阅读说明：本技术 飞机机舱 (Aircraft cabin ) 是由 J·伍丁顿 P·威尔斯 O·鲁伊斯 A·盖恩 M·克利里 V·卡利奥 于 2019-09-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：本申请提供了一种飞机机舱(1)。所述飞机机舱(1)包含在所述机舱(1)的第一舷窗侧壁(15)和所述机舱(1)的第二、对侧的的舷窗侧壁(16)之间跨所述机舱延伸的第一排座椅单元(8),沿着所述机舱(1)延伸的第一过道(11)和沿着所述机舱(1)延伸的第二过道(13)。第一排座椅单元(8)包含第一座椅单元(3)、第二座椅单元(5)、第三座椅单元(7),并且不包含其他座椅单元。所述第一过道(11)位于邻近所述第一舷窗侧壁(15),并且将第一舷窗侧壁(15)和所述第一座椅单元(3)分离,第二座椅单元(5)位于邻近所述第一座椅单元(3),并且所述第三座椅单元(7)通过所述第二过道(13)与所述第二座椅单元(5)间隔开,所述第三座椅单元(7)位于邻近所述第二舷窗侧壁(16)。所述第一排座椅单元(8)还包含可在收起位置和展开位置之间移动的私人屏幕(17),其中所述私人屏幕(17)提供至少部分分隔所述第一座椅单元(3)和所述第二座椅单元(5)的屏障。(The present application provides an aircraft cabin (1). The aircraft nacelle (1) comprises a first row of seat units (8) extending across the nacelle (1) between a first porthole side wall (15) of the nacelle and a second, opposite porthole side wall (16) of the nacelle (1), a first aisle (11) extending along the nacelle (1) and a second aisle (13) extending along the nacelle (1). The first row seat unit (8) includes a first seat unit (3), a second seat unit (5), a third seat unit (7), and does not include other seat units. The first aisle (11) is located adjacent to the first porthole side wall (15) and separates the first porthole side wall (15) and the first seat unit (3), the second seat unit (5) is located adjacent to the first seat unit (3), and the third seat unit (7) is spaced apart from the second seat unit (5) by the second aisle (13), the third seat unit (7) is located adjacent to the second porthole side wall (16). The first row of seat units (8) further comprises a privacy screen (17) movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the privacy screen (17) provides a barrier at least partially separating the first seat unit (3) and the second seat unit (5).)

1. An aircraft cabin, comprising:

-a first row of seat units extending across the nacelle between a first porthole sidewall of the nacelle and a second pair of porthole sidewalls of the nacelle,

-a first aisle extending along the nacelle, and

-a second aisle extending along the nacelle,

wherein the first row of seating units includes a first seating unit, a second seating unit, a third seating unit, and no other seating units,

wherein:

the first aisle is disposed proximate to the first porthole side wall and separates the first porthole side wall from the first seat unit,

-the second seating unit is arranged close to the first seating unit, and

the third seat unit is spaced apart from the second seat unit by the second aisle, the third seat unit being disposed proximate to the second porthole sidewall, and,

wherein the first row of seat units further comprises a privacy screen movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the privacy screen provides a barrier at least partially separating the first seat unit and the second seat unit.

2. The aircraft cabin of claim 1, wherein the first seat unit comprises a first main seat, the second seat unit comprises a second main seat, and the third seat unit comprises a third main seat, wherein the first main seat, the second main seat, and the third main seat each face in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin.

3. The aircraft cabin of claim 2, wherein each seating unit contains only one main seat for a single passenger of the seating unit.

4. The aircraft cabin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the personal screen has a height of at least 1090 mm (43 inches), preferably a height of at least 1270 mm (50 inches), and even more preferably a height of at least 1520 mm (60 inches), measured from the cabin floor, when in the deployed position.

5. The aircraft cabin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the privacy screen is movable between the stowed position and the deployed position by being configured to be lowered and raised.

