Aircraft seating arrangement and seat

Abstract

An aircraft seating arrangement includes pairs of seat groupings arranged with the seats of each seat grouping parallel with the other, and with each seat and seat pair positioned at an offset angle in relation to the longitudinal axis of the cabin. Privacy shells enclose the seats and include amenities such as a viewing monitor, and accommodation for the feet and lower legs when the seat is in the lie-flat condition.

1 . An aircraft passenger seating arrangement, comprising:
 (a) a first group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin; and   (b) a second group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats, each of the second group of seats adapted for being positioned parallel with, and aft of, the first group of adjacent seats and at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin.   
     
     
         2 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the first group of seats and the second group of seats each comprise pairs of seats. 
     
     
         3 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the offset angle is about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one seat of the second group of seats defines a longitudinally-extending axis that extends between two seats of the first group of seats. 
     
     
         5 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one seat of the second group of seats includes an extendable foot rest that, when extended, is positioned at least in part between the two seats of the first group of seats. 
     
     
         6 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 1 , and including:
 (a) a third group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin;   (b) a fourth group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned parallel with, and aft of, the third group of adjacent seats and at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin; and   (c) the third and fourth groups of seats adapted for being positioned laterally adjacent to the first and second groups of seats.   
     
     
         7 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 6 , wherein the third and fourth groups of seats are adapted for being positioned in an aircraft cabin in parallel relation to the first and second groups of seats. 
     
     
         8 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 6 , wherein the third and fourth groups of seats are adapted for being positioned in an aircraft cabin in relation to the first and second groups of seats at an offset angle to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin that is equal and opposite to the offset angle of the first and second groups of seats. 
     
     
         9 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 6 , and including:
 (a) a fifth group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin;   (b) a sixth group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned parallel with, and aft of, the fifth group of adjacent seats and at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin;   (c) the fifth and sixth groups of seats adapted for being positioned in the aircraft cabin in relation to the first, second, third and fourth groups of seats at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin that is equal to the offset angle of one of the first and second, and third and fourth groups of seats, and equal and opposite to the other of the first and second, and third and fourth groups of seats.   
     
     
         10 . An aircraft passenger seating unit, comprising a seat, including a seat back, seat bottom, an extendable footrest moveable between a stowed position and a forwardly-extended use position, and fittings for attaching the seat to the deck of an aircraft at a predetermined offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin of the aircraft, the extendable footrest in the use position adapted for being positioned at least partially between two other like forwardly-positioned seating units positioned on the deck at the same predetermined offset angle as the seating unit. 
     
     
         11 . An aircraft seating unit according to  claim 10 , and including:
 (a) a stationary privacy shell for being positioned in partial surrounding relation to the seat, the privacy shell having a storage cabinet for use by a passenger seated in the seat;   (b) a center console for providing separation between the seating unit and an adjacent seating unit; and   (c) a viewing monitor positioned in a monitor housing, the monitor housing positioned and facing aft of the seating unit and offset at the same predetermined offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin of the aircraft as the seating unit for permitting viewing by a passenger seated in a like aft-positioned seating unit positioned on the deck at the same predetermined offset angle as the seating unit.   
     
     
         12 . An aircraft seating unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the offset angle is about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . An aircraft seating unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the seat defines an offset, longitudinally-extending axis that is predetermined to intersect the viewing monitor of a forwardly-positioned like seating unit. 
     
     
         14 . An aircraft passenger seat set for a passenger aircraft, the seat set comprising a plurality of subsets of seats, each of the subsets of seats including:
 (a) a first group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin; and   (b) a second group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats, each of the second group of seats adapted for being positioned parallel with, and aft of, the first group of adjacent seats and at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin;   (c) a third group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin;   (d) a fourth group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned parallel with, and aft of, the third group of adjacent seats and at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin;   (e) the third and fourth groups of seats adapted for being positioned laterally adjacent to the first and second groups of seats;   (f) a fifth group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin;   (g) a sixth group of adjacent, spaced-apart and parallel seats adapted for being positioned parallel with, and aft of, the fifth group of adjacent seats and at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of an aircraft cabin; and   (h) the fifth and sixth groups of seats adapted for being positioned in the aircraft cabin in relation to the first, second, third and fourth groups of seats at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin that is equal to the offset angle of one of the first and second, and third and fourth groups of seats, and equal and opposite to the other of the first and second, and third and fourth groups of seats.   
     
     
         15 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the first group of seats and the second group of seats each comprise pairs of seats. 
     
     
         16 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the offset angle is about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one seat of the second group of seats defines a longitudinally-extending axis that extends between two seats of the first group of seats. 
     
     
         18 . An aircraft seating arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one seat of the second group of seats includes an extendable foot rest that, when extended, is positioned at least in part between the two seats of the first group of seats.