Aircraft Seat Backrest Segmentation for Design Freedom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft seats, particularly VIP seats, are heavy and voluminous, limiting design options and space in the cabin, and existing structural measures restrict creative freedom in seat design, necessitating new designs for external appearance changes and aviation law approval.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft seat with a backrest assembly featuring a central continuous support connected to a seat bottom assembly via an adjustable bending device, using separate upholstery support elements and a pneumatic module for spring-loaded rotation, allowing for minimal mechanical dimensions and maximum design freedom, with features like angular adjustment and flexible connections for enhanced comfort and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional structural measures are used for aircraft seats, then mechanical strength and stability are ensured, but design freedom is limited and creative freedom for seat design is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The backrest assembly is divided into a central support structure and multiple separate upholstery support elements. The central support provides the mechanical backbone while the upholstery elements can be independently configured, allowing design variation without structural changes. This segmentation enables different upholstery arrangements (single piece, multiple pieces, varying shapes) on a common mechanical base.
Solution Approach 2:
The central support structure serves as a universal base that can accommodate various upholstery configurations. The same mechanical carrier can support different numbers, shapes, and arrangements of upholstery elements, allowing one structural design to fulfill multiple aesthetic and functional requirements without requiring structural modifications or re-approval.
2Ease of operation
If thick padding is used in the backrest assembly, then passenger comfort is improved, but weight increases and construction volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upholstery support elements are made rotatable and spring-loaded, allowing them to dynamically adapt to passenger contact. Instead of relying on thick static padding, the elements can rotate and flex to provide comfort, achieving similar comfort effects with thinner, lighter construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the functional parameters of the support elements by adding rotatability and spring loading. This transforms rigid, thickness-dependent comfort into movement-dependent comfort, allowing thin elements to provide adequate support through their ability to rotate and flex rather than through material thickness.
3Ease of operation
If VIP aircraft seats with high comfort standard are designed, then passenger comfort is improved, but weight increases and volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backrest is segmented into a narrow central support (carrier with width less than 200 mm) and multiple protruding upholstery elements. This segmentation allows the mechanical volume to be minimized while the upholstery elements extend outward to provide the perceived seat width and comfort, reducing overall construction volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The upholstery support elements use thin, flexible structures that can rotate and flex rather than thick rigid padding. These thin film-like elements provide comfort through their flexibility and movement capability rather than through bulk, significantly reducing the volume required for comfort provision.
4Ease of manufacture
If fixed backrest structure is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but design flexibility for different appearances is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The backrest assembly separates the structural component (central support) from the aesthetic components (upholstery elements). The central support remains a simple, fixed structure easy to manufacture, while the upholstery elements can be independently designed, shaped, and arranged to create different appearances without affecting the structural simplicity or requiring structural re-manufacturing.
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 a lightweight, compact aircraft seat with high design flexibility, improved comfort, and safety features, such as adjustable seating positions and enhanced safety during critical flight phases, while maintaining compliance with aviation regulations without requiring structural changes.
Implementation Method 1
Furthermore, the backrest assembly (2) comprises at least one pneumatic module (13) arranged between at least one upholstery support element (5) and the support (3)
Implementation Method 2
at least one cushion support element is spring-loaded and rotatable by at least 1° relative to the support
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to an aircraft seat (1) having a backrest assembly (2). The backrest assembly (2) comprises a central, continuous carrier (3) extending into the upper backrest region, and the backrest assembly (2) is centrally connected to a seat base assembly (4) via the carrier (3). The backrest assembly (2) further comprises a plurality of cushion carrier elements (5), wherein the cushion carrier elements (5) are arranged in a substantially separate manner on the carrier (3), said cushion carrier elements (5) protruding the central carrier (3) on both sides.