6. The aircraft cabin of any preceding claim, wherein the cabin comprises furniture located between the first main seat and the second main seat, the furniture configured to provide a shared desktop between the first main seat and the second main seat when the privacy screen is in the stowed position.

7. The aircraft cabin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first, second or third main seats is at least partially surrounded by one or more privacy walls.

8. The aircraft cabin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cabin comprises a bulkhead movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the bulkhead is at least partially disposed in one of the first aisle or the second aisle proximate to at least one of the first main seat, the second main seat, and the third main seat, thereby at least partially blocking the first aisle or the second aisle.

9. The aircraft cabin of claim 8, wherein in the deployed position, the bulkhead blocks the first aisle or the second aisle such that a person cannot pass through the first aisle or the second aisle without moving the bulkhead away from the deployed position.

10. The aircraft cabin of claim 8 or 9, wherein in the deployed position, the bulkhead is located between the second seat unit and the third seat unit, thereby at least partially blocking the second aisle between the second seat unit and the third seat unit.

11. The aircraft cabin of claim 8 or 9, wherein in the deployed position, the bulkhead is located between the first seat unit and the porthole sidewall, thereby at least partially blocking the first aisle between the first seat unit and the porthole sidewall.

12. The aircraft cabin of any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the first row of seating units is the only row of seating units in the cabin provided with a movable partition.

13. The aircraft cabin of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cabin further comprises a floor, and wherein one of the first, second and third main seats is rotatably mounted on the cabin floor.

14. The aircraft cabin of claim 13, wherein the first and second main seats are rotatably mounted on the cabin floor and are rotatable to face additional main seats.

15. The aircraft cabin of claim 13 or 14, wherein the second and third main seats are rotatably mounted on the cabin floor and rotatable to face further main seats.

16. The aircraft cabin of any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising a first further seat unit and a second further seat unit, the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit being in a second row of seat units, the second row of seat units being arranged adjacent to the first row of seat units, the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit being separated from each other by the second aisle,

wherein the second seat unit, the third seat unit, the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit each comprise a main seat and a privacy wall located between the main seat and the aisle, the privacy wall being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the main seat is at least partially surrounded by the privacy wall,

wherein the cabin optionally comprises an additional bulkhead movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the additional bulkhead is at least partially located in an aisle between the first additional seat unit and the second additional seat unit, thereby at least partially blocking the aisle.

17. The aircraft cabin of any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising furniture deployable into the first aisle or the second aisle.

18. The aircraft cabin of claim 17, wherein the furniture is a table, another seat, a display monitor, or a fitness equipment.

19. A kit of parts for installation on an aircraft to provide an aircraft cabin according to any preceding claim, the kit of parts comprising a plurality of seating units and a personal screen.

20. An aircraft comprising an aircraft cabin according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

Technical Field

The invention relates to an aircraft cabin. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an aircraft cabin including a first row of seating units extending across the cabin between a first porthole sidewall of the cabin and a second, opposite porthole sidewall of the cabin.

Background

Airlines increasingly offer aircraft cabins that incorporate travel accompanying facilities into first class suites or business class suites. For example, "Skyrom" offered by Zodiac Seats UK for Singapore uses two first class seat units within a row of seat units to create a shared space for accompanying journeys. In addition, some commercial seating arrangements may use a 1-2-1 configuration of center seating to construct a shared space for accompanying passengers, such as "Skylouge" offered by Zodic Seats France for the university aviation. The "qsuits" (RTM) of catal airlines (qatarairwaters) also allows two passengers to travel with each other in the middle columns of a 1-2-1 configuration, and can be extended to interactions of up to four passengers in two adjacent rows. The "Optima" seat of the Zodiac Seats UK is another example of a seating arrangement where the middle two Seats in a 2-4-2 configuration can be converted into a space shared by a passenger, and this arrangement also provides the option of creating a twin bed.

