Aircraft Seat System Rear Offset Bench Lying Surface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft seat systems lack enhanced comfort and privacy features, particularly in terms of seating arrangement and personal space, which are crucial for passenger comfort during flights.

Innovation Solution

The aircraft seat system incorporates a passenger seat area with a bench area that forms a lying surface, featuring a pivotable bench element and adjustable seating positions, along with a console area and storage space, to provide increased comfort and privacy by allowing passengers to customize their seating and utilize additional space efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the seat base unit is offset rearward relative to the bench area, then privacy for the passenger is improved, but the structural complexity of the seating system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveprivacyVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seating system is divided into separate functional modules: a bench area for seating, a seat base unit that can be offset, and a backrest unit. This segmentation allows the seat base unit to be positioned independently to create privacy shields while maintaining overall system manageability through modular construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The backrest unit is pivotally connected to the seat base unit, allowing it to be nested against the seat base unit when not in use. This nesting capability enables the components to store compactly while still providing the offset positioning needed for privacy when deployed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Area of stationary object

If the bench area is arranged perpendicular to the seating direction, then the lying surface area is increased, but the space utilization in the aircraft cabin is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelying surface areaVSAvoidspace utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The backrest unit is designed to be pivotally connected to the seat base unit, enabling it to dynamically adjust between an upright position for normal seating and a reclined position for lying down. This dynamic capability allows the same space to serve multiple functions, improving space utilization while providing adequate lying surface area when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The bench area is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides seating during the flight and can be combined with the reclined backrest unit to create a lying surface. This multi-functionality allows the perpendicular arrangement to provide both seating and lying capabilities without permanently dedicating space that could be used for other purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If additional passenger seating area is arranged behind the bench area, then privacy is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveprivacyVSAvoidseating arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seating system is segmented into distinct areas: the bench area, the offset seat base unit, and the additional passenger seating area arranged behind. This segmentation creates natural privacy zones without requiring complex partitioning structures, as the staggered arrangement of seating areas itself provides visual and physical separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The additional passenger seating area is positioned asymmetrically behind the bench area rather than directly adjacent to it. This asymmetric arrangement creates overlapping visual barriers that enhance privacy while maintaining a relatively simple overall layout that avoids the complexity of symmetric, evenly-spaced configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3174792B1Aircraft seat system
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 RECARO AIRCRAFT SEATING GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3174792B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3174792B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3174792B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention is based on an aircraft seat system having at least one passenger-seat region (10a; 10b; 10c; 10d), which has at least one seat region (12a; 12b; 12c; 12d) and at least one bench region (14a; 14b; 14c; 14d), which is arranged on one side of the seat region (12a; 12b; 12c; 12d), as seen in a transverse direction (18a) oriented at least substantially perpendicularly to a seat direction (16a), and has a bench surface (20a; 20b; 20c; 20d) which, at least in an operational state, forms a lying surface (26a; 26b; 26c; 26d) along with at least one seat-base unit (22a; 22b; 22c; 22d) of the seat region (12a; 12b; 12c; 12d). It is proposed that the seat-base unit (22a; 22b; 22c; 22d) should be offset to the rear, as seen in the seat direction (16a), in relation to the at least one bench region (14a; 14b; 14c; 14d).