WO2016012869A1

WO2016012869A1 - Small child airliner seat

Info

Publication number: WO2016012869A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/050979
Authority: WO
Inventors: Magdalena Elizabeth Maria FOWLER
Original assignee: Fowler Magdalena Elizabeth Maria
Priority date: 2014-07-25
Filing date: 2015-02-10
Publication date: 2016-01-28

Abstract

The invention concerns a small child airliner seat (10, 110) which addresses comfort and safety issues. The seat has a foldable seat structure that provides a flexible, resilienily compressible backrest (12, 112) and a flexible, resiliently compressible seat (14, 114) attached pivotally relative to the backrest so as to extend forwardly from the backrest in use. The seat structure is of a size to be accommodated by an adult airliner passenger seat (34). There is also a flexible footrest (16, 116) which is attached to the seat structure so as to be capable of extending forwardly therefrom in use, as well as footrest attachment means (30, 130) by means of which the footrest can be attached relative to an airliner structure, typically a tray table (36), which is spaced from and located in front of the passenger seat. The footrest is thus slung between the seat structure and the airliner structure in an elevated position to support the feet of a child seated on the seat structure. Apart from improving the comfort of a seated child, the footrest prevents the child from sliding forward beneath the compulsory seat belt of the airliner passenger seat.

Description

SMALL CHILD AIRLINER SEAT

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a small child airliner seat.

Modern airliners provide seats which are primarily designed for occupancy by adults. Smali children, for example infants and children up to the age of about eight, find the standard seats provided on airliner, particularly in economy class, to be extremely uncomfortable.

Although airline regulations require all seat occupants to wear a seat belt, typically in the form of a lap strap, this does not prevent a child occupant from slipping forward in the seat, under the belt. One reason for this is that there is no suitable foot support against which the feet of a small child can rest. A child who has slipped forwardly in the seat is inevitably extremely uncomfortable.

Another reason for the discomfort suffered by smali children is that the child's head is too low to rest on the headrest/head restraint which is provided at the top of the backrest of an adult seat, so there is nothing to stop the child's head lolling from side to side. Still further the child's body is often too narrow to be restrained laterally within the adult seat. Various attempts have been made over the years to provide for better safety restraint for a small child occupying an airliner seat. Some examples are:

US 3,125,375 - this document describes a safety harness for safely restraining a child seated on, for example, an airliner seat, but does not address comfort issues.

US 6,402,251 - this document describes inter alia a folding seat with an elaborate system of straps to anchor the body of a small child. The seat, once unfolded, can be located on the standard aircraft seat. A crotch strap, which wiil inevitably be uncomfortable, is proposed to anchor the chiid against forward movement.

US 6,447,060 - this document describes a foldable seat composed primarily of rigid panels. Chiid comfort issues are not addressed.

US 6,767,058 - this document describes a foldable restraint device for very small children, i.e. infants. The device is, in effect, a box-like containment structure in which the infant to accommodate the infant in a prone or reclining position.

US 6,969,120 - this document describes a foldable chair for an infant. Although no mention is made of use of the chair on an airliner, it is conceivable that this is a potential application. However, the chair is composed of rigid, hinged panels with an elaborate strap system for infant restraint, but little attention is paid to comfort.

US 7,188,899 - this document describes a seat for use on a standard aircraft seat. The seat is composed primarily of foldable, rigid panels. A seat component is in the form of an open-topped box, a front wall of which provides a frontal restraint for the occupant's feet. ln summary, while safety issues may be addressed to a greater or lesser degree by such disclosures in the prior art, inadequate or no attention is given to comfort issues, so travelling on an airliner remains an unpleasant prospect for small children and their accompanying caregivers. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a small child airliner seat which overcomes or at least ameliorates the problems noted above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a small child airliner seat comprising:

a foldable seat structure providing a flexible, resilientiy compressible backrest and a flexible, resiiiently compressible seat attached pivotally relative to the backrest so as to extend forwardly from the backrest in use, the seat structure being of a size to be accommodated by an adult passenger seat of a passenger airliner; a flexible footrest which is attached to the seat structure so as to be capable of extending forwardly therefrom in use; and

footrest attachment means by means of which the footrest can be attached relative to an airliner structure which is spaced from and located in front of the said passenger seat, such that the footrest is slung between the seat structure and the airliner structure in an elevated position to support the feet of a child seated on the seat structure.

