Lightweight Aircraft Privacy Screen with Textile Shell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft privacy assemblies are heavy and bulky, making them inefficient for providing effective visual, noise, and physical privacy for passengers due to structural and safety concerns, necessitating a lighter and more versatile solution.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight privacy screen comprising a frame with a textile shell and a sound-absorbing layer, designed to wrap around a passenger seat, which can be easily installed and removed, and includes features for attaching to a rigid structural shell, providing both visual and sound privacy while being adaptable for various configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a solid composite assembly is used to provide physical privacy, then visual and sound separation is improved, but weight and bulk increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The privacy assembly is divided into separate components: a rigid structural framework that provides support and attachment, and a flexible textile shell that provides visual and sound privacy. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall weight while maintaining privacy functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional solid composite construction with a flexible textile shell that wraps around the rigid frame. The textile shell provides visual opacity and sound absorption without the weight and bulk of solid composite materials, while still maintaining the required privacy separation.
2Strength
If a rigid composite assembly is used to withstand physical shock, then structural strength is improved, but weight and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The structural requirements are assigned to the rigid frame components which are strategically positioned to withstand physical shock and attachment forces, while the textile shell handles only the privacy functions. This segmentation allows the minimum necessary rigid structure to be used, reducing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly combines rigid materials for the frame (to withstand shock and provide structural integrity) with flexible textile materials for the shell (to provide privacy without excessive weight). This composite approach optimizes the weight-strength ratio by assigning each material to its most effective function.
3Ease of operation
If a lightweight textile shell is used to reduce weight, then ease of installation is improved, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly separates structural functions (handled by the rigid frame) from privacy functions (handled by the textile shell). This allows the textile shell to be lightweight and easy to install while the rigid frame provides the necessary structural integrity to withstand physical demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid frame acts as an intermediary between the aircraft structure and the textile shell, providing structural support and attachment points. This intermediary allows the textile shell to be lightweight and easily installed while maintaining overall structural integrity through the frame's strength.
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 offers improved passenger privacy with reduced weight and bulk, enhancing comfort and safety by providing effective sound attenuation and visual separation without compromising structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a sound-absorbing layer positioned within the frame and surrounded by the textile shell
Data Source
AI summary
Described are privacy screens and privacy assemblies for passenger seats including a frame defining a perimeter of the privacy screen and shaped to partially wrap around a portion of a passenger seat, a textile shell connected with and surrounding the frame, and a sound-absorbing layer positioned within the frame and surrounded by the textile shell for conferring physical, visual, and sound privacy for an occupant.