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.

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.

Example lie-flat passenger seat configurations for transportation are described. A non-elevated passenger seat includes a seat base and a seatback pivotably connected to the sliding bar. The seat base may be opened upwardly or downwardly. The seatback may be opened sideway such that a space originally used for seat base and seatback is converted to a passage accessible by the passenger. An elevated-height passenger seat also includes a seat base, a seatback pivotably connected to the seat base, and a hinge at an upper portion of the seatback. The elevated-height passenger seat may rotate upwardly around the hinge. When the elevated-height passenger seat rotates upwardly, the elevated-height passenger seat transitions from a seating position to an elevated position with the seat base and the seatback forming a flat bed such that the passenger can lie flat on the flat bed formed by the seat base and the seatback.

A seat assembly having a seat back and a thoracic support mechanism. The thoracic support mechanism may have a flex plate that may be movably disposed on a support member of the seat back frame. A first actuator may flex the flex plate. A second actuator may actuate the flex plate along the support member.

A networked suite of aircraft-seat devices is disclosed, wherein the devices receive both power and network communications via the same terminal. The devices may be connected by a two-wire connection and may be configured in a daisy chain. Various aircraft seat devices, such as actuators, may be directly connected to the network or connected via control modules connected to the network. One device on the network may be designated as a master device for controlling network configuration. A method of automatically addressing network devices includes measuring a first quiescent current through the network, enabling an addressing current in unaddressed devices, and measuring the change in current at each device after enabling the addressing currents to determine the last device in the chain.

A seat system includes a base support structure having at least one flat seat support surface, a seat pan support structure movably coupled to the base support structure and having at least one contoured seat support surface, and a back rest support structure movably coupled to the base support structure. The back rest support structure includes a primary frame having at least one flat back support surface, and an articulating frame movably coupled to the primary frame and having at least one contoured back support surface. The seat system also includes a back rest cushion having an occupant-facing back rest surface, and an articulating arrangement of back rest cushion support members movably coupled together to define a bottom surface of the back rest cushion opposing the occupant-facing back rest surface.

The invention relates to an aircraft seat comprising an adjusting device, the aircraft seat comprising at least one adjustable seat element. The seat element has an adjustable state and a locked state, the seat element being adjustable by means of manual force application and/or force application by a spring element and/or force application due to the weight of parts of the aircraft seat only in the adjustable state. The adjusting device comprises at least one control element and at least one locking element, the locking element being movable by means of the control element between a locking position in which the seat element is locked, and a neutral position in which the seat element is adjustable. The control element is an electronic and/or electric switch, and the locking element can be moved between the locking position and the neutral position by means of an electrically operated actuator which can be actuated by means of signals from the switch.

There is disclosed a seating system for use in a means of transportation, allowing passenger seats to recline without intruding into the seating space of the passengers sitting in the row behind. Each seat is supported on an elevated base and is movably carried by a support member which is attached to the base. Each seat comprises a seat bottom and a reversibly reclinable seat back. The seat back is slidably connected to one or more fixed, rearward-sloped tracks which guide the seat back as the support member is operated by an actuator and the seat is moved forward or rearward by the support member. The seat back is disposed frontward and outside of the rear passenger space in any position of the seat back. The elevated base can provide a storage compartment, allowing to eliminate overhead storage bins. A fixed, privacy panel can be arranged behind the seat back.

An override bypass assembly comprises a cable and a pulley wheel operably connected to the cable. The cable in operation rotates the pulley wheel when tension is applied to the cable. The override bypass assembly also comprises a telescoping cylinder assembly operably connected to the pulley wheel. The pulley wheel in operation moves the telescoping cylinder assembly to an unlocked position. The override bypass assembly further comprises a biasing mechanism operably connected to at least one of the pulley wheel and the telescoping cylinder assembly. The biasing mechanism in operation moves the telescoping cylinder to a locked position when tension applied to the cable is relieved.

A rotational brake assembly comprises: a swivel disc having an outer diameter and a plurality of locking holes proximate the outer diameter; a cam having an angled slot; a lifting pin located within the angled slot of the cam; and a rotational brake pin operably connected to the lifting pin. The cam in operation moves to at least one of a locked position and an unlocked position based on an input. The lifting pin in operation moves along the angled slot when the cam moves. The rotational brake pin in operation moves due to motion of the cam. The rotational brake pin in operation moves from an engaged position with the swivel disc to a disengaged position, when the cam moves from the locked to the unlocked position. The rotational brake pin in operation moves to the engaged position, when the cam moves to the locked position.