Preferably, the airliner structure is another passenger seat located in a row of passenger seats immediately in front of the said passenger seat, and the footrest attachment means is attachable relative to a tray table mounted behind the other passenger seat such that the footrest is slung between the seat structure and the tray table.

Typically the footrest comprises a panel of flexible material secured at a rear edge thereof to a front edge of the seat of the seat structure. The footrest attachment means may comprise means for defining a flexible loop which can extend around the tray table, or around a supporting structure of the tray table, when the tray table is in a stowed position.

The seat of the seat structure may have a front, a rear, an operatively upper surface and an operatively lower surface, the seat preferably being thicker at the front than at the rear such that the upper surface slopes downwardly to the rear when the lower surface is placed on the said passenger seat with the backrest of the seat structure resting against the backrest of the said passenger seat. Conveniently, the seat of the seat structure comprises a wedge-shaped core of resiliency compressible material in a flexible cover.

The backrest of the seat structure may include thickened side bolsters to provide lateral restraint to a small child seated on the seat of the seat structure with his back resting against the backrest. The backrest preferably includes a central region, between the bolsters, which is thicker at an operatively lower edge thereof than at an operatively upper edge thereof. Conveniently the backrest comprises a core of resiliency compressible material in a flexible cover. in an embodiment, an operatively rear edge of the seat of the seat structure is attached pivotatly to an operatively lower edge of the backrest of the seat structure via a panel of flexible material.

Preferably the seat structure carries flexible resilient!y compressible side flaps which are positionable in use between the seat structure and rigid armrests of the passenger seat in which the airliner seat is accommodated, thereby to cushion an occupant of the airliner seat from the armrests.

Conveniently the airliner seat is foldab!e to a compact form and includes shoulder straps by means of which the folded form can be carried in the manner of a backpack. in practice, the footrest may be foldabie over the seat of the seat structure, the backrest of the seat structure then being foldabie over and releasably securable to the seat of the seat structure, and the side fiaps then being foidable over and securable to the backrest of the seat structure. The shoulder straps may be secured to the backrest of the seat structure.

Advantageously the compact form to which the airliner seat is foidable has dimensions smaller than those of allowed cabin luggage and so can be accommodated in an overhead cabin storage bin of an airliner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention wii! now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a small child airliner seat, according to a first embodiment of the invention, in an unfolded, operative state;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the seat of Figure 1 , placed on the passenger seat of an airliner, with the footrest extended operatively;

Figure 3 shows a cross-section at the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 shows a plan view of the seat of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 shows a cross-section at the line 5-5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view, from above, of the seat of

Figure 1 ; Figures 7 to 9 illustrate successive stages in the folding of the seat of Figure 1;

Figure 10 shows how the folded seat of Figure 1 can be carried in the manner of a backpack;

Figure 11 shows a perspective view of a small child airliner seat, according to a second embodiment of the invention, in an operative state;

Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the seat of Figure 11 in a full unfolded state;

Figure 13 shows a first stage in the folding of the seat of Figure 11 ; Figure 14 shows a second stage in the folding of the seat of Figure

11 ;

Figures 15 to 18 show perspective views of the seat of Figure 11 in a folded state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Figures 1 to 10 illustrate a first embodiment of a small child airliner seat 10 according to the invention which has, as its major components, a generally rectangular, flexible backrest 12, a generally rectangular, flexible seat 14 and a generally rectangular, flexible footrest 16.

