activate the crash protection system based on the prediction and the amount of vehicle energy to be absorbed by the crash protection system and transmit the instruction to a controller of the crash protection system.

In an illustrative embodiment, a seat is oriented at an oblique angle with respect to a centerline of an aircraft fuselage, the seat having an Aircraft Passenger Restraint System (APRS) with a pre-tensioner and integral retractable shoulder and seat belt webbing. In an illustrative example, the ARPS may be a three-point restraint to control a seat occupant's upper body, head and torso area. In some embodiments, the ARPS may further control the forces on the lower spine and torso. In some applications, the ARPS may operate to control the Head Injury Criteria (HIC) levels for the seat occupant's head, as well as the neck twist and upper spinal forces, to meet aircraft certification requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and/or European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In response to a deceleration event, the ARPS may rapidly retract the belt webbing to substantially remove slack.

In an illustrative embodiment, a seat is oriented at an oblique angle with respect to a centerline of an aircraft fuselage, the seat having an Aircraft Passenger Restraint System (APRS) with a pre-tensioner and integral retractable shoulder and seat belt webbing. In an illustrative example, the ARPS may be a three-point restraint to control a seat occupant's upper body, head and torso area. In some embodiments, the ARPS may further control the forces on the lower spine and torso. In some applications, the ARPS may operate to control the Head Injury Criteria (HIC) levels for the seat occupant's head, as well as the neck twist and upper spinal forces, to meet aircraft certification requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and/or European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In response to a deceleration event, the ARPS may rapidly retract the belt webbing to substantially remove slack.

A universal passenger seat system includes a system controller and a physical connection interface with a standardized communication protocol for coupling the system controller with seating hardware, at least one peripheral device, and at least one network connection. The system controller can also be in communication with a biometric sensor, a physiological sensor, and/or a situational data sensor. An artificial intelligence engine is communicatively coupled to or embedded within the system controller. The artificial intelligence engine is configured to determine a passenger status based on data received from the biometric sensor, the physiological sensor, and/or the situational data sensor and is further configured to generate one or more communication signals based on the data. For example, the communication signals can include control signals for the seating hardware, information signals for peripheral devices, or status signals for transmission via the network connection.

An anti-crash helicopter seat integrating multiple protections, including a main framework, a weighing sensor, a magnetorheological damper system, an upper body forced tensioning and quick disengagement system, a seat pan, a multifunctional vest and a controller, wherein the seat pan is slidably connected with the main framework in a vertical direction, the magnetorheological damper system is fixedly arranged on the seat pan and is connected with the main framework by the weighing sensor, the upper body forced tensioning and quick disengagement system is arranged on the seat pan, the multifunctional vest is connected with the seat pan by the upper body forced tensioning and quick disengagement system, and the controller is connected with the weighing sensor and the magnetorheological damper system respectively.