It is desirable to provide more shared space for the accompanying passenger. However, space within the aircraft cabin is relatively limited and it is difficult to provide shared space available to fellow passengers who wish to enjoy privacy relative to other passengers during flight.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the above problems.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an aircraft cabin comprising a first row of seat units extending across the cabin between a first porthole side wall (outboard side wall) of the cabin and a second, opposite porthole side wall of the cabin, a first aisle extending along the cabin, and a second aisle extending along the cabin, wherein the first row of seat units comprises a first seat unit, a second seat unit, a third seat unit, and no further seat units, wherein: the first aisle is located adjacent to the first porthole sidewall and separates the first porthole sidewall from the first seat unit, the second seat unit is located adjacent to the first seat unit, and the third seat unit is spaced apart from the second seat unit by the second aisle, the third seat unit is located adjacent to the second porthole sidewall, and wherein the first row of seat units further includes a privacy screen (privacy screen) movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the privacy screen provides a barrier at least partially separating the first seat unit and the second seat unit.

A row of seat units containing exactly three seat units provides sufficient space for each passenger located in these seat units, compared to a conventional aircraft cabin, which usually has at least four seats in a row. Further, by placing two adjacent seating units adjacent to each other in a 0-2-1 arrangement, rather than spacing the seating units in a 1-1-1 arrangement, a seating arrangement may be provided in which an accompanying passenger located in adjacent first and second seating units can stow a privacy screen separating their seating units. When in the deployed position, the privacy screen acts as a barrier or wall between the first and second seat units to mitigate noise transmission between the first and second seat units. In addition, in the deployed position, the privacy screen acts to mask the line of sight between the first and second seating units, thereby providing privacy to the occupants of those seating units. Moving the privacy screen to the stowed position removes a barrier that at least partially separates the first seat unit and the second seat unit, thereby providing access between the two seat units so that passengers in the first seat unit and the second seat unit can see and talk to each other.

The privacy screen may be located between the first seat unit and the second seat unit in the stowed position. The privacy screen may be located between the first seating unit and the second seating unit in the deployed position.

The first seat unit may comprise a first main seat, the second seat unit may comprise a second main seat, and the third seat unit may comprise a third main seat, wherein each of the first main seat, the second main seat, and the third main seat faces in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin. Each main seat can be converted into a bed. The first and second main seats may be placed together such that when in the privacy screen is in the stowed position, the first and second main seats may be converted into a twin bed formed by the first and second main seats. Each of the first, second, and third main seats may face a direction substantially parallel to each other.

The first aisle and/or the second aisle may extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The first aisle and the second aisle may extend substantially parallel to each other. In an embodiment of the invention comprising seats rotatably mounted on the floor of the aircraft cabin, the first main seat, the second main seat and the third main seat are rotatable to a position in which they face a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin. The seating unit may be configured such that at least during taxiing, take-off and landing, the first, second and third main seats face in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin.

Each seating unit may contain only the main seat of a single passenger of one seating unit. The seating unit may also include a secondary seat, e.g., a secondary passenger, facing in a different direction than the primary seat, preferably opposite to the direction of the primary seat (e.g., facing the primary seat).

The personal screen may have a height of at least 1090 millimeters (43 inches) when in the deployed position, measured from the cabin floor. The personal screen may have a height of at least 1270 mm (50 inches), preferably 1520 mm (60 inches), when measured from the cabin floor when in the deployed position. Thus, the privacy screen may be deployed to a height substantially higher than the average head position of a passenger sitting on the first main seat or the second main seat.

The privacy screen is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position by being configured to be lowered and raised. The private screen may be moved to the stowed position by lowering the private screen and the private screen may be moved to the deployed position by raising the private screen. The privacy screen may be lowered to a position below the first and second master seats to allow the first and second master seats to be converted into a twin bed. The privacy screen may be lowered into the furniture located between the first seating unit and the second seating unit.

The cabin may include furniture positioned between the first main seat and the second main seat, the furniture configured to provide a shared table top between the first main seat and the second main seat when the privacy screen is in the stowed position. The furniture may comprise a pedestal. When the privacy wall is in the deployed position, the furniture may provide a tabletop for at least one of the first main seat and/or the second main seat.