The backrest 12 has a core 18 provided by a shaped, moulded, unitary body of expanded plastics foam. The core is completely enveloped in a cover 20 of flexible material. The core is shaped to provide the backrest 12 with a relatively thick operativeiy lower end region 12.1, relatively thick side bolsters 12.2 extending upwardly from the lower end region and a recessed central region 12.3, between the bolsters, that terminates at a relatively thin upper end region 12.4. The density of the foam making up the core is selected such that the core can provide adequate back support to a small child whose back rests against the backrest in use, while being able to deform resiliently as necessary to accommodate the normal contours of the child's back in a comfortable manner. The foam density is also such that the backrest, as a whole, can be folded up without undue effort.

The cover 20 has a central, forwardly facing region 20.1 provided by a soft, possibly fieece-iike fabric while other forwardly facing regions 20.2 of the cover, to the sides of the region 20.1 , are provided by a flexible, hard- wearing fabric. The sides and rear of the cover may be of the same materia! as the regions 20.2.

A lower part 14.1 of the seat 14 likewise has a core 22 provided by a wedge-shaped, moulded, unitary body of expanded plastics foam. The core 22 is completely enveloped in a cover 24 of flexible material, typically the same as that used for the regions 20.2, the sides and the rear of the backrest 12. A rear edge 24.1 of the cover 24 is sewed or otherwise attached to a lower edge of the cover 20 to provide a hinged or pivotal connection between the seat and backrest.

The core 22 is shaped such that the lower seat part 14.1 tapers down in thickness from its front to its rear, i.e. the front of the seat part is thicker than the rear thereof. The core 22 also provides the lower seat part 14.1 with laterally extended side regions 14.1.1 which are wider than the backrest.

An upper part 14.2 of the seat 14 is narrower than the lower part 14.1, i.e. the extended side regions 14.1.1 of the lower part extend laterally beyond the side edges of the upper part 14.2. The upper part 14.2 includes a core 26 provided by a wedge-shaped, moulded, unitary body of expanded plastics foam. This core is completely enveloped in a cover 28 of flexible fabric material, typically the same as that used for the central, forwardly facing region 20.1 of the backrest cover 20. A rear edge 28.1 of the cover 28 is sewed to the lower edge of the backrest cover 20 and to the rear edge 24.1 of the seat cover 24. As the upper part 14.2 is otherwise unconnected to the backrest 12 and lower seat part 14.1 it is free to pivot relative to both the backrest and the lower seat part.

As in the case of the upper seat part 14.1 , the lower seat part 14.2 tapers down in thickness from front to rear. in combination, the backrest 12 and seat 14, which includes the upper and lower seat parts 14.1 and 14.2, form the seat structure.

The footrest 16 is provided by an expanse of flexible textile material, typically the same as that used in the cover regions 20.2 and 24. In practice, there may be two layers of such material with soft, flexible padding encapsulated between the layers. The width of the footrest 16 is similar to that of the upper part 14.2 of the seat 14.

The child seat 10 also includes a footrest attachment means, in this embodiment provided by a length of elasticized webbing 30 sewed or otherwise fastened at its ends to front corners of the footrest 16 so as to form a loop 32 extending from the front end of the footrest.

As shown in Figures 2 and 6 the child seat 10 can be accommodated in a typical adult passenger seat 34 in an airliner, in the illustrated case an adult passenger seat in the economy class cabin of the airliner. In this position, the backrest 12 rests upright against the backrest 34.1 of the passenger seat and the seat 14 locates on the seat 34.2 of the passenger seat, with the extended side regions 14.1.1 folded up to upright orientations against the standard, rigid armrests 34.3 of the passenger seat.

In order to complete the installation of the seat 10, the loop 32 carried by the footrest 16 is looped over the conventional, folding tray table 36 mounted at the rear of a passenger seat 38 in the seat row immediately in front of the seat 34 in which the seat 10 is accommodated. This is achieved by releasing the tray table, swinging it down at least partially, passing the loop over the table and then folding the tray table up again and stowing it. The loop then passes either around stowed tray table itself or around the supporting structure 40 forming the conventional tray table hinge. In the result, the footrest 16 is slung hammock-style between the seat 14 of the child seat 10 and the tray table 36.

