IP Library Granted Patent US 12,377,980
Granted Patent B2
US 12,377,980 · App. 18/035,510 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Passenger seat headrest divider assembly

Inventors: Francisco Salcedo (Argyle, TX); Paul Bentley (Gainesville, TX); Justin Murnan (Whitesboro, TX); Christopher Stewart (Saint Jo, TX)
Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC
B64D11/0606B64D11/0646
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,377,980
App. No.
18/035,510
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A passenger seat includes a seat back and a headrest supported on the seat back. The headrest includes a pair of opposing lateral sides, and the headrest may be adjustable relative to the seat back along an axis. A divider assembly having a divider may be attached to the headrest. The divider of the divider assembly is movable with the headrest relative to the seat back, and the divider may be movable relative to the headrest between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the deployed position, the divider extends forward from a first lateral side of the pair of opposing lateral sides of the headrest.

Claims (10)

1. A passenger seat comprising:

a seat back;

a headrest supported on the seat back, wherein the headrest comprises a pair of opposing lateral sides, and wherein the headrest is adjustable relative to the seat back along an axis; and

a divider assembly comprising a divider attached to the headrest, wherein the divider is movable with the headrest relative to the seat back and comprises a support panel pivotably attached to the headrest and a plurality of slidably connected divider panels supported on the support panel, wherein the divider is movable relative to the headrest between a stowed position and a deployed position, and wherein, in the deployed position, the support panel and at least one of the plurality of slidably connected divider panels extend forward from a first lateral side of the pair of opposing lateral sides of the headrest.

2. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein the divider assembly further comprises an end divider panel, wherein the end divider panel is slidably supported on an intermediate divider panel of the plurality of slidably connected divider panels.

3. The passenger seat of claim 2 , wherein the end divider panel comprises a gripping portion.

4. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the slidably connected divider panels is slidably supported on the support panel via divider adjusters, and wherein the divider adjusters comprise pins that are slidable in grooves or slots.

5. The passenger seat of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of slidably connected divider panels is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the support panel.

6. The passenger seat of claim 5 , wherein an exposed surface area of the divider assembly when at least one of the plurality of slidably connected divider panels is in the deployed position is greater than an exposed surface area of the divider assembly when at least one of the plurality of slidably connected divider panels is in the stowed position.

7. The passenger seat of claim 1 , wherein, in both the stowed position and the deployed position, the divider extends laterally outwards and forward relative to the first lateral side of the headrest.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2025
From: SALCEDO, FRANCISCO; BENTLEY, PAUL; MURNAN, JUSTIN; STEWART, CHRISTOPHER
To: SAFRAN SEATS USA LLC
Reel/Frame 071148/0702 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230406509A1 · Dec 21, 2023
References Cited (32)
US 2464435A · Conradt · 1943 [cited by examiner]
US 4205878A · Wooten · 1980 [cited by examiner]
US 5904405A · Wu · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 6120099A · Reikeræs · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 6250716B1 · Clough · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6305749B1 · O'Connor · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6648416B2 · O'Connor · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 7364239B2 · Clough · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 7631935B2 · Chen · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 8911020B2 · Westerink · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8985622B1 · Cannon · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9028000B2 · Millan · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 10960801B2 · Novin · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20020033628A1 · Clough · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20030146654A1 · Nguyen · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20040007910A1 · Skelly · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20040195893A1 · Clough · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20050121963A1 · Williamson · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20070108827A1 · Clough · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20130221722A1 · Navarro · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20160214513A1 · Millan · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170197529A1 · Hontz · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170368970A1 · Lessard · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190217957A1 · Wilson · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200039407A1 · Zhou · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200238873A1 · Akaike · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200262565A1 · Wanner · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210345780A1 · Clough · 2021 [cited by examiner]
DE 102015114382A1 · 2017 [cited by examiner]
JP 2016159866A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2021069883A1 · 2021 [cited by examiner]
International Patent Application No. PCT/US2020/062806, International Search Report and Written Opinion, dated Aug. 4, 2021. [cited by applicant]