Aircraft Double Bench Seat With Convertible Double-Bed Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft seat layouts on long-haul flights provide limited movement and comfort for passengers traveling together, such as couples or families, as they often consist of individual seats with little latitude for sharing space.
Innovation Solution
A double bench seat design that allows two twin seats to convert between chair-like and bed-like positions, forming a continuous horizontal surface for a double bed, with shared backrests and adjustable separation walls, enabling enhanced space utilization and comfort for two passengers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual seats are used with little latitude of movement, then each passenger has a defined personal space, but passengers traveling together cannot share space freely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two individual seats into a single double bench seat unit with a shared backrest structure. The two twin seats share common structural elements including the backrest framework and shell integration, allowing passengers to occupy the same physical space while maintaining individual seating positions. This merging enables couples or family members to sit closer together while the seat remains a single operational unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates mobile backrests that can be independently adjusted by each passenger. The backrests are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing each passenger to adjust their backrest position according to their comfort needs. This dynamic feature provides movement freedom while maintaining the shared space configuration, resolving the contradiction between space sharing and operational flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If twin seats are converted to bed-like position, then comfort for lying down is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the double bench seat into two independent twin seat units, each with its own backrest and seat cushion that can be independently converted between chair-like and bed-like positions. This segmentation allows each passenger to convert their side without affecting the other, simplifying the overall conversion mechanism compared to a unified system. The modular approach reduces structural complexity while maintaining comfort functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the twin seats with universal conversion capability, where each seat can function both as a chair-like seating position and as a bed-like lying position. The same structural elements (backrest, seat cushion, and support mechanisms) serve multiple functions depending on their configuration. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate structures for seating and sleeping, reducing overall device complexity while providing comfort in both positions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If backrests are incorporated into shared vertical shell, then a common backrest for two passengers is formed, but the individuality of each seat is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shared vertical shell into two distinct zones, each housing its own backrest structure. While the shell provides a common outer framework that creates the shared space appearance, the internal backrests remain separate and can be independently adjusted. This segmentation maintains seat individuality within the shared configuration, reducing the complexity of coordinating two fully integrated backrests while still achieving the shared space effect.
4Ease of operation
If mobile separation wall is introduced to separate twin seats, then privacy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a mobile separation wall that can be moved between positions to create privacy when needed. The wall is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing passengers to adjust the level of separation according to their privacy needs. This dynamic feature provides privacy on demand without requiring a permanently complex separated structure, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the ability to isolate when required.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure concerns a double bench seat for transport craft passengers having a sitting configuration and a lying configuration, and including a substantially vertical shell surrounding two independent twin seats. The two twin seats are oriented along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, the two twin seats each assume, independently of one another, at least one chair-like position and one bed-like position, the two twin seats include a backrest and a seat, in the bed-like position, the two twin seats are extended by an extension. When the double bench seat is in the lying configuration, the two twin seats are in the bed-like position and arranged to be at the same height and to form a continuous horizontal surface with a width and length adapted to form a double bed that can accommodate two lying persons.