Adjustable Table Stop Assembly for Level Tray Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tray tables in passenger seats face issues with maintaining a level surface during flight due to variations in aircraft attitude and wear over time, leading to excessive wear on the support structure.
Innovation Solution
A table stop assembly with a mounting block, stop, and arm knuckle that allows adjustable tilt of the tray table surface, featuring a stop that can be positioned relative to a receptacle to achieve a desired angle, and a durable, replaceable support structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tray table surface is fixed at a predetermined angle, then the structure is simple and durable, but the surface cannot maintain levelness during flight due to aircraft attitude variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tray table surface angle adjustable rather than fixed. The support structure includes an adjustable mechanism that allows the tray table to be positioned at different angles, enabling it to adapt to varying aircraft attitudes during flight and maintain surface levelness dynamically.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the tray table surface angle to be varied. The support structure provides adjustment capability so that the angle parameter can be changed to compensate for aircraft nose-up attitude variations, ensuring the tray table remains level throughout the flight.
2Volume of stationary object
If the tray table uses a small support structure for compactness, then the device size is reduced, but excessive wear occurs at the contact location due to repeated use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the support structure into separate, modular components. This allows the support structure to be compact while distributing the load and wear across multiple elements rather than concentrating stress at a single contact point, thereby improving durability without increasing overall size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by designing the support structure with replaceable wear components. When parts of the support structure experience excessive wear, they can be easily replaced without discarding the entire support structure, thus maintaining reliability while keeping the overall device compact.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention include a table stop assembly comprising a mounting block having at least one receptacle, at least one stop coupled to the receptacle, and at least one arm knuckle. The arm knuckle includes a side, a first end, and a second end, wherein the side is pivotally coupled to the mounting block, the first end is pivotally coupled to a tray table, and the second end is configured to contact the stop when the tray table is in a deployed position. In some embodiments, the position of the stop is adjustable relative to the receptacle. In other embodiments, the tray table in the deployed position comprises a surface that forms an angle relative to a horizontal axis that is controlled by the position of the stop.