Adjustable Interior Mockup Using Flexible Fabric and Frame
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft interior mockups are time-consuming and costly to construct, requiring significant machined materials and often necessitate re-fabrication due to unanticipated customer comfort issues, leading to project delays and increased expenses.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable interior mockup system featuring a modifiable structural frame with adjustable arms and a flexible panel, allowing for quick and cost-effective simulation of three-dimensional structures, enabling designers to make educated decisions on seating and other arrangements without the need for extensive rework.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional machined materials are used to construct interior mockups, then the mockup accurately represents the aircraft interior structure, but the construction time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible materials to create a simplified copy of the aircraft interior structure rather than using actual machined materials. This allows the mockup to represent the essential geometry and spatial relationships while being much faster and cheaper to construct. The flexible material conforming to a frame creates an accurate enough representation for design evaluation purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters from rigid machined materials to flexible materials that can be easily adjusted. This parameter change allows the mockup to be quickly reconfigured by modifying the underlying frame structure, thereby reducing construction time while maintaining sufficient accuracy for interior layout evaluation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional machined materials are used to construct interior mockups, then the mockup provides structural stability, but the cost of construction and re-fabrication increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a functional copy of the interior structure using flexible materials over a frame, which provides sufficient stability for design evaluation without requiring expensive machined materials. The frame structure provides the necessary stability while the flexible material allows for easier and cheaper manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive flexible materials that can be easily replaced or reconfigured if design changes are needed, eliminating the need for costly re-fabrication of entire mockups. This approach accepts that the mockup may need frequent modifications and uses materials that are economical for this purpose.
3Shape
If traditional machined materials are used for mockup construction, then the mockup maintains its shape, but modifications require complete re-fabrication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible materials that can dynamically adapt to different configurations by changing the underlying frame structure. This allows the mockup to maintain its shape for evaluation purposes while enabling easy modifications through frame adjustment rather than complete re-fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the mockup into a modular frame structure with flexible material panels, allowing individual sections to be modified independently. This segmentation enables localized changes to the interior layout without requiring complete re-fabrication of the entire mockup structure.
4Manufacturing precision
If complete re-fabrication is performed for design modifications, then the updated mockup accurately reflects new design requirements, but project timelines are delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic mockup system where the frame structure can be quickly reconfigured to reflect new design requirements. This allows accurate representation of modified designs without the time penalty of complete re-fabrication, as only the frame needs adjustment while the flexible material adapts accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a pre-fabricated flexible material covering that can be easily repositioned and reconfigured. This preliminary preparation of the flexible material allows for quick adaptations when design changes are needed, maintaining accuracy while preserving project timelines.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for simulating a structure is disclosed. An adjustable interior mockup for simulating a structure has a base with a first elongated side and a second elongated side, the first elongated side being nonadjacent the second elongated side; and an adjustable frame secured to the base. The adjustable frame includes a plurality of girder members secured along the first and second elongated sides to form an arc; a plurality of brackets; a plurality of arms having a latch attached to one end; and a sheet of fabric. The girders are securely fastened along the first elongated side of the base at predetermined intervals; the brackets are secured to the girders; the arms are received by the brackets and adjustably anchored to the girders via a fastener; and the latches engage the sheet of fabric, thus pulling the fabric into a shape that resembles the structure.