Seating Unit

Abstract

A seating unit ( 1 ) comprises a fixed housing ( 10 ) containing a primary seat with a reclinable back arranged to recline in such a manner that it remains within the housing. The seating unit is suitable for a aircraft cabin and may further comprise a leg-rest arranged to cooporate with the seating portion to form part of a substantially flat surface when the back is reclined in a substantially horizontal position. The seating unit may further comprise a secondary seat ( 3 ) positioned to face the primary seat, the secondary seat having a seating portion positioned to cooporate with the leg-rest of the primary seat to form a portion of the substantially flat surface when the back of the primary seat is reclined in the substantially, horizontal position. Privacy between seats and use of available space within an aircraft cabin may be optimised by arranging at least some of the seats in an echelon.

1 . A seating unit, for an aircraft cabin, the unit comprising a fixed housing containing a primary seat with a reclinable backs wherein the back is arranged to recline in such a manner that it remains within the housing. 
     
     
         2 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the primary seat comprises a seating portion arranged to be movable with the reclining of the back to allow the back to be reclined between a substantially upright position and a substantially horizontal position. 
     
     
         3 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the seating portion and the back are arranged to cooperate to form a substantially flat surface when the back is reclined in the substantially horizontal position. 
     
     
         4 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising a leg rest. 
     
     
         5 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the leg rest is arranged to cooperate with the seating portion to form part of the substantially flat surface when the back is relined in the substantially horizontal position. 
     
     
         6 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary seat positioned to face the primary seat. 
     
     
         7 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the secondary seat has a seating portion positioned to cooperate with the leg rest of the primary seat to form a portion of the substantially flat surface when the back of the primary seat is reclined in the substantially horizontal position. 
     
     
         8 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a privacy screen. 
     
     
         9 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises storage space provided behind the reclinable back of the primary seat. 
     
     
         10 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a retractable table. 
     
     
         11 . An accommodation unit comprising a reclinable principle seat and a secondary seat, the principle seat being movable to a reclined position at which, in co-operation with the secondary seat, a substantially flat sleeping surface is formed thereby. 
     
     
         12 . An accommodation unit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the principle seat comprises a back portion and a seating portion, the back portion being reclinable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position and the seating portion being arranged to move toward the secondary seat in cooperation with the reclining of the back portion. 
     
     
         13 . An accommodation unit as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising a leg supporting portion movable between a retracted position and a supporting position. 
     
     
         14 . An accommodation unit as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the leg supporting portion is movable with said seating portion in co-operation with the reclining of the back portion so as to form part of the substantially flat sleeping surface. 
     
     
         15 . An aircraft including a cabin comprising a plurality of seating units or accommodation units as claimed in any preceding claim. 
     
     
         16 . An aircraft as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the units are arranged in an outboard-facing configuration. 
     
     
         17 . An aircraft as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the units are arranged in an inboard-facing configuration. 
     
     
         18 . A seat comprising a back portion, a seating portion and a trolley associated with the seating portion, the trolley being drivable to move the seating portion between a retracted position and an extended position, the seating portion and the back portion cooperating such that as the seating portion is moved between the retracted and extended positions the back portion is caused to move between substantially upright and reclined positions. 
     
     
         19 . A seat as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the back portion is connected at one end thereof to the seating portion. 
     
     
         20 . A seat as claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising back guiding means for guiding the back portion between said substantially upright and reclined positions. 
     
     
         21 . A seat as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising seat guiding means for guiding the seating portion to vary the orientation thereof as the seating portion is moved between the retracted and extended positions. 
     
     
         22 . A seat as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising a leg rest portion movable between a retracted position and a supporting position. 
     
     
         23 . A seat as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the leg rest portion is drivable between the retracted and supporting positions independently of the driving of the trolley. 
     
     
         24 . A seat as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein a substantially flat sleeping surface is formed by said back, seating and leg rest portions when said back portion is in said reclined position, said seating portion is in said extended position and said leg rest portion is in said supporting position. 
     
     
         25 . A seat as claimed in  claim 24 , further comprising an extension surface separate from the seat, the extension surface cooperating with the leg rest portion when the leg rest portion is in said supporting position to extend said sleeping surface. 
     
     
         26 . A seat as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the extension surface is provided to be secured to the back of another seat. 
     
     
         27 . A seat as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the extension surface comprises a secondary seat. 
     
     
         28 . A seat as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the extension surface is pivotable to avoid trapping of an object between the extension surface and the leg rest portion as the leg rest portion is moved between the retracted and supporting positions. 
     
     
         29 . A seat as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the secondary seat comprises a fixed portion and a pivotable portion pivotable to avoid trapping of an object between the extension surface and the leg rest portion as the leg rest portion is moved between the retracted and supporting positions. 
     
     
         30 . A seat as claimed  claim 18 , further comprising a fixed structure to which said back and seat guiding means are secured. 
     
     
         31 . A seat as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the fixed structure comprises a back, and the back guiding means are formed such that movement of said back portion is forward of the back of the fixed structure. 
     
     
         32 . A seat as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising an electric motor for driving the trolley. 
     
     
         33 . A seat as claimed in  claim 22 , further comprising an electric motor for driving the leg rest portion. 
     
     
         34 . A seat as claimed in  claim 33 , further comprising user operable control means for controlling the or each electric motor. 
     
     
         35 . An aircraft comprising a cabin containing a plurality of seats, at least some of the seats being arranged in an echelon. 
     
     
         36 . An aircraft as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the cabin contains along each side thereof a series of seats arranged in an echelon. 
     
     
         37 . An aircraft as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the seats along each side Are oriented to face outwardly of the cabin. 
     
     
         38 . An aircraft as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the seats along each side are oriented to face inwardly of the cabin. 
     
     
         39 . An aircraft an claimed of  claim 35 , wherein the cabin contains a central series of seats. 
     
     
         40 . A seating unit for a vehicle comprising a primary seat and a utilities unit for housing utilities for individual use by an occupant of the primary seat. 
     
     
         41 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein the utilities unit provides storage space for personal effects of the occupant. 
     
     
         42 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein the utilities unit contains a television-type monitor. 
     
     
         43 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein the utilities unit contains a table extendible in front of the ;primary seat. 
     
     
         44 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 40 , further comprising a secondary seat positioned to face the primary seat, the utilities unit being positioned to one side of the primary and secondary seats and extending between the same. 
     
     
         45 . A seating unit as claimed in  claim 40 , further comprising a second primary seat for use by a second occupant, the utilities unit housing further utilities for individual use by the second occupant.