Energy absorbing assembly for aircraft seat

Abstract

An energy absorbing assembly includes an attachment component configured to be coupled to a mounting structure. The energy absorbing assembly also includes an anchor that has a tip portion, a shaft, and a head. The anchor is configured to extend through the attachment component such that the head is disposed on a first side of the attachment component and the tip portion is disposed on a second side of the attachment component and is configured to be coupled to the mounting structure. The energy absorbing assembly also includes a deformable member configured to be positioned concentrically around the shaft of the anchor. The deformable member is configured to be retained between the first side of the attachment component and the head of the anchor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An energy absorbing assembly comprising:
 an attachment component configured to be coupled to a mounting structure;   an anchor comprising a tip portion, a shaft, and a head, wherein the anchor is configured to extend through the attachment component such that the head is disposed on a first side of the attachment component and the tip portion is disposed on a second side of the attachment component, wherein the tip portion is configured to be coupled to the mounting structure; and   a deformable member configured to be positioned concentrically around the shaft of the anchor, wherein the deformable member is configured to be retained between the first side of the attachment component and the head of the anchor.   
     
     
         2 . The energy absorbing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable member undergoes plastic deformation in response to a first load placed on the attachment component. 
     
     
         3 . The energy absorbing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first load is less than a yield point of the mounting structure. 
     
     
         4 . The energy absorbing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first load is less than a yield point of the mounting structure and less than a yield point of at least a portion of the attachment component adjacent the anchor. 
     
     
         5 . The energy absorbing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first load is between about 4,000 pound-force and about 8,500 pound-force. 
     
     
         6 . The energy absorbing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable member is configured to absorb between about 90 Joules and about 350 Joules of energy. 
     
     
         7 . The energy absorbing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable member comprises at least one of steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, or titanium alloy. 
     
     
         8 . The energy absorbing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable member comprises a martensitic precipitation-hardening stainless steel.