DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an arrangement (or structure) for a passenger on a means of transportation, in particular an aircraft. The arrangement (or structure) subject-matter of the invention is contrived in order to guarantee high comfort to the passenger during flight.

History of the technology

To date, in order to benefit from maximum comfort during travel on a means of transportation, e.g. an airplane, it is preferable to avail oneself of a chair capable of taking plural arrangements, among which one with a substantially horizontal lying posture.

Description of the prior art

As widely known, to date there are aircrafts equipped with layouts in which the passenger can benefit just from a chair capable of taking such a substantially horizontal arrangement, thereby having the possibility of lying down while traveling. Drawbacks of the prior art

To date, layouts thus configured meet the maximum level of comfort attainable; nevertheless, they entail significant and evident drawbacks.

In fact, it is known that for layouts of lower travel classes seats are positioned among them at a distance such that it is possible to obtain a shelf hinged on the back of the front seat, so as to be arranged, when needed, in front of the passenger, e.g. in order to read a book or have a meal.

With first-class layouts however, since the distance between two consecutive seats is considerable in order to have the possibility of arranging the same in a substantially horizontal position, it is not possible to arrange a shelf according to the mode peculiar to lower travel classes.

For this reason, usually the shelf needed by the passenger is contained within the seat and extractable therefrom when required.

However, thus the passenger does not benefit from the possibility of adjusting the position of the shelf with respect to the seat. The shelf, in fact, should be able to take different positions, above all depending on the arrangement of the seat itself.

Objects of the Invention

Object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a structure as substantially described in claim 1.

Additional features of the invention are defined in the corresponding dependent claims thereof. Advantages of the Invention

The present invention, by overcoming the mentioned problems of the known art, entails several evident advantages.

The structure subject-matter of the present invention, as will be described in detail hereinafter in connection to a preferred embodiment thereof given here by way of example and not for limitative purposes, comprises a seat with a variable arrangement, and a shelf, and offers to the passenger the possibility of adjusting at will their relative positions so as to guarantee the utmost comfort possible.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a first automatic system for the adjustment of the seat so as to give thereto, in passing from an erect configuration to a resting configuration with a substantially horizontal lying posture, an extremely comfortable adjustment typical of classic deckchairs.

Moreover, the structure subject-matter of the present invention comprises a second automatic adjustment system apt to give a minimum height to the seat when placed in the resting configuration, so that the passenger when lying down may be stepped over by adjacent passengers in need to momentarily leave the respective structure, e.g. to go to the lavatory.

Brief description of the drawings

Still further advantages, as well as the features and operation steps of the present invention will be made evident in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example and not for limitative purposes.

Reference will be made to the figures of the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figures 1 to 13 schematically depict in a side view a structure in accordance with to the present invention, according to various operation steps.

The invention will presently be described with reference to the above-mentioned figures.

Detailed description of the drawings

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a structure 1 subject-matter of the present invention is schematically depicted in a side view.

The structure 1 , especially devised for a general means of transportation, like, e.g. an aircraft, defines a housing for a passenger 2.

The structure 1 comprises a seat 3 with a variable arrangement, as will be better described hereinafter, positioned on a treadable floor 4, and a shelf 5.

Moreover, the structure 1 subject-matter of the present invention comprises first means for moving the shelf 5 along a first horizontal direction, identified by arrow F1 in the figure, parallel to the treadable floor 4. According to the preferred embodiment shown here by way of example and not for limitative purposes, the shelf 5 is supported by a pair of uprights, only one of which is seen in the figure, denoted by reference number 51.

Preferably, the first moving means comprises a sliding guide (not depicted), or track, obtained on the treadable floor 4 and by which the shelf 5 can slide to/fro the passenger 2.

Preferably, the horizontal direction of moving the shelf 5 is such as to position it with respect to the passenger so that his/her legs arrange themselves within a space defined by the pair of uprights, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

Advantageously, on the pair of uprights of the shelf 5 compartments are obtained in order to support comfort goods such as water bottles, or personal belongings such as spectacles, magazines or the like.

Therefore, always referring to Figures 1 and 2, the passenger 2 seating on the seat 3, arranged in an erect position, can choose whether to keep the shelf 5 away, as in Figure 1 , or near, as illustrated in Figure 2.

In the exemplary case described herein, movement of the shelf 5 along direction F1 occurs by means of a manual drive, simply by sliding the pair of uprights on the guide obtained on the treadable floor 4.

It will be appreciated that the structure 1 could advantageously be provided with a locking device (not shown) associated to the shelf 5, when the latter is arranged in the positions of Figure 1 and Figure 2, so that it does not accidentally move toward the passenger when kept away, or vice versa does not move away when it is needed, e.g. while having a meal.

