Frame assembly for vehicle passenger seat

1. A frame assembly for vehicle passenger seat, comprising:

(a) at least one leg unit, including a cantilevered transverse main beam carried by a fore and aft-extending seat leg for being mounted to the floor of the vehicle;

(b) a transversely extending front beam positioned forward of the seat leg;

(c) a backshell attached to and carried by the transverse main beam, wherein the backshell is structurally connected to the leg unit solely through the main beanm;

(d) a seat back carried on the backshell; and

(e) a seat bottom carried by a perimeter frame mounted on the backshell.

2. A frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the front beam comprises a hollow box beam extending substantially from floor level to a position adjacent the seat bottom.

3. A frame assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the box beam is adapted to contain electrical and electronic seat components.

4. A frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the perimeter frame comprises a back frame and a bottom frame carried by the backshell.

5. A frame assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the bottom frame is covered by a flexible seat pan and a padded seat cushion.

6. A frame assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the perimeter frame is mounted on the backshell for fore and aft sliding motion.

7. A frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly comprises two laterally spaced-apart leg units, and further wherein the cantilevered transverse main beam connects and maintains the two leg units in a fixed relationship with each other.

8. A frame assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the frame assembly comprises

(a) a transversely extending front beam positioned forward of the seat leg;

(b) at least first and second side-by-side backshells attached to and carried by the transverse main beam;

(c) first and second perimeter frames carried by respective backshells; and

(d) first and second seat bottoms carried by respective perimeter frames.

9. A frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the backshell comprises contoured clearance areas to provide room for the knees of an aft-seated passenger.

10. A frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the backshell comprises a rigid material fixed to the transverse main beam for maintaining a stationary position during movement of the seat back and seat bottom to a plurality of comfort positions in order not to encroach on space occupied by an aft-seated passenger.

11. A frame assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the backshell comprises a plurality of generally planar facets angled to collectively define a shape adapted for serving as a seat back.

12. A frame assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the seat back is mounted for movement relative to the backshell between upright and reclined positions.

13. A frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the backshell is mounted for a limited, passenger-initiated back-and-forth rocking motion.

14. A frame assembly for vehicle passenger seat, comprising:

(a) at least one leg unit, including a cantilevered transverse main beam carried by a fore and aft-extending seat leg for being mounted to the floor of the vehicle;

(b) a transversely extending front beam positioned forward of the seat leg, the front beam comprising a hollow, transversely-extending box beam;

(c) a backshell attached to and carried by the transverse main beam wherein the backshell is structurally connected to the leg unit solely through the main beam;

(d) a seat back carried on the backshell;

(e) a seat bottom carried by a perimeter frame comprising a back frame and a bottom frame carried by the backshell; and

(f) the bottom frame being covered by a flexible seat pan and a padded seat cushion.

15. A frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the box beam is adapted to contain electrical and electronic seat components.

16. A frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the frame assembly comprises two laterally spaced-apart leg units, and further wherein the cantilevered transverse main beam connects and maintains the two leg units in a fixed relationship with each other.

17. A frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the backshell comprises contoured clearance areas to provide room for the knees of an aft-seated passenger.

18. A frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the backshell comprises a rigid material fixed to the transverse main beam for maintaining a stationary position during movement of the seat back and seat bottom to a plurality of comfort positions in order not to encroach on space occupied by an aft-seated passenger.

19. A frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the backshell comprises a plurality of generally planar facets angled to collectively define a shape adapted for serving as a seat back.

20. A frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the seat back is mounted for movement relative to the backshell between upright and reclined positions.

21. A frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the backshell is mounted for a limited, passenger-initiated back-and-forth rocking motion.

22. A frame assembly according to claim 21 , wherein the perimeter frame is mounted on the backshell for fore and aft sliding motion.