A small child 41 can now be placed in the installed child seat. Normal security is established by buckling the conventional seat belt or lap strap 43 associated with passenger seat 34 over the child's abdomen. When the components of the conventional seat belt, which are typically anchored relative to the sides of the passenger seat, are brought together for buckling to take place, they will cause the extended side regions 14.1.1 of the lower seat part 14.1 to fold over and provide a measure of lateral restraint to the lower part of the seated child's body and will also cushion the child relative to the rigid armrests.

As the child will be placed centrally on the seat 10 with his back resting against the recessed central region 12.3 of the backrest, lateral restraint is provided to the upper part of the child's body by the side bolsters 12.2 of the backrest.

The thickened front regions of the lower and upper parts 14.1 and 14.2 of the seat 14 serve to raise the child's legs, typically in the region of the knee, relative to the waist and to urge the child's body, under gravity, rearwardly into the seat, as shown in Figure 2. This provides a comfortable seated or slightly reclined body position and acts to prevent the child from sliding forward under the buckled seat belt.

Further security against the child sliding forward is provided by the footrest 16. In practice, the footrest is at a high enough elevation for the child's feet to rest on it as shown in Figure 2. This provides comfortable foot support and also contributes greatly to restraining forward movement of the child's body.

It will be understood that the density of the foam used to make the cores used in the backrest and seat parts will be such that the backrest 12 and seat 14 can deform resi!iently, i.e. compress, as necessary to accommodate the child's body contours in an extremely comfortable manner.

Airline regulations stipulate that during takeoff and landing and at certain other times during flight, for example if turbulence is encountered, it is not permitted to having any obstacle in the space between rows of seats. If the suspended footrest 16 is considered to be a prohibited obstacle, it will be a simple matter to detach the loop 32 from the tray table 36 and to fold it and the footrest compactly beneath the lower seat part 14.1 of the seat. At other times, during normal flight, the footrest can be retrieved from beneath the seat part 14.1 and again returned to its operative position.

After the flight and/or at any other time, it is also a simple matter to fold the child seat up to a compact, highly portable form. The manner in which this is achieved is illustrated in Figures 7 to 9.

As shown in these Figures, a first step in folding up the seat 10 is to fold the backrest 12 downwardly over the seat 14. As the length of the backrest is greater than that of the seat, the end of the backrest can be folded around the front edge of the seat. The extended side regions 14.1.1 of the seat part 14.1 are now folded up over the sides of the backrest and are anchored in position by engagement of clip components 50 fastened to the front corners of the extended side regions with mating clip components 52 fastened to the rear of the backrest, as shown in Figure 8.

Next, and finally, the footrest 16 is folded up over the backrest and is anchored in position by engagement between a clip component 54 fastened to the front edge of the footrest and a mating clip component 56 fixed to the rear of the backrest.

The various clip components 50, 52, 54 and 56 are fastened in position by means of short, flexible straps sewn or otherwise fixed to the extended side regions, the footrest and the rear of the backrest.

The end result is the compact, somewhat rectangular form seen in Figure 9. As a further feature, two elastictzed webbing straps 60 are sewn or otherwise fixed to the front corners of the footrest to form stretchab!e loops 62. Once the seat 10 has been folded up, the loops can be stretched and passed around the folded structure to provide two generally parallel carrying straps 64. in practice, the folded seat 10 can then be carried manually by grasping the straps or, alternatively, the straps can be located over the shoulders of a wearer so that the folded seat can be carried in the manner of a backpack. The seat 10 is extremely light and easily transportable in either manner. In particular, it is believed that the seat will be light enough to be carried comfortably by a small child 41 who is old enough to walk competently.

