Easy install tray table
View Patent ↗Described are passenger seat backs having tray tables pivotally coupled to the seat back frame and which rotate about a single axis. The tray table ( 20 ) may be directly connected to the seat back frame ( 10 ) without the need for a complex and heavy multi-axis pivot. The resulting seat and associated tray table are lighter, more compact, and easier to manufacture.
1. A passenger seat comprising:
a tray table pivotally coupled to a seat back frame with at least one pivot bar, wherein:
the at least one pivot bar comprises a protrusion;
the protrusion comprises a projection along its length; and
the projection is unitary to the protrusion.
2. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the projection is positioned to contact an edge of an aperture of the tray table to constrain rotation of the tray table.
3. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, a polymer, or a composite.
4. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises opposing flat surfaces and opposing curved surfaces along a length of the protrusion, the opposing flat surfaces alternating with the opposing curved surfaces around a circumference of the protrusion.
5. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the tray table comprises at least one tray table arm, the at least one tray table arm comprising an aperture.
6. The passenger seat of claim 5 , wherein the at least one tray table arm comprises a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, a polymer, or a composite.
7. The passenger seat of claim 5 , wherein the aperture is sized larger than a distance between opposing flat surfaces along a length of the protrusion and smaller than a distance between opposing curved surfaces along the length of the protrusion, the protrusion in communication with the seat back frame.
8. The passenger seat of claim 1 ,
wherein the tray table comprises at least one tray table arm comprising an aperture;
wherein the protrusion comprises a narrowed dimension across the protrusion that is narrower than an opening of the aperture; and
wherein the opening of the aperture is narrower than all other dimensions across the protrusion.
9. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pivot bar is covered by a shroud.
10. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the tray table is secured by a down stop pin.
11. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the tray table is secured by a fastener.
12. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the projection extends around less than a full circumference of the protrusion.
13. A passenger seat comprising:
a seat back frame comprising at least one pivot bar with a protrusion;
a tray table comprising at least one tray table arm with an aperture that partially encloses a recess, wherein the protrusion is positioned within the recess;
wherein the protrusion comprises a narrowed dimension across the protrusion that is narrower than an opening of the aperture; and
wherein the protrusion comprises a projection extending along at least a portion of an axial direction of the protrusion, wherein the projection extends around less than a full circumference of the protrusion.
14. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the at least one pivot bar is covered by a shroud.
15. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the tray table is secured by a down stop pin.
16. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the tray table is secured by a fastener.
17. The passenger seat of claim 13 , wherein the projection is unitary to the protrusion.
18. A method of manufacturing a passenger seat with a tray table pivotally coupled to a seat back frame, said method comprising:
providing the seat back frame;
providing a pivot bar comprising a protrusion in communication with the seat back frame;
forming opposing flat surfaces along a length of the protrusion;
providing a projection along at least a portion of a length of the protrusion;
forming opposing curved surfaces along the length of the protrusion, the opposing flat surfaces alternating with the opposing curved surfaces around a circumference of the protrusion;
providing the tray table with at least one tray table arm, the at least one tray table arm comprising an aperture, the aperture sized larger than a greatest distance between the opposing flat surfaces along the length of the protrusion, and sized smaller than a distance between the opposing curved surfaces along the length of the protrusion;
aligning the aperture with the opposing flat surfaces of the protrusion;
displacing the aperture past the protrusion; and
rotating the aperture away from the opposing flat surfaces of the protrusion,
wherein the projection is unitary to the protrusion.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising securing the at least one tray table arm with a down stop pin.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising securing the at least one tray table arm with a fastener.