Seating Arrangement, Seat Unit, Tray Table and Seating System

Abstract

A row of a plurality of adjacent seats supported by a support frame. The seat includes a seat back, a seat pan and a leg rest. The leg rest of each seat includes a leg support surface and is mounted relative to the seat frame in a manner to allow it to move between (a) a stored condition and (b) a fully deployed condition where the seat pan and the leg rest support surface are substantially coplanar. The leg rest and seat pan of each seat in the row can cooperate to define a reconfigurable horizontal support surface for at least one passenger.

1 .- 120 . (canceled) 
     
     
         121 . A passenger aircraft seat unit comprising:
 a row of three side by side adjacent seats that all face in the same direction, each seat including a seat back, a seat pan and a leg rest supported by a support frame, the leg rest of each seat moveably mounted relative to the support frame in a manner to allow it to move, independently of the other legs rests, between (a) a stored condition and (b) a fully deployed condition where the leg rest and its corresponding seat pan are substantially coplanar and contiguous each other, and   wherein flanking each side of each seat in the row is an armrest, the arm rests adjacent a middle seat in the row being mounted for movement relative to said seats between a usable position and a stowed position intermediate of the seat backs of the middle seat and each respective adjacent seat, and   wherein the leg rest and seat pan of each seat can all cooperate to define a reconfigurable horizontal support surface that can be configured to assume each of a T-shape, L-shape, U-shape and I-shape when viewed in plan view and a condition allowing two passengers assigned to seats in that row to recline on said support surface next to each other and extend generally in a direction parallel to the row direction, and   wherein in a fully deployed condition, the leg rests of adjacent seats of the row are contiguous each other.   
     
     
         122 . A passenger aircraft seat unit as claimed in  claim 121  wherein for each seat, the leg rest extends from adjacent the seat pan and in a downward direction when in the stored condition. 
     
     
         123 . A passenger aircraft seat unit as claimed in  claim 122  wherein for each seat the leg rest is contiguous the seat pan when in the stored condition. 
     
     
         124 . A passenger aircraft seat unit as claimed in  claim 123  wherein when in a stored condition, the leg rest of adjacent seats are contiguous each other. 
     
     
         125 . A passenger aircraft seat unit as claimed in  claim 121  wherein in the stowed position each arm adjacent said middle seat, is located in a cavity defined between the backrests of the middle seat and its adjacent seats. 
     
     
         126 . A passenger aircraft seat unit as claimed in  claim 121  wherein each leg rest can be held in a position intermediate of the fully deployed and stowed conditions. 
     
     
         127 . A passenger aircraft seating unit as claim in  claim 121  installed in an economy class section of the aircraft. 
     
     
         128 . A passenger seating arrangement in an economy class section of a commercial passenger aircraft, said arrangement comprising:
 i) a first row of three forward facing adjacent seats,   ii) a second row of three forward facing adjacent seats located adjacent, aligned and in a position advanced more in the aircraft to the first row,   wherein, in each row,
 (a) each seat includes a seat back, a seat pan and a leg rest supported by a support frame, the leg rest of each seat moveably mounted relative to the support frame in a manner to allow it to move, independently of the other legs rests, between (a) a stored condition and (b) a fully deployed condition where the leg rest and its corresponding seat pan are substantially coplanar and contiguous each other, and 
 (b) flanking each side of each seat in the row is an armrest, the arm rests adjacent the middle seat in the row being mounted for movement relative said seats between a usable position and a stowed position intermediate of the seatbacks of the middle seat and each respective adjacent seat, and 
 (c) the leg rest and seat pan of each seat can all cooperate to define a reconfigurable horizontal support surface that can be configured to assume each of a T-shape, L-shape, U-shape and I-shape when viewed in plan view and a condition allowing two passengers assigned to seats in that row to recline on said support surface next to each other and extend generally in a direction parallel to the row direction, and 
 (d) when in a fully deployed condition, the leg rests of adjacent seats of the row are contiguous each other. 
   
