Aircraft Cabin Crossbeam Guide With Integrated Electrical Strip
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for guiding a transverse crosspiece in airplane cabins lack modular design and efficient electrical connectivity for power supply and signal transmission, limiting their modularity and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a longitudinal guide slide with a groove containing a flexible circuit strip with conductive tracks and pads for electrical connection, allowing for modular assembly and efficient power and signal transmission, and includes a guide carriage with rolling elements and locking mechanisms for stable positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional rigid guide structures are used for the crosspiece, then structural stability is maintained, but modularity and adaptability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is divided into modular components: a guide slide with groove, a guide carriage with rolling elements, and separate electrical connection components. This segmentation allows each component to be independently manufactured, assembled, and configured, achieving high modularity while maintaining structural stability through precise mechanical interfaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electrical connections are integrated into the guide structure, then power supply capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Electrical connection elements are integrated into the guide slide structure by forming conductive tracks within the groove and providing electrical contact elements that cooperate with the guide carriage. This merging of electrical and mechanical functions into a single integrated component enables power supply capability while avoiding the need for separate complex wiring systems, thus improving ease of manufacture.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the guide carriage includes rolling elements and locking mechanisms, then positioning stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide carriage incorporates rolling elements that provide automatic positioning stability through rolling contact, and locking mechanisms that engage automatically at designated positions. These self-service features maintain positioning stability without requiring external control systems or complex actuation mechanisms, thereby improving stability while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
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
This design enhances modularity, aerodynamic efficiency, and electrical connectivity, enabling flexible positioning and reliable power supply and signal transmission for the transverse crosspiece, improving cabin division and passenger compartment management.
Implementation Method 1
A guide carriage (34) is received in the groove (40) of the guide slide (36) and comprises rolling elements which cooperate with the groove
Implementation Method 2
The internal wall of the groove comprises at least one longitudinal electrical conductive track with which electrical contact elements can cooperate which are carried by the guide carriage
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly of the type that comprises a guiding slide (36) consisting of a groove (40) having an inner wall which defines longitudinal guiding and/or rolling channels for complementary elements (92) borne by a guiding and/or rolling carriage (34) which is connected to a sub-assembly. The invention is characterised in that the inner wall of the groove (40) comprises at least one longitudinal electrical strip conductor (180) with which electrical contact means (190) can co-operate, said electrical contact means being borne by the guiding carriage (34) and being electrically connected to at least one associated electrical and/or electronic component of the sub-assembly. The invention can be used to guide an upper cross beam supporting a transverse element that is used to divide the internal space of an aircraft cabin.