Vehicle seats and components thereof

Abstract

Seats and components thereof are addressed. The seats typically, although not necessarily, are intended for use in passenger vehicles and may include any or all of tray tables, beverage holders, arm rests, and hand rails. Beverage containers may include gimbals and supports for versatility and greater effectiveness, while tray tables may include hinged sections for supporting objects other than by providing solely a horizontal base. Lighting forming part of a tilt mechanism for the video monitor of in-flight entertainment equipment may illuminate the tray table. Arm rests may include multiple components and either pivot about multiple points or both translate and pivot, permitting them to move downward from nominal use positions. Hand rails, additionally, may be designed and placed to facilitate their being grasped by passengers traversing aisles of vehicles in which associated seats are located.

1 . A seat comprising: 
 a. a seat bottom positioned at a height above a floor;    b. a seat back having a rear surface;    c. a video monitor abutting the rear surface and having a lower section comprising at least one light source;    d. a tray table defining an upper surface and a lower surface and moveable from a first position abutting the rear surface to a second position in which at least a portion is substantially horizontal, (i) the upper surface (A) being illuminated with light from the at least one light source when the tray table is in the second position and (B) comprising first and second sections, the first section being moveable from a first position generally coplanar with the second section to a second position in which the first section forms an angle of other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees with the second section and (ii) the lower surface comprising (A) a collar, (B) a support extendable below the collar when in use, and (C) means, comprising a rotatable gimbal connected to the collar, for receiving the object in use; and    e. an arm rest moveable between a first position in which at least part of the arm rest is above the seat bottom and a second position in which at least part of the arm rest is at or below the height of the seat bottom.    
   
   
       2 . A seat comprising a seat bottom, a seat back having a rear surface, and a holder for an object, the holder extending rearward of the rear surface of the seat back and comprising: 
 a. a collar;    b. a support extendable below the collar when in use; and    c. means, comprising a rotatable gimbal connected to the collar, for receiving the object in use.    
   
   
       3 . A seat according to  claim 2  in which the seat back is moveable, such movement causing the receiving means to rotate in use so as to permit the received object to remain in an upright position notwithstanding such movement.  
   
   
       4 . A seat according to  claim 3  in which the gimbal comprises a ring, the support comprises a bar, and the object is a beverage container.  
   
   
       5 . A seat according to  claim 4  further comprising a tray table abutting the rear surface of the seat back, the tray table having an underside comprising a recess into which the holder fits in generally planar fashion when not in use.  
   
   
       6 . A seat comprising a seat bottom, a seat back defining a vertical centerline and having an upper surface, and a hand rail extending upward of the upper surface and asymmetric with respect to the vertical centerline, the hand rail comprising a structure having first and second ends connected to the upper surface so as to define a space therebetween for receiving at least a portion of a hand of a passenger grasping the structure.  
   
   
       7 . A seat comprising a seat bottom positioned at a height above a floor, a seat back, and an arm rest moveable between a first position in which at least part of the arm rest is above the seat bottom and a second position in which at least part of the arm rest is at or below the height of the seat bottom.  
   
   
       8 . A seat according to  claim 7  in which the seat bottom has an upper surface and, in the first position, at least part of the arm rest is substantially parallel to the upper surface and, in the second position, at least part of the arm rest is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface.  
   
   
       9 . A seat according to  claim 7  in which, in the second position, at least part of the arm rest is forward of the seat bottom.  
   
   
       10 . A seat according to  claim 7  in which, in the second position, at least part of the arm rest is at the height of the seat bottom.  
   
   
       11 . A seat according to  claim 7  in which, in the second position, at least part of the arm rest is below the height of the seat bottom.  
   
   
       12 . A tray table for a seat, the tray table comprising at least first and second sections, the first section being moveable from a first position generally coplanar with the second section to a second position in which the first section forms an angle of other than zero or one hundred eighty degrees with the second section.  
   
   
       13 . A tray table according to  claim 12  in which the first section may be latched in the second position.  
   
   
       14 . A seat comprising a seat bottom, a seat back, a tray table deployable with at least a portion being in a substantially horizontal position, and a video monitor having a lower section comprising at least one light source whose illumination is directed onto the tray table when in the substantially horizontal position.