SEAT BACK

Abstract

A seat back for an aircraft seat includes a first side wall, a second side wall and a support wall for supporting a passenger leaning against the seat back. The first side wall and the second side wall each include a front edge and a rear edge. At least part of the support wall is positioned adjacent the front edge of the first side wall and the second side wall. The first side wall and the second side wall each include an aperture for receiving a bolt and the support wall includes one or more shaped surfaces to allow (i) insertion of a bolt through the aperture in each of the side walls from a position which is between the first and second side walls and in front of the shaped surface, and (ii) adjustment of the or each bolt from the front of the seat back.

Claims

1. A seat back for an aircraft seat, the seat back comprising a first side wall, a second side wall and a support wall for supporting a passenger leaning against the seat back, wherein (a) the first side wall and the second side wall define a space therebetween; (b) the first side wall and the second side wall each comprise a front edge and a rear edge; (c) at least part of the support wall is positioned adjacent the front edge of the first side wall and the second side wall; (d) the first side wall and the second side wall each comprise an aperture for receiving a bolt therethrough; (e) the support wall comprises one or more shaped surfaces to allow: (i) insertion of a bolt through the aperture in each of the side walls from a position which is between the first and second side walls and in front of the shaped surface, and (ii) adjustment of the or each bolt from the front of the seat back.

2. A seat back according to claim 1, wherein the support wall is a curved support wall.

3. A seat back according to claim 2, wherein the support wall is curved from a position at or near the front edge of each of the first side wall and the second side wall to a position between the first and second side walls, said position being rearward of the front edge of the first side wall and the second side wall.

4. A seat back according to claim 2, wherein at least part of the support wall is co-planar with the rear edge of the first side wall and the second side wall.

5. A seat back according to claim 1, wherein the support wall comprises a first shaped surface for insertion of a bolt through an aperture in the first side wall and a second shaped surface for insertion of a bolt through an aperture in the second side wall.

6. A seat back according to claim 1, wherein the or each shaped surface comprises a recess formed in the front surface of the support wall.

7. A seat back according to claim 1, wherein the or each shaped surface is shaped for accommodating a tool for adjusting the position of a bolt positioned in the aperture.

8. A seat back according to claim 1, wherein the or each shaped surface comprises a flared channel.

9. A seat back according to claim 1, wherein the seat back comprises a seat back body and a seat back frame, wherein the seat back body comprises the support wall and the seat back frame comprises the first and second side walls.

10. A seat back according to claim 9, wherein the seat back body comprises first and second seat back body side walls.

11. A seat back according to claim 10, wherein each seat back body side wall comprise an inner body side wall and an outer body side wall.

12. A seat back according to claim 10, wherein the or each shaped surface comprises an opening, wherein the opening is in the front surface of the support wall and in one or both of the first and second body side walls.

13. A seat back according to claim 10, wherein the or each shaped surface comprises an opening, wherein the opening is in the front surface of the support wall and in one or both of the inner first and second body side walls.

14. A seat back according to claim 11, wherein a channel is formed between (i) the inner first body side wall and the outer first body side wall, and/or (ii) between the inner second body side wall and the outer second body side wall.

15. A seat back according to claim 11, wherein (i) the first side wall is positioned between the inner first body side wall and the outer first body side wall, and/or (ii) the second side wall is positioned between the inner second body side wall and the outer second body side wall.

16. A seat back according to claim 11, wherein a channel is formed between the inner first body side wall and the first side wall and/or between the inner second body side wall and the second side wall.

17. A seat back according to claim 1, wherein the or each shaped surface is positioned in line with the apertures in the first and second side walls.

18. A seat comprising a seat back according to claim 1.

19. A seat according to claim 18, wherein the seat is a vehicle seat.

20. A row of seats comprising a plurality of seats according to claim 18.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] Example embodiments of the disclosed technology will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which: —

[0068] FIG. 1 shows a first perspective view of a seat back of the present disclosure;

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a second perspective view of as seat back of the present disclosure;

[0070] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a shaped surface from behind the seat back of the present disclosure;

[0071] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a shaped surface from in front of the seat back of the present disclosure before insertion of a bolt through the aperture in the side wall;

[0072] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a shaped surface from in front of the seat back of the present disclosure after insertion of a bolt through the aperture in the side wall;

[0073] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of part of a seat back and frame of the present disclosure;

[0074] FIG. 7 shows a front view of a seat of the present disclosure;

[0075] FIG. 8 shows a row of seats of the present disclosure from the front; and

[0076] FIG. 9 shows a row of seats of the present disclosure from the rear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] The present application relates to a seat back 1 for an aircraft seat 22.

