Jul 21, 2026

US12686497 - Aircraft seat with multidirectionally adjustable wing armor

An armored seating assembly for a rotorcraft or other aircraft (e.g., for a pilot or operator) includes a wing armor panel capable of rotational and vertical movement relative to the seat base when adjusted by the operator. For example, a carriage attached to the armor panel translates along a carriage slot in the seat base, stabilized in the carriage slot by orthogonal sets of bearings (e.g., lateral bearings and longitudinal bearings) and allowing the wing armor panel to be vertically adjusted relative to the seat base (e.g., to accommodate pilots of varying heights). The armor panel is coupled to the carriage by hinges allowing the panel to pivot or rotate away from the seat base, in order to facilitate entry to and egress from the seat.

Assignee: AMI Industries, Inc.
Inventors: Douglas E. Hoover, Chad R. Pacheco
Filing date: 2024-02-01

aircraftarmorseatingmilitary

The patent describes an armored seating assembly for aircraft that features a wing armor panel capable of both vertical and rotational adjustments to accommodate different pilot heights and facilitate easier access. This assembly includes a carriage with bearings that allow the armor panel to move along a designated slot in the seat base, enhancing the functionality and safety of the seating arrangement.

Claim 1

1 . An armored seating assembly for an aircraft, comprising: a seat base mountable to a floor of the aircraft, the seat base including a carriage slot with a lower and upper terminus, the carriage slot set into the seat base and extending vertically between the lower and upper terminus above the floor; a carriage slidably coupled to the seat base via a plurality of bearings configured to translate along the carriage slot, the plurality of bearings including: at least one lateral bearing configured for rotation relative to a lateral axis; and at least one longitudinal bearing configured for rotation relative to a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the lateral axis; an armor bracket pivotably coupled to the carriage; and an armor panel fixed to the armor bracket, the armor panel positionable to: a vertical position corresponding to a position of the carriage relative to the carriage slot; and a rotational orientation relative to the seat base. a seat base mountable to a floor of the aircraft, the seat base including a carriage slot with a lower and upper terminus, the carriage slot set into the seat base and extending vertically between the lower and upper terminus above the floor; a carriage slidably coupled to the seat base via a plurality of bearings configured to translate along the carriage slot, the plurality of bearings including: at least one lateral bearing configured for rotation relative to a lateral axis; and at least one longitudinal bearing configured for rotation relative to a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the lateral axis; an armor bracket pivotably coupled to the carriage; and an armor panel fixed to the armor bracket, the armor panel positionable to: a vertical position corresponding to a position of the carriage relative to the carriage slot; and a rotational orientation relative to the seat base.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12686497

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12686497