Adjustable Aircraft Ottoman With Sliding Resting Surface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Passenger seats in premium aircraft cabins often have limited movement relative to the ottoman, making it inaccessible to passengers of shorter stature, reducing their comfort and enjoyment during flights.

Innovation Solution

An ottoman with a resting surface that can extend towards the passenger seat through sliding, rotating, or a combination of both motions, actuated by manual or mechanical means, allowing adjustable positioning to accommodate passengers of varying heights.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the ottoman is positioned at a fixed distance from the passenger seat to accommodate bed mode, then the seat-ottoman configuration works for most adults, but passengers of shorter stature cannot reach the ottoman with their feet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of different passenger staturesVSAvoidaccessibility to ottoman
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The ottoman incorporates a movable resting surface that can extend toward the passenger seat through sliding, rotating, or combined motions. This dynamic adjustment mechanism allows the resting surface to move between a retracted position (for bed mode) and an extended position (for accessibility), enabling passengers of varying statures to reach and use the ottoman effectively while preserving the bed mode functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the resting surface is made extendable towards the passenger seat, then accessibility for shorter passengers is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility to ottomanVSAvoidmechanism for extending resting surface
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ottoman is divided into distinct functional components: a base, a resting surface, and an actuation assembly. The resting surface can be segmented into movable portions that extend independently toward the passenger seat. This segmentation allows the extendable functionality to be added as a separate module rather than redesigning the entire ottoman structure, thereby managing complexity while achieving accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An actuation assembly serves as an intermediary mechanism between the passenger's input (manual or automated) and the resting surface movement. This intermediary component simplifies the user interaction by providing a dedicated control interface and mechanical transmission system that converts simple user input into the complex motion required to extend the resting surface, thereby reducing the perceived complexity for the end user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3812275B1Adjustable ottoman
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 BE AEROSPACE INC
  • EP3812275B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3812275B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3812275B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An ottoman for an aircraft passenger seat is disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the ottoman may include a base (114). The ottoman may include a frame (116). The ottoman may include a shell (120). The ottoman may include a resting surface (132). The ottoman may include an actuation assembly (136). The actuation assembly is configured to actuating the resting surface from a first actuation position relative to the base. The ottoman may include an attachment surface (140). The attachment surface provides and anchor point for the actuation assembly.