     
     
         129 . A passenger seating arrangement as claimed in  claim 128  wherein the leg rest of each seat in said first row, when in the fully deployed condition, spans between its respective seat pan and the corresponding seat of said second row. 
     
     
         130 . A passenger seating arrangement as claimed in  claim 128  wherein each leg rest of said first row, when all in the fully deployed condition, extend from their respective seat pan and the towards a corresponding seat of said second row, all leg rests and seat pans of said first row together defining a surface for two adults to recline on next to each other and each extending generally in a direction parallel to the row direction, and wherein no gap exists between the leg rests and the seats of the second row. 
     
     
         131 . A commercial passenger aircraft comprising, in its economy class section:
 (i) a first column of a passenger seating arrangement comprising at least
 a. a first row of three forward facing adjacent seats, 
 b. a second row of three forward facing adjacent seats located adjacent, aligned and in a position advanced more in the aircraft to the first row, 
 wherein, in each row,
 a. each seat includes a seat back, a seat pan and a leg rest supported by a support frame, the leg rest of each seat moveably mounted relative to the support frame in a manner to allow it to move, independently of the other legs rests, between (a) a stored condition and (b) a fully deployed condition where the leg rest and its corresponding seat pan are substantially coplanar and contiguous each other, and 
 b. flanking each side of each seat in the row is an armrest, the arm rests adjacent the middle seat in the row being mounted for movement relative said seats between a usable position and a stowed position intermediate of the seatbacks of the middle seat and each respective adjacent seat, and 
 c. the leg rest and seat pan of each seat can all cooperate to define a reconfigurable horizontal support surface that can be configured to assume each of a T-shape, L-shape, U-shape and I-shape when viewed in plan view and a condition allowing two passengers assigned to seats in that row to recline on said support surface next to each other and extend generally in a direction parallel to the row direction, and 
 d. when in a fully deployed condition, the leg rests of adjacent seats of the row are contiguous each other, and 
 
   (ii) a second column of a passenger vehicle seating arrangement parallel to the first column and comprising at least
 a. a first row of three forward facing adjacent seats, 
 b. a second row of three forward facing adjacent seats located adjacent, aligned and in a position advanced more in the aircraft to the first row, 
   (iii) wherein, in each row,
 a. each seat includes a seat back, a seat pan and a leg rest supported by a support frame, the leg rest of each seat moveably mounted relative to the support frame in a manner to allow it to move, independently of the other legs rests, between (a) a stored condition and (b) a fully deployed condition where the leg rest and its corresponding seat pan are substantially coplanar and contiguous each other, and 
 b. flanking each side of each seat in the row is an armrest, the arm rests adjacent the middle seat in the row being mounted for movement relative said seats between a usable position and a stowed position intermediate of the seatbacks of the middle seat and each respective adjacent seat, and 
 c. the leg rest and seat pan of each seat can all cooperate to define a reconfigurable horizontal support surface that can be configured to assume each of a T-shape, L-shape, U-shape and I-shape when viewed in plan view and a condition allowing two passengers assigned to seats in that row to recline on said support surface next to each other and extend generally in a direction parallel to the row direction, and 
 d. when in a fully deployed condition, the leg rests of adjacent seats of the row are contiguous each other 
   wherein said second column and said first column are separated by at least one aisle.   
     
     
         132 . A commercial aircraft as claimed in  claim 131  wherein each row of seats of said first column includes a window seat and each row of seats of said second column includes a window seat, the arm rests intermediate the window seat and a cabin interior lining of the aircraft mounted for movement relative said seats between a usable position and a stowed position intermediate of the seatbacks of the window seat and the cabin interior lining so that a passenger can recline with their back against the cabin interior lining. 
     
     
         133 . A passenger vehicle as claimed in  claim 131  wherein there are two aisles intermediate of said first and second columns, said two aisles separated from each other by a third column of a passenger seating arrangement that is different to both said first and second columns.