At least one of the first main seat, the second main seat, or the third main seat may be at least partially surrounded by one or more privacy walls. Two or three seating units may comprise a main seat at least partially surrounded by one or more privacy walls. The front privacy wall may be located in front of the main seat and the rear privacy wall may be located behind the main seat such that the main seat is at least partially surrounded by the front privacy wall and the rear privacy wall. The side privacy wall may be located between the main seat and the aisle. The seat unit may include a privacy door movable between a deployed position and a stowed position, wherein the privacy door is positioned between the main seat and the aisle, thereby at least partially enclosing the main seat from the aisle.

The height of the privacy wall may be at least 1090 millimeters (43 inches) when in the deployed position, as measured from the cabin floor. Preferably, the privacy wall may have a height of at least 1270 millimeters (50 inches), or even more preferably, a height of at least 1520 millimeters (60 inches), as measured from the cabin floor when in the deployed position.

The cabin may include a bulkhead movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the bulkhead is at least partially positioned in one of the first aisle or the second aisle, adjacent to at least one of the first main seat, the second main seat, and the third main seat, thereby at least partially blocking the first aisle or the second aisle.

In the deployed position, the bulkhead may block the first aisle or the second aisle such that a person cannot traverse the first aisle or the second aisle without moving the bulkhead from the deployed position. In the deployed position, the bulkhead may be positioned within the aisle such that it completely blocks the aisle. Thus, if the partition is not first removed, a person may not be able to pass through the aisle space between the second and third seat units, or between the first seat unit and the first porthole sidewall.

In the deployed position, the partition may be located between the second seat unit and the third seat unit, thereby at least partially blocking a second aisle between the second seat unit and the second seat unit. In the deployed position, the bulkhead may be positioned between the first seat unit and the porthole sidewall, thereby at least partially blocking a first aisle between the first seat unit and the porthole sidewall.

The first bulkhead is movable to a deployed position in the first aisle. The second bulkhead is movable to a deployed position in the second aisle. Other partitions may be deployed in the first aisle and/or the second aisle. A third bulkhead may be deployed in the first aisle. A fourth bulkhead may be deployed in the second aisle. Two bulkheads may be deployed adjacent the first seat unit, at spaced locations along the first aisle, to create a private space accessible only to the first seat unit. Two bulkheads may be deployed adjacent the second and third seat units, at spaced locations along the second aisle, to create a private space accessible only to the second and third seat units. The first row of seating units may be the only row of seating units in the cabin provided with a movable partition.

The nacelle may further comprise a floor, and one of the first main seat, the second main seat and the third main seat may be rotatably mounted on the nacelle floor. The first and/or second and/or third main seats may be rotatable at least 50 degrees, preferably at least 70 or 90 degrees. The first and/or second and/or third main seats may be rotated at least 140 degrees, preferably at least 160 degrees, or more preferably 180 degrees. The first and/or second and/or third main seats may be rotatable to face away from the aisle, and preferably to face away from another other main seat. The first row may extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and/or the aisle. The first and/or second and/or third main seats may be rotatable between a position in which the main seats face in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a position in which the first main seat and/or the second main seat and/or the third main seat face in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

The first and second main seats may be rotatably mounted on the cabin floor and may rotate to face the other main seat. The second and third main seats may be rotatably mounted on the cabin floor and may rotate to face the other main seat.

The aircraft cabin may comprise a first further seat unit and a second further seat unit, the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit being in a second row of seat units, the second row of seat units being located adjacent to the first row of seat units, the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit being separated from each other by a second aisle, each of the second seat unit, the third seat unit, the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit may comprise a main seat and a privacy wall located between the main seat and the aisle, the privacy wall being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the main seat is at least partially surrounded by the privacy wall, wherein the cabin optionally comprises an additional partition movable between the stowed position and the deployed position, wherein the additional partition is located at least partially in the aisle between the first further seat unit and the second further seat unit, thereby at least partially blocking the aisle.

