Prepare to Get Cozy With the “Cuddle Chair” — Boeing’s Latest & Snuggliest Patent

Patent application for Boeing “Cuddle Chair” could afford travelers a new means of getting comfy on aircraft.

In an attempt to improve the passenger experience, Boeing’s “Cuddle Chair” seat design was recently awarded a patent. The Wichita Business Journal reports the patent, filed in August 2013 and approved on March 24, creates a new kind of resting support for upright seats in economy class.

Unlike the Air New Zealand “Cuddle Class” product, the Boeing Cuddle Chair is self-contained to a single passenger and designed to create a more comfortable resting position. If the Cuddle Chair concept comes to fruition, flyers who wish to rest can retrieve the support from a backpack-style device near their seat. This can then be attached to two anchors on the seat that tether the backpack-like support in front of the passenger. From there, passengers unfold the support and lean forward to rest against it. Patent Yogi published the following video to show just how the Cuddle Chair works:

According to the patent filing, Boeing says it based the Cuddle Chair on the natural tendencies of the body and touted it as far superior to traditional neck pillows. “The personal neck pillow is also not a highly successful option due to the natural tendency of a sleeper to relax their muscles and fall to a more horizontal position,” read a portion of the patent. “It is therefore desirable to provide an integrated system attachable to vehicle transport seats for upright support of a seated passenger in a comfortable position for sleep.”

Boeing’s patent is the latest in a series of patents filed in recent months aimed at providing a better in-cabin experience. In March, British Airways filed patents for unique new seat designs across all cabins, and Airbus filed a patent shortly thereafter for interactive “smart” window technology.

[Photo: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office; Video: PatentYogi]