Many variations can be made. Purely by way of example, it would be possible to sew one or more pockets onto the seat 10 to hold a drinking bottle or other equipment necessary for care of the child who will occupy the seat in use.

Figures 11 to 18 illustrate a second, currently preferred, embodiment of the invention. This embodiment has many similarities to the embodiment described above, and corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals prefixed by the numeral "1".

One important difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is the fact that the seat 114 of the seat structure is provided by a single, wedge-shaped body. This may again include an inner core of a flexible, resiliently compressible foam material housed in an outer cover of suitable material. The rear end of the seat 114 in this embodiment is attached to the lower edge of the backrest, in a hinged or pivotal manner, via an intermediate panel 170 of flexible material.

The backrest 112 of the second embodiment is generally similar to the backrest 12 of the first embodiment. One difference is that it carries side flaps 172 which are sewn to opposite sides of the lower end region 173 of the backrest so as to extend from the backrest. Each of these flaps has an inner, generally rectangular core of flexible, resiliently compressible foam material housed in an outer cover. In the operative state of the airliner seat 1 10, as shown in Figure 11 , the side flaps 172 can be folded forwardly so as to provide lateral restraint to the body of a child seated in the seat 110 and also so as to provide side cushioning relative to the rigid armrests of the airliner.

In use of the second embodiment, the two webbing straps of the conventional airliner seat belt or lap strap (not shown in Figures 11 to 18) are passed upwardly on either side between the side flaps 172 and the seat 1 14 and are buckled together in the normal way over the abdomen of a child on the seat.

In this embodiment, the loop 132 at the front or leading end of the footrest 116 is provided by two flexible straps 130. The ends of the straps can be tied together to form the loop 132. Alternatively, the ends of the straps could carry clips which are clipped together, or other mating components that can be attached to one another, to form the required loop. In each case, the loop is, as in the first embodiment, used to attach the footrest relative to the tray table in front so that the footrest is slung between the seat 114 and the tray table to provide support for the feet of the child seated on the seat 110.

Another difference between the second embodiment and the first embodtment is that shoulder straps 174 are fitted to the rear surface of the backrest, as shown particularly clearly in Figure 18. The second embodiment can be folded up extremely compactly. As shown in Figure 13, a first step in the folding procedure is to fold the footrest 116 back over the seat 114. Next the seat 1 14 is folded over relative to a lower part of the backrest 112 (Figure 14), and the upper end of the backrest 112 is folded over the seat and is secured in place by clip engagement of mating clips 176 carried by straps 178. A first one of the side flaps 172 is then folded over the seat 114, whereafter the other, second side flap is folded over the first side flap. Clips carried by the respective side flaps are then engaged with one another to secure the side flaps in position (Figure 15).

As shown in Figures 16 to 18, the airliner seat is folded to a compact form with the shoulder straps 174 enabling the folded seat to be carried in the manner of a backpack. The folded seat has a size less than that stipulated for cabin baggage and so can be placed in an overhead luggage bin of the airliner when not in use.

The recessed, central region 1 12.3 of the backrest 1 12, between the bolsters 112.2, has a width approximately the same as the width of the seat 114. Accordingly, when the backrest is folded over the seat during the folding procedure, the seat is accommodated between the bolsters. This contributes to the compactness of the folded seat.

A feature of the second embodiment is a storage pocket 180 (Figures 14 and 17) formed by a rectangular expanse of flexible material, possibly a mesh material, sewn to the underside of the seat 14 along three sides but open along a fourth side 182. Access to the pocket, which is useful for storing an item such as a book, is through the open side.

It will be noted that the thickened side bolsters 112.2 of the backrest of the second embodiment are only present in an upper part of the backrest to provide lateral restraint to the upper part, for example the shoulders, of the child's body. The lower part of the backrest, located between the side flaps, iapers down in thickness from the bottom to the top. This also contributes to a comfortable seated position for the child.

