Aircraft Armrest Pinch Point Elimination via Guard and Hinge Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft armrests with rigid structures pose pinch point hazards that can cause injury when lowered or raised, as they introduce crushing, bending, or shearing risks to passengers' hands or arms.
Innovation Solution
An armrest assembly design featuring a mount bracket, a leaf, and a hinge pin with internal interference stops and a guard to prevent pinch points, allowing the armrest to move safely between vertical and horizontal positions by using a hinge pin with stop posts and a slotted aperture, and a gasket sleeve to control velocity and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid armrest structure is used to provide stability and support, then the armrest can maintain its position effectively, but it creates pinch point hazards that can crush, bend, or shear a passenger's hand or arm during movement
Solution Approach 1:
A guard member is introduced as an intermediary component that covers the pinch point area formed between the armrest and mount bracket during movement. The guard member acts as a protective barrier that prevents passenger contact with the hazardous pinch point region while allowing the rigid armrest structure to maintain its stability and support function.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest assembly is segmented into multiple components including the armrest, mount bracket, and guard member. This segmentation allows the guard member to be positioned specifically at the pinch point hazard area to provide protection, while the armrest and mount bracket maintain their structural integrity and stability functions.
2Ease of operation
If external lower stops or interference are used to provide a rigid armrest with horizontal orientation, then the armrest maintains its desired position, but it introduces pinch point hazards that can injure passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member serves as an intermediary protective element that covers the pinch point hazard created by the external lower stop or interference mechanism. It allows the stop to maintain its positioning function while preventing direct contact between the passenger and the hazardous area where the stop interacts with the armrest.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the armrest is designed to rotate into vertical orientation to provide seating flexibility and ease of movement, then passenger mobility is improved, but multiple pinch points are encountered during the rotation movement
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation mechanism is segmented with a guard member that specifically covers the pinch point areas encountered during armrest rotation. This allows the armrest to maintain its adaptability for different seating configurations while the guard member provides continuous protection during the movement from horizontal to vertical orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member acts as a protective intermediary that covers the pinch points generated during the rotation movement between horizontal and vertical armrest positions, enabling the versatile seating arrangements while preventing passenger injury during the transition.
Data Source
AI summary
An armrest assembly for seats on an aircraft includes a mount bracket and a leaf that is movable relative to the mount bracket. A hinge pin interacts with at least a portion of the mount bracket and the leaf. The leaf rotates about the hinge pin to raise and lower the armrest assembly.