Such an arrangement advantageously enables the creation of a substantially enclosed private space between the second, third, first and second further seat units, which private space is usable by a co-passenger in those seat units. The cabin may comprise further movable partitions and further rows of seat units located on both sides of the second aisle and configured in the same way as the second, third, first and second further seat units, so that spaces may be created between six, eight, etc. seat units located on both sides of the second aisle.

The aircraft cabin may comprise furniture pieces deployable into the first or second aisle. The piece of furniture may be a table. The piece of furniture may be a seat. The piece of furniture may be a display monitor, such as an in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen, a screen connectable to a Personal Electronic Device (PED), or a computer game screen. The piece of furniture may be an exercise device.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts for installation on an aircraft to provide an aircraft cabin of the first aspect of the invention, the kit of parts comprising a plurality of seating units and a privacy screen.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides an aircraft comprising an aircraft cabin according to the first aspect of the invention.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described together with reference to the invention, and vice versa.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which:

fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of an aircraft cabin according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a first, second and third seat unit of an aircraft cabin;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the first, second, and third seat units of the aircraft cabin with the bulkhead deployed into the first and second aisles;

fig. 4 is a perspective view of a first and a second seat unit of a part of an aircraft cabin according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of an aircraft cabin according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a portion of an aircraft cabin according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, shown with the seating unit privacy wall in a deployed position; and

fig. 7 is a top perspective view of a portion of the aircraft cabin shown in fig. 6 with the seating unit privacy wall in a stowed position.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a part of an aircraft cabin 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The nacelle 1 comprises three seat units 3, 5, 7, which three seat units 3, 5, 7 are arranged in a first row 8 across the entire nacelle between a first porthole sidewall 15 and a second, opposite porthole sidewall 16. The first aisle 11 is located adjacent to the first porthole side wall 15, whereby the first aisle 11 separates the first porthole side wall 15 and the first seat unit 3. The second seat unit 5 is located adjacent the first seat unit 3 and the third seat unit 7 is spaced from the second seat unit 5 by a second aisle 13, the third seat unit 7 being adjacent the second porthole side wall 16. The first and second gangways 11, 13 extend along the nacelle 1 substantially parallel to the first and second porthole side walls 15, 16.

The nacelle comprises a longitudinal axis X and each seating unit 3, 5, 7 comprises one seat 31, 51, 71 facing in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (towards the left as seen in fig. 1) and convertible into a bed. The front privacy walls 32, 52, 72 are located in front of each seat 31, 51, 71, the rear privacy walls 33, 53, 73 are located behind each seat, and the front privacy walls 32, 52, 72 and the rear privacy walls 33, 53, 73 extend to a height of 1520 millimeters (60 inches), as measured from the cabin floor, so as to surround the seats 31, 51, 71 from the front and rear.

The adjacent first and second seat units 3, 5 are separated by a privacy screen 17, which privacy screen 17 is shown in more detail in figure 2, and the privacy screen 17 can be stowed if a passenger located in the first and second seat units 3, 5 travels together, for example, and wishes to create a shared space between the first and second seat units 3, 5 during flight. The privacy screen 17 is shown deployed (raised) in fig. 2, wherein the screen 17 extends to a height of 1520 millimeters (60 inches), measured from the cabin floor, such that the screen 17 acts as a barrier between the first and second seat units 3, 5, thereby mitigating noise transmission between the first and second seat units and ensuring that a passenger seated in the seat 31 of the first seat unit 3 cannot see the second seat unit 5, and vice versa.

The privacy screen 17 is shown retracted (lowered) in fig. 3. It can be seen that a column foot 18 containing a recess into which the privacy screen 17 can be lowered is located between the first and second seat units 3, 5, so that a shared space can be created between the first and second seat units 3, 5 by stowing the privacy screen 17 in the column foot 18.

For example, during boarding, the aircraft crew and passengers require access through the first aisle 11 and the second aisle 13. However, when this passage is not required, for example during flight, the first aisle 11 between the first seat unit 3 and the porthole side wall 15 and the second aisle 13 between the second seat unit 5 and the third seat unit 7 may be blocked to convert the aisles 11, 13 into private spaces shared between the seat units on both sides of the aisles 11, 13.

