Aircraft Seat Bed Restraint Cover for Taxi Take-Off Landing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft passenger seats that convert to a bed configuration cannot be used during taxi, take-off, and landing due to safety regulations, which limits passenger comfort and sleep opportunities during short flights.
Innovation Solution
A cover or harness for an aircraft passenger seat featuring an inflatable bladder and trigger mechanism, designed to restrain a passenger's knees and prevent sliding during emergencies, allowing the seat to be used in bed configuration during TTL.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seat is kept in seat configuration during TTL to meet safety regulations, then safety compliance is improved, but passenger comfort and sleep opportunity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The seat configuration is made dynamic by allowing automatic transition between seat and bed configurations based on flight phase. The system uses sensors to detect TTL conditions and automatically adjusts the seat angle, deploying safety restraints only when needed, thus providing comfort during cruise while ensuring safety during critical phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters of the seat configuration dynamically. During TTL, the seat back angle is adjusted to a more upright position and safety restraints are deployed. During cruise, the seat transitions to a flat bed configuration with restraints stowed, optimizing comfort while maintaining safety compliance through parameter adjustment.
2Ease of operation
If the seat is converted to bed configuration during TTL, then passenger comfort is improved, but safety regulation compliance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seat configuration is made dynamic by allowing automatic transition between seat and bed configurations based on flight phase. The system uses sensors to detect TTL conditions and automatically adjusts the seat angle, deploying safety restraints only when needed, thus providing comfort during cruise while ensuring safety during critical phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting TTL conditions in advance and automatically adjusting the seat configuration before the critical phase begins. Safety restraints are pre-deployed and the seat is pre-positioned in a safe configuration, ensuring compliance is achieved proactively rather than reactively.
3Reliability
If safety restraints are deployed during TTL, then injury prevention is improved, but passenger freedom of movement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Safety restraints are deployed periodically only during critical phases (TTL) rather than continuously. The system uses sensors to detect when the aircraft is in TTL mode and automatically deploys restraints at those specific times, keeping them stowed during cruise to maintain passenger freedom while providing protection when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety restraint system operates autonomously by detecting flight phase through sensors and automatically deploying or stowing restraints as needed. The system serves itself by monitoring aircraft state and adjusting restraint deployment without requiring manual intervention, providing injury prevention during TTL while maintaining freedom during cruise.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables passengers to safely use their seats in bed configuration during TTL, enhancing comfort and sleep opportunities while maintaining compliance with safety regulations.
Implementation Method 1
an inflatable bladder, and a trigger mechanism for triggering inflation of the inflatable bladder
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a cover for an aircraft passenger using a bed surface of an aircraft passenger seat, comprising an attachment mechanism for attaching the cover to the seat, an inflatable bladder, and a trigger mechanism for triggering inflation of the bladder, the bladder being configured to cover a knee region of the bed surface. The invention also provides a harness for the aircraft passenger, comprising an attachment mechanism for attaching the harness to the seat, a number of straps for extending around the passenger, and a fastening mechanism for fastening one or more of the straps in place around the passenger, wherein the number of straps includes at least one of a crotch strap and a torso strap. The invention also provides an aircraft passenger seat unit comprising a seat convertible to a bed, the bed being provided with a cover or harness.