[0078] With reference to the FIGS. 1 to 6, there is shown a seat back 1 for an aircraft seat 22. An aircraft seat 22 which includes the seat back 1 is shown in FIG. 7. A row of seats 22 which include the seat back is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0079] The seat back 1 includes a first side wall 2, a second side wall 3 and a support wall 4 for supporting a passenger leaning against the seat back 1 when seated. The first side wall 2 and the second side wall 3 each comprise a front edge 5 and an opposing rear edge 6 with the support wall 4 positioned adjacent the front edge 5 of the first side wall 2 and the front edge of the second side wall 3. Each of the first side wall 2 and the second side wall 3 comprise an aperture 7 for receiving a bolt 10 therethrough.

[0080] The support wall 4 includes a first shaped surface 8 and a second shaped surface 9. In the example shown, the shaped surfaces 8, 9 are each in the form of a flared channel, which each have a greatest diameter and depth adjacent the side walls 3, 4 and taper towards the centreline 24 of the support wall 4. The first and second shaped surfaces are recesses formed in the support wall 4.

[0081] The first shaped surface 8 is positioned at a first lateral side of the support wall 4 and the second shaped surface is positioned at a second lateral side of the support wall 4. Each of the shaped surfaces 8 have an identical size and shape.

[0082] The provision of the first and second shaped surfaces greatly aids insertion of a bolt through each aperture in the side walls from the front of the seat back. The bolts can be inserted from inside the seat back which means, when a cover and/or foam layer is placed on the front of the support wall 4, the bolts are not visible to a passenger. This arrangement also means that the seat back can be serviced from the front, which greatly improves the ease and speed of maintenance and manufacture.

[0083] Alternatively, the support wall may include a channel which traverses across the seat back from one side of the support wall to the other side of support wall with the channel having flared ends. In essence, such an embodiment would be similar to that described herein with the first and second flared channels connected by a central channel.

[0084] As will be evident from the Figures, the support wall 4 is curved from a position near the front edge 5 of each of the first side wall 2 and the second side wall 3 to a position between the first and second side walls—i.e. towards the centre line 24 of the support wall 4, said position being rearward of the front edge 5 of the first side wall and the second side wall and co-planar with the rear edge 6 of the side walls. That is the, the support wall 4 is a continuous curved surface having a centre line that is co-planar with the rear edge 6 of the side walls 2, 3.

[0085] The channels 8, 9 are formed in the front surface 11 of the support wall 4. Each channel comprises a rear wall 12, a top wall 13 and a bottom wall 14.

[0086] In the example shown, the seat back 1 is formed from a seat back body 15 and a seat back frame 16. The seat back body 15 includes the support wall 4. The seat back frame 16 is U-shaped comprising a top bar 17 joining a pair of first and second legs 2, 3 which form the first and second side walls 2, 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 16 is hollow.

[0087] The seat back body 15 comprises first 18 and second 19 seat back body side walls. The first 18 and second 19 seat back body side walls each comprise an inner body side wall 18a, 19a and an outer body side wall 18b, 19b. As in the example shown, the first seat back body side wall 18 comprises an inner first body side wall 18a and an outer first body side wall 18b and the second seat back body side wall 19 comprises an inner second body side wall 19a and an outer second body side wall 19b.

[0088] The first channel 8 has an opening which is in the front surface of the support wall 4 and in the inner first body side wall 18a, and the second channel 9 has an opening which is in the front surface of the support wall 4 and in the inner second body side wall 19a.

[0089] The inner and outer body side walls 18a, 18b, 19a, 19b accommodate the first and second side walls 2, 3 therebetween with a gap 20 formed between the inner body side walls 18a, 19a and the side walls 2, 3. The gap 20 is particularly advantageous because it provides a channel 20 for accommodating cabling or the like.

[0090] In order to secure the seat back 1 to a seat 22, a pair of bolts 10 are inserted, i.e. a bolt is inserted through each of the apertures 7 and into corresponding apertures 25 in the frame 21 of the seat 22.

[0091] Whilst not specifically shown in the Figures, the position of the seat back can be fixed in various ways. For example, the seat back 2 can be fixed in position via one or more additional bolts or via one or more energy absorbing devices which permit movement of the seat back when a predetermined force is applied thereto. Alternatively, or in addition, movement of the seat back 2 can be controlled by a recline mechanism.

[0092] A seat 22 incorporating the seat back 2 is shown in FIG. 7. The seat also includes a frame 21 and a seat base 23.

[0093] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications are covered by the appended claims.