As seen in more detail in fig. 3, the slidable partition 131 is movable to a deployed position, wherein the slidable partition 131 is located adjacent the front privacy walls 52, 72 of the second and third seat units 5, 7 to completely block the second aisle 13 at the front area of the seat units 5, 7. There is also a further slidable partition 132 movable to a deployed position, wherein the slidable partition 132 is located adjacent the rear privacy walls 53, 73 of the second and third seat units 5, 7 to completely block the second aisle 13 at the rear area of the seat units 5, 7.

Unfolding the partitions 131, 132 creates a substantially closed private space that is shared between the second and third seat units 5, 7. In this configuration, the table 130 may also be deployed in a second aisle between the second and third seating units 5, 7, as shown in fig. 3, so that passengers in the second and third seating units 5, 7 may share the table 130, e.g., eat together or work together.

Similarly, in the first aisle 11, the slidable partition 111 may be moved to a deployed position, wherein the slidable partition 111 is located adjacent to the front privacy wall 32 of the first seat unit 3 to completely block the first aisle 11 between the first seat unit 3 and the porthole side wall 15 at the front area of the seat unit 3. The other slidable partition 112 is movable to a deployed position in which the slidable partition 112 is located adjacent the rear privacy wall 33 of the first seat unit 3 to completely block the first aisle 11 between the first seat unit 3 and the porthole side wall 15 at the rear region of the seat unit 3.

Unfolding the partitions 111, 112 will create a substantially closed private space, including the space in the first aisle 11, which is accessible only by the first seat unit 3.

In fig. 4, a first seating unit 300 and a second seating unit 500 belonging to an aircraft cabin 200 according to a second embodiment of the invention are shown. The seats 301, 501 belonging to the first and second seat units 300, 500 are rotatably mounted on the cabin floor and can be rotated 90 degrees to a position where they face each other. During taxi, takeoff and landing (TTL), the seat may be rotated to a TTL position, with the seat facing forward, substantially in the direction of travel of the aircraft. However, during flight, the private screen may be stowed as shown in fig. 4 so that passengers sitting in the first and second seats 301, 501 may rotate their seats 301, 501 to face each other so they may, for example, eat or work together on a shared table top formed by the tables 304, 504 belonging to each seating unit 300, 500.

Fig. 5 shows a part of a nacelle 1' according to a third embodiment of the invention. The aircraft cabin 1' is substantially identical to the aircraft cabin 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. The features of the aircraft cabin 1 'of the third embodiment of the invention (also present in the aircraft cabin 1 of the first embodiment of the invention) have been marked in fig. 5 with the same reference numerals as used in fig. 1, but with the addition of' after the reference numerals. In addition to the features of the nacelle 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention, the nacelle 1 ' of the third embodiment of the invention further comprises a first aisle seat 115 ' and a second aisle seat 117 ' that can be deployed from a stowed position to the first aisle 11. During taxiing, take-off and landing, aisle seats 115 ', 117 ' may be stowed within the nacelle 1 '. However, as shown in fig. 5, during flight, the aisle seats 115 ', 117' may be deployed within the first aisle 11 'such that, for example, passengers and accompanying passengers of the first seating unit 3' may sit side by side on the aisle seats 115 ', 117'. Furthermore, the aircraft cabin 1 ' comprises a table top 119 ' which is mounted on the side wall 15 ' of the porthole and which extends into the first aisle 11 ' and is available for passengers sitting in the aisle seats 115 ' and 117 ', so that the passengers sitting in the aisle seats 115 ' and 117 ' can have meals or work together, for example, on the table top 119 '.

