AIRCRAFT SEAT WITH CAM FOLLOWERS

Abstract

The present invention concerns an aircraft seat. The aircraft seat comprises at least one moveable element, and a cam follower arrangement associated with the moveable element. The cam follower arrangement comprises a first cam follower and second cam follower attached to a common bogie. Spreading the load over two cam followers attached to a common bogie may reduce the wear on each individual cam follower. This reduction in wear may result in fewer maintenance tasks associated with the aircraft seat, and may make the aircraft seat more robust.

Claims

1. An aircraft seat, the aircraft seat comprising at least one moveable element, a cam follower arrangement associated with the moveable element, wherein the cam follower arrangement comprises a first cam follower and second cam follower attached to a common bogie.

2. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable element is a seat pan.

3. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable element is a seat back.

4. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cam follower is arranged to follow a cam path, the cam path forming part of the aircraft seat chassis.

5. An aircraft seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bogie is rotatably connected to the moveable aircraft seat element.

6. A cam follower arrangement, the cam follower arrangement comprising a first cam follower and a second cam follower attached to a common bogie.

7. A cam follower arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bogie comprises a connector for allowing rotational connection of the bogie to a moveable element.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an aircraft seat according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0012] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a section of the aircraft seat comprising a cam follower arrangement according to the first embodiment of the invention; and

[0013] FIGS. 4 to 6 show the cam follower arrangement in different positions along a cam path.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an aircraft seat 10 comprising a seat back 12 and a seat pan 14. The seat back 12 and the seat pan 14 are pivotally connected to each other. The seat pan 14 is mounted to a first and second slide 16, the slides 16 located to either side of the aircraft seat 10. The slides 16 are mounted to a seat chassis 18. An actuator (not shown) is used to move the aircraft seat 10 between an upright position (for example, taxi, take off, and landing position—TTL) and a bed position. The aircraft seat 10 may also be moved into one or more seating positions between the upright position and bed position. The seat pan 14 includes a cam follower arrangement 20, with the cam follower arrangement 20 located within a cam path 22 provided by the seat chassis 18. The cam path 22 includes a curved section configured to cause the seat pan 14 to change angle as the seat pan is moved forwards and backwards by the slides 16.

[0015] Further detail can be seen in FIG. 2, where the cam follower arrangement 20 comprises a first cam follower 24 and a second cam follower 26, each mounted to a bogie 28. The bogie 28 is rotatably mounted to the seat pan 14. The rotational connection to the seat pan 14 allows the cam follower arrangement 20 to rotate as required when moving around the curved section of the cam path. FIG. 3 shows the cam follower arrangement 20 in the curved section of the cam path 22. FIGS. 4 to 6 show how the rotation provided by the rotational connection of the bogie 28 to the seat pan 14 allows movement from the straight section of the cam path 22 to the curved section of the cam path 22.

[0016] Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein.

[0017] Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.