The second embodiment may also be provided with other externally accessible pockets (not shown) for accommodating other articles, for example a drinking bottle.

Claims

CLAiMS

1.

A small child airliner seat comprising:

a foldabie seat structure providing a flexible, resiiiently compressible backrest and a flexible, resiiiently compressible seat attached pivotally relative to the backrest so as to extend forwardly from the backrest in use, the seat structure being of a size to be accommodated by an adult airliner passenger seat with the seat located on a seat of the airliner passenger seat and the backrest located against a backrest of the airliner passenger seat;

a flexible footrest which is attached to the seat structure so as to be capable of extending forwardly therefrom in use; and

footrest attachment means by means of which the footrest can be attached relative to an airliner structure which is spaced from and located in front of the airliner passenger seat, such that the footrest is slung between the seat structure and the airliner structure in an elevated position to support the feet of a child seated on the seat structure.

2.

A small child airiiner seat according to claim 1 wherein the airliner structure is another airliner passenger seat located in a row of airliner passenger seats immediately in front of the said airiiner passenger seat, and the footrest attachment means is operative to attach the footrest relative to a tray table mounted behind the other airliner passenger seat, such that the footrest is slung between the seat structure and the tray tabie.

3.

A smali child airiiner seat according to claim 2 wherein the footrest comprises a panel of flexible material secured to the seat structure.

4.

A small child airliner seat according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the footrest attachment means defines extendable around the tray table, or around a support structure of the tray table, with the tray table in a stowed position,

5.

A small child airliner seat according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the footrest is foldable beneath the seat of the seat structure when not in use.

6.

A small child airliner seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the seat of the seat structure has a front, a rear, an operattve!y upper surface and an operatively lower surface, the seat being thicker at the front than at the rear such that the upper surface slopes downwardly to the rear when the lower surface is placed on the said airliner passenger seat with the backrest of the seat structure resting against the backrest of the said airliner passenger seat.

7.

A small child airiiner seat according to claim 6 wherein the seat of the seat structure comprises a wedge-shaped core of resiliently compressible material in a flexible cover.

8.

A small child airiiner seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the backrest of the seat structure includes thickened side bolsters to provide lateral restraint to a small child seated on the seat of the seat structure with his back resting against the backrest.

9.

A smaii child airliner seat according to claim 8 wherein the backrest of the seat structure includes a central region, between the bolsters, which is thicker at an operatively lower edge thereof than at an operatively upper edge thereof.

10.

A small child airliner seat according to claim 9 wherein the backrest of the seat structure comprises a core of resiliency compressible material in a flexible cover.

11.

A small child airliner seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein an operatively rear edge of the seat of the seat structure is attached pivotally to an operatively lower edge of the backrest of the seat structure via a panel of flexible material.

12.

A small child airliner seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the seat structure carries flexible resiliency compressible side flaps which are positionable in use between the seat structure and rigid armrests of the airliner passenger seat in which the airliner seat is accommodated, thereby to cushion an occupant of the airliner seat from the armrests.

13.

A small child airliner seat according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the airliner seat is foldabie to a compact, folded form and includes shoulder straps by means of which the folded form can be carried in the manner of a backpack.

14.

A small child airliner seat according to claim 13 wherein the shoulder straps are secured to the backrest of the seat structure.

15.

A small child airliner seat according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein, with the airliner seat initially in an unfolded state:

the footrest is foldable over the seat of the seat structure, the backrest of the seat structure is foldable over, and reieasably securabie to, to the seat of the seat structure, and

the side flaps are foldable over, and reieasably securabie to, the backrest of the seat structure,

thereby to bring the airliner seat to the compact, folded form.

16.

A small child airliner seat according to any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein the airliner seat, in the compact, folded form, has dimensions smaller than those of allowed cabin baggage and so can be accommodated in an overhead cabin storage bin of an airliner.

17.

A small child airliner seat according to any one of claims 13 to 16 and including a storage pocket on an underside of the seat.