FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a seat and in particular but not solely to a seat for a passenger aircraft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The advent of in-flight entertainment systems has meant that airlines are able to offer various types of entertainment to passengers. Indeed some in-flight entertainment systems allow for passengers to interact with the system such as by playing games and requesting media on demand. Some in-flight entertainment systems also allow for a portable media device to connect to it. The in-flight entertainment system may include a socket that can allow for a portable media device to plug into and for example display photos or videos on a screen.

This means that personal belongings not seen onboard and aircraft till recently, are being taken onboard and are being held by passengers or being stored in locations not designed for their storage.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an aircraft seat that has provisions for accommodating a passenger's personal belongings such as but not limited to portable media devices in a manner that keeps such personal belongings in a self contained region and/ or safe and/ or secure and/ or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention may broadly be said to be a seat that includes a backrest and that has a back side that includes, for use by a passenger sitting behind the seat:

(i) a visual display screen, and

(it) a socket to allow a portable media device to connect to it by way of a cable, (Hi) a receptacle immediately below the visual display screen, by which the

portable media device can be held, whHst connected to the socket.

Preferably the visual display screen is mounted by a backrest shell in a recess of the back shell. Preferably the backside is at least in part defined by a back shell.

Preferably the back shell is a moulded or formed back shell.

Preferably the back shell is includes a recess that has presented therein said socket and opening of the receptacle via which said portable media device can be placed into and taken out of said receptacle.

Preferably the receptacle is defined as an insert that can be engaged with the shell.

Preferably the receptacle is elongate and is longer (in a cross seat direction) than it is wide (in the seat facing direction).

Preferably the receptacle is of a length that is commensurate to the width of the visual display unit.

Preferably the socket is located, in a vertical reference frame, above the receptacle and below the visual display unit.

Preferably the receptacle presents its mouth opening below and proximate to said socket.

Preferably the receptacle includes a deep trough region.

Preferably the receptacle also includes a shallow shelf region.

Preferably the shallow shelf region is distal more from said socket than said deep trough region.

Preferably the recess is of a depth that extends from a back face of the shell in a direction parallel to the seat facing direction.

Preferably the recess is of a plan shape (i.e. when looking in the seat facing direction) that is substantially quadrilateral in shape.

Preferably the recess is rectangular or square in plan shape.

Preferably the socket is presented in a side wall of the recess.

Preferably the socket is presented in a vertically extending side wall of the recess.

Preferably the visual display screen is located in said recess in a movable manner to allow its orientation to be changed relative to the shell.

In a second aspect the present invention may broadly be said to be a seat that includes a backrest with a back side defined at least in part by a shell that includes a recess in which a visual display screen is mounted and in which a receptacle is disposed below the visual display screen, for use by a passenger sitting behind the seat.

Preferably the visual display screen is mounted entirely with the recess of the shell.

Preferably the shell is a moulded or formed back shell. Preferably the shell includes a recess that has presented therein said socket and opening of the receptacle via which said portable media device can be placed into and taken out of said receptacle.

Preferably the receptacle is defined as an insert that can be engaged with the shell. Preferably the receptacle is elongate and is longer (in a cross seat direction) than it is wide (in the seat facing direction).

Preferably the receptacle is of a length that is commensurate to the width of the visual display unit.

Preferably the socket is located, in a vertical reference frame, above the receptacle and below the visual display unit.

Preferably the receptacle presents its mouth opening below and proximate to said socket.

Preferably the receptacle includes a deep trough region.

Preferably the receptacle also includes a shallow shelf region.

Preferably the shallow shelf region is distal more from said socket than said deep trough region.

Preferably the recess is of a depth that extends from a back face of the shell in a direction parallel to the seat facing direction.

Preferably the recess is of a plan shape (i.e. when looking in the seat facing direction) that is substantially quadrilateral in shape.

Preferably the recess is rectangular or square in plan shape.

Preferably the socket is presented in a side wall of the recess.

Preferably the socket is presented in a vertically extending side wall of the recess.

Preferably the visual display screen is located in said recess in a movable manner to allow its orientation to be changed relative to the shell.

In yet a further aspect the present invention may broadly be a seat as shown in the accompanying drawings.

In yet a further aspect the present invention may broadly be a seat back as shown in the accompanying drawings.

In yet a further aspect the present invention may broadly be a seat as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In yet a further aspect the present invention may broadly be a seat back as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 shows a row of seats of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a close up view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a close up perspective view of an alternative form of a seat of the present invention, and

Figure 4 is an alternative perspective view of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figure 1 there is shown a row of seats 1. The row of seats 1 may include for example three seats 2a, 2b and 2c. Each seat may include a seat back 3 and a seat pan 4 on which a passenger can sit.

Each seat includes a back face 4 that is presented to a passenger sitting in a seat of a similar or identical row of seats behind. The back face 4 may in part be defined by a back shell 6. The back shell 6 may be a moulded or formed shell that may be of a hard material such as a composites material.

In a preferred form the back shell includes a recess 7. Located preferably entirely but alternatively substantially within the recess 7 is an in-flight entertainment visual display unit 5. The visual display unit 5 may be for example an LCD monitor. This monitor may be connected to an in-flight entertainment system that allows for information to be displayed thereon for viewing by a passenger sitting in a seat of a row of seats behind. The visual display unit 5 is preferably mounted within the recess in a manner that allows for its orientation to be changed so that it can be appropriately oriented by a passenger sitting in a row of seats behind for convenient viewing. For example the visual display unit may be mounted about a horizontal pivot axis. The recess 7 also preferably presents a socket 9. The socket 9 allows for a portable media device that a passenger may bring onboard the aircraft or that may be given (e.g. hired) by the airline operator to the passenger. The socket 9 allows for the portable media device to be connected to the in-flight entertainment system and/ or the visual display unit 5. The socket 9 is preferably located below the visual display unit 5.

Also presented within the recess 7 is a receptacle 11. Preferably the opening 12 to the receptacle 11 is presented within the recess 7. The receptacle 11 is of a shape and configuration to allow for personal belongings of a passenger to be stored within the receptacle. For example a passenger's glasses and/ or their portable media device may be positioned and retained within the receptacle 11. The receptacle 11 may include a deep trough region 13 and a shallow shelf region 14. The receptacle 11 may be integrally formed with the back shell 6 or may be provided as an insert that can be easily inserted and or removed (e.g. for cleaning) from the shell 6. In a preferred form the receptacle 11 is of a length that is substantially similar to the width of the visual display unit 5. In the preferred form the opening 11 of the receptacle is provide below the socket 9. This allows for the cable connecting the socket with the portable media device to also be conveniently stored within the receptacle 11.

The IFE system may include a remote control 8 that can be used by a passenger. The remote control is preferably located below the recess 7.

In Figure 3 there is shown a variation to the shape of the receptacle 11 wherein the entire receptacle 11 is of a constant depth across its length. The width of the receptacle is preferably similar or at least graded in half of the depth of the recess 7.