Angled Aircraft Seat Modules for Compact Lie-Flat Cabin Layouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft seat arrangements in cabins do not effectively utilize space and provide sufficient comfort and variability, particularly in terms of seat orientation and layout.
Innovation Solution
Aircraft seat modules are designed to be mounted at an angle of more than 30° away from the central aisle towards a window, forming a planar lying-down surface, with identical enclosure units separating adjacent modules, and include adjustable and fixed table elements, console units, and monitor units to enhance comfort and space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If aircraft seat modules are mounted at an angle of more than 30° away from the central aisle towards the window, then the lying-down surface length is increased and comfort is improved, but the cabin space utilization becomes more compact and requires precise enclosure unit separation
Solution Approach 1:
The seat modules are mounted at an angle of more than 30° relative to the cabin middle axis, transitioning from conventional perpendicular mounting to an inclined arrangement. This angular dimensionality change allows the lying-down surface to extend further in the longitudinal direction while maintaining compact transverse dimensions, effectively increasing length without proportionally increasing area occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cabin interior is divided into separate seat regions by identical enclosure units positioned between adjacent seat modules. This segmentation creates distinct, delimited spaces for each seat module, enabling precise control over space utilization and allowing the angled seating arrangement to fit within the overall cabin footprint without requiring additional certification.
2Ease of manufacture
If identical enclosure units are used to separate adjacent seat modules, then manufacturing complexity is reduced and consistency is improved, but the ability to customize individual seat regions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Identical enclosure units are designed to serve multiple functions: they separate adjacent seat modules, define the boundaries of each seat region, and can be configured to accommodate the angled mounting of seat modules at more than 30°. These standardized units provide consistent delimitation across all seat modules while simplifying manufacturing through repeated use of the same component design.
3Ease of operation
If the aircraft seat is configured to form an at least substantially planar lying-down surface, then passenger comfort in lying-down position is improved, but the structural complexity of the seat increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft seat is designed with dynamic adjustment capabilities, allowing it to transition between a conventional sitting position and a lying-down position. The seat structure incorporates mechanical or electro-mechanical systems that enable the backrest and seat bottom to align and form a substantially planar surface when in the lying-down position, providing comfort without requiring a completely different structural design for each position.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft seat arrangement includes a first aircraft seat module delimiting an aircraft seat region, the aircraft seat module includes an aircraft seat to be mounted in the aircraft cabin at an angle of more than 30°, to be oriented away from a central aisle towards a window and to form a substantially planar lying-down surface. The aircraft seat module includes one or more enclosure units delimiting the aircraft seat region at least partially, and includes one or more further aircraft seat modules arranged directly neighboring the first aircraft seat module and delimiting a further aircraft seat region. The further aircraft seat module also includes an enclosure unit which delimits the aircraft seat region at least partially, is realized substantially identically to the enclosure unit of the first aircraft seat module, and separates the aircraft seat regions of the first and second aircraft seat modules.