Aircraft Companion Seat Backrest Conversion for Shared Cabin Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft seat units, particularly those in first or business class, often have companion seats that are uncomfortable for long periods, making it undesirable for passengers to sit in them, especially when sharing meals with the main seat passenger.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a moveable seat element that can transition between a stowed position as an additional support surface for the main passenger and a deployed position as a backrest for the companion passenger, allowing for dual functionality and enhanced comfort, with the seat pan surface being angled to prevent forward falling and the moveable seat element being rotatable and slidable for easy deployment and stowage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a companion seat is provided in the aircraft seat unit, then it can serve as additional seating or support surface, but it is uncomfortable for companion passengers to sit on for long periods due to lack of backrest
Solution Approach 1:
The seat element is made movable between a stowed position (providing support surface) and a deployed position (providing backrest). This dynamic transformation allows the same structure to serve different functions, resolving the contradiction between versatility and comfort by adapting the configuration based on usage needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The companion seat is divided into functional segments: the seat pan and the movable seat element. The seat element can be independently moved between stowed and deployed positions, allowing the backrest function to be separated from the support surface while maintaining a compact form when not in use.
2Ease of operation
If a moveable seat element is added to provide backrest functionality, then comfort for companion passenger is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable seat element serves multiple functions: it provides the backrest surface when deployed, and forms part of the support surface when stowed. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while still improving comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The backrest function is merged with the existing seat element structure rather than adding a completely separate backrest mechanism. The seat element combines both support and backrest functions in a single component that can transform between configurations, reducing overall structural complexity.
3Reliability
If the seat pan surface is angled to prevent forward falling, then safety is improved, but the geometric constraints on moveable seat element increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seat pan surface is designed with an asymmetric angle relative to the horizontal plane, creating a natural anti-forward-fall configuration. This asymmetric geometry passively enhances safety without requiring additional active control mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity despite the geometric constraint.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 2c~3a
AI summary
The present invention provides an aircraft seat unit (100) comprising a main seat (105), and a companion seat (106), the main seat and the companion seat facing each other, wherein the companion seat comprises a seat pan (112), providing a seat pan surface (115), and a moveable seat element (120), the moveable seat element being moveable in relation to the seat pan between a stowed position, in which the companion seat provides an additional support surface (121) for a main passenger in the main seat, and a deployed position, in which the moveable seat element provides a backrest surface (124) for a companion passenger in the companion seat. The invention also provides a method of deploying and a method of stowing a companion seat.