In fig. 6 and 7, a part of an aircraft cabin 100 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention is shown. The aircraft cabin 100 comprises a first row of seats 700, which first row of seats 700 comprises a first seat unit 73 and a second seat unit 75 separated by an aisle 900. The nacelle 100 further comprises a second seat unit 83 and a third seat unit 85 separated by a aisle 900 in the second row of seat units 800, wherein each seat unit 73, 75, 83, 85 comprises a seat 731, 751, 831, 851. Each seat unit includes privacy walls 736, 756, 836, 856 between its seat 731, 751, 831, 851 and aisle 900, enclosing the seat 731, 751, 831, 851 and acting as a barrier between the seat 731, 751, 831, 851 and the aisle 900.

Each of the privacy walls 736, 756, 836, 856 is shown in fig. 6 in a deployed position, in which the seats 731, 751, 831, 851 are surrounded by the privacy walls 736, 756, 836, 856. However, as shown in fig. 7, the privacy walls 736, 756, 836, 856 are each movable to a stowed position wherein the privacy walls 736, 756, 836, 856 can be lowered to a position where they no longer enclose the seats 731, 751, 831, 851, thereby removing the barrier between the seats 731, 751, 831, 851 and the aisle 900. As can be seen from fig. 7, when the privacy walls 736, 756, 836, 856 are lowered, one shared space may be created in the aisle 900 between the first, second, third and fourth seat units 73, 75, 83, 85. Furthermore, the bulkhead (not shown) may be moved across the aisle 900 to the deployed position in substantially the same manner as described with respect to the slidable bulkheads 111, 112, 131, 132 of the first embodiment of the invention such that the enclosed private space, including the space in the aisle 900, is shared between passengers seated in the seats 731, 751, 831, 851 of the first, second, third and fourth seat units 73, 75, 83, 85.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is applicable to many different variations not specifically shown herein. By way of example only, certain possible variations will now be described.

In some embodiments of the invention, there may be no column feet or other furniture between the first and second seat units, and the privacy screen may be lowered to a level below the first and second seats so that the first and second seats may be converted into a double bed. Alternatively, in some embodiments of the invention, a pedestal may be provided between the first seat unit and the second seat unit, wherein the pedestal is lower than the first seat and the second seat, such that the privacy screen may lower the privacy screen into the pedestal below the first seat and the second seat to convert the first seat and the second seat into a twin bed.

The partitions 111, 112, 131, 132 are configured to slide into position to block the first and second aisles 11, 13. However, in other embodiments of the invention, the bulkhead may be hinged, or alternatively may be completely detachable and stowed within a compartment somewhere within the aircraft cabin, for example. Alternatively, the barrier may be a curtain.

In another embodiment of the invention, similar to the second embodiment of the invention, a third seat unit located adjacent to a side wall of the nacelle is spaced apart from the second seat unit by an aisle. A third seat belonging to the third seat unit is rotatably mounted on the cabin floor and can be rotated 90 degrees to a position where it faces the adjacent side wall of the cabin. During taxi, takeoff and landing (TTL), the third seat may be rotated to a TTL position, where it faces forward, substantially in the direction of travel of the aircraft. However, during the course of flight, the third seat may rotate to face the side wall. In this position, a passenger sitting in the third seat may be able to use the tabletop between the third seat and the side wall for eating or working, for example.

Some embodiments of the invention may include one or more seats that may be rotated 180 degrees such that the seats may be rotated 90 degrees in a first direction or 90 degrees in a second, opposite direction from a forward facing position. Thus, such an arrangement may have the seat facing the aisle on a first side of the seat or facing an adjacent seat unit or side wall on a second side of the seat. Thus, adjacent seats may rotate to face away from and toward each other.

As shown in fig. 3, additionally or alternatively, for a table 130 that may be deployed into a first aisle, some embodiments of the invention may include other items of furniture that may be deployed into one or both of the first aisle and the second aisle. The item of furniture may include a table, additional seats, exercise equipment, and/or a display monitor, such as an in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen, a screen connectable to a Personal Electronic Device (PED), or a computer game screen.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to integers or elements having known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. The true scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims, which should be construed to cover any such equivalents. The reader will also appreciate that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Further, it should be understood that, although there may be benefits in some embodiments of the present invention, such alternative integers or features may not be desired in other embodiments and thus may not be present.