Referring to next Figures 3 and 4, the structure 1 subject-matter of the present invention further comprises second means for moving the shelf 5 along a second direction, identified by arrow F2 in the figure, orthogonal to the treadable floor 4.

Moreover, the seat 3 is apt to take, besides the erect configuration shown in the foregoing, a second resting configuration with a substantially horizontal lying posture (not shown) and one or more intermediate configurations (one of which is shown just in Figures 3 and 4).

In particular, according to an aspect of the invention, the seat 3 preferably comprises a first automatic system for the gradual adjustment of a height of the seating region 32 with respect to the plane 4. In particular, such a system, the technical implementation of which is within the reach of a person skilled in the art and therefore will not be detailed hereinafter, is apt to give a maximum height to the seat 3 when in an erect position, and a minimum height when brought into a resting configuration. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the height of the seating member 32 will preferably vary gradually from the erect configuration to the configuration with a substantially horizontal lying posture.

Therefore, having brought the seat 3 from the erect configuration to an intermediate one illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the seating region 32 will undergo a lowering by the first automatic adjustment system.

The shelf 5 may be moved along direction F2 by the second means, and therefore may be lowered along the vertical so as to be comfortably used by the passenger 2 even when the seat 3 is positioned in the intermediate configuration of the figure.

Preferably, the seat 3 further comprises a second automatic adjustment system, apt to tilt the seating region 32 with respect to the treadable floor 4 when the seat 3 is arranged in an intermediate configuration. Thus, the seat 3 takes an arrangement typical of classic deckchairs, with a remarkable increase in passenger comfort.

Therefore, it will be appreciated how the passenger 2 could easily avail him/herself of the shelf 5, e.g. for the use of a portable PC, even after having brought the seat 3 from the erect configuration to the intermediate one shown, by adjusting the position of the shelf 5 along the orthogonal direction F2.

The structure 1 subject-matter of the present invention further comprises a footrest 6, having a first resting zone 61 , preferably placed at the treadable floor 4, and associated to the seat 3 when in an intermediate configuration.

Therefore, it will be appreciated that the first and the second means associated to the shelf 5 are such as to adjust a position taken by the latter in connection with the seat 3, and particularly on the basis of the arrangement taken thereby.

Like the first means, also the second means for moving the structure 1 could be manual drive means, e.g. by making a plurality of pairs of abutments corresponding therebetween along a vertical development of the uprights, each pair being apt to support the shelf 5 at a respective height.

Referring to next Figures 5 to 8, the first and the second means (or even only the first means or only the second means) may alternatively comprise an automatic drive system (not shown) for the shelf 5, made e.g. by a set of actuators, and driveable by means of a control device 7 arranged on the seat 3 and easily manoeuvrable by the passenger 2.

Of course, it will be appreciated that also the arrangement of the seat 3 could be changed by a drive system based, e.g., on a set of electric, or even hydraulic or pneumatic actuators.

Next, Figure 9 shows the passenger 2 seated on the seat 3 in an erect configuration, availing him/herself of the shelf 5, used e.g. to write or eat.

Figure 10 shows the passenger 2, on the seat in an intermediate configuration, who moves away the shelf 5 by the first moving means. The seat 3 brought to an intermediate configuration takes the typical deckchair-like arrangement by tilting the seating region 32 with respect to the treadable floor 4. In this situation, the passenger's feet rest comfortably on the first resting zone 61 of the footrest 6.

Figure 11 shows the seat when in the resting configuration with a substantially horizontal lying posture. In such a configuration the footrest 6 offers a second resting zone 62, associated to the seat just in that arrangement. In particular, the footrest is arranged so as to constitute an extension of the seat 3 when arranged in such resting configuration. Moreover, the structure 1 advantageously comprises an extractable side panel 7, to increase passenger's privacy. It will be appreciated that the first mechanical system for adjusting the height of the seating region, by causing a lowering of the height of the seat when in a horizontal lying configuration, allows an adjacent passenger (not shown) to step over the passenger 2 with greater ease.

Moreover, it will be appreciated that the seating region 32, during the passing from an erect configuration to a resting configuration, undergoes an advancement along the treadable floor 4. This to optimally use the available space offered by the structure 1 subject-matter of the invention: in fact, thus the backrest 31 of the seat in erect configuration can be placed substantially at an end 8 of the structure 1 , guaranteeing to the passenger the possibility of having all of the available space at his/her disposal.

Finally, Figures 12 and 13 show the seat 3 in the passing from an erect configuration to an intermediate configuration, in which the seating region 32 undergoes a lowering with respect to the treadable floor 4 by the first automatic adjustment system, and a tilt, always with respect to the floor 4, by the second adjustment system.

The present invention has hereto been described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof. It is understood that other embodiments might exist, all falling within the concept of the same invention, and all comprised within the protective scope of the claims hereinafter.