Removable Arm Rest Shroud for Aircraft Seats
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft passenger seat armrests are complex and time-consuming to upholster due to integration with the seat upholstery, and repairs are difficult without removing the seat from the aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A removable arm rest shroud design that attaches to the seat frame with snap-fit and screw connections, allowing separate upholstery and easy removal for repair, featuring a box-like structure with an open bottom for installation over the structural arm rest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the arm rest upholstery is integrated with the seat upholstery, then the structural integrity is improved, but the upholstery process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The arm rest is divided into two separate components: a structural arm rest box providing structural integrity, and a removable shroud containing the upholstery. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the structural box maintains strength while the shroud can be easily removed and reupholstered separately, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and upholstery complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the arm rest is permanently attached to the seat, then the structural stability is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The arm rest system is segmented into a permanently attached structural box and a removable shroud. The structural box remains stably attached to the seat frame, while the shroud can be removed and reinstalled. This allows repairs to be performed on the shroud independently without compromising the structural stability of the overall arm rest assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The shroud is designed with dynamic attachment characteristics - it can be permanently attached during initial assembly to ensure stability, but can also be easily removed and reattached for repairs. This dynamic approach allows the same component to provide both structural stability during normal use and ease of repair when needed.
3Manufacturing precision
If the seat is removed from the aircraft for arm rest repair, then the repair quality is improved, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the arm rest into a structural box and a removable shroud, the repair work can be confined to the shroud component only. This allows repairs to be performed on-site without removing the entire seat from the aircraft, maintaining repair quality while eliminating the time loss associated with complete seat removal and reinstallation.
4Device complexity
If the arm rest shroud is made as a single integrated piece, then the device simplicity is improved, but the adaptability for separate upholstery deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud is designed as a simple box-like structure with segmented panels (front, rear, side panels) that are separately attachable to the structural arm rest box. This segmentation provides adaptability for separate upholstery of each panel while maintaining relative structural simplicity through the modular box design, allowing different upholstery patterns or materials on different panels.
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft passenger seat having a seat bottom, a seat back, and right and left armrests. The arm rests include structural arm rest assemblies for attachment to the seat bottom, and arm rests for being removably-positioned on the structural arm rest panels. Upholstery shrouds are adapted for being positioned on and covering the right and left arm rests. The shrouds are easily removed and installed as needed.