Armchair comprising an adjustable headrest
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft seat headrests face challenges in providing adjustable support that is lightweight, reliable, and does not compromise the structure or mass of the seat, while also maintaining aesthetic integration and ergonomic adaptability for varying passenger sizes.
Innovation Solution
A headrest system with a rigid arm hinged on two pivot links, one at the top of the backrest and another near the head cushion, allowing vertical, longitudinal, and tilt adjustments without interfering with the seat's padding, using a single or multiple blade-shaped arms that pivot around the backrest without altering its shape, and featuring a braking mechanism for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the headrest is mounted on rails or hinged arms to enable height and position adjustment, then the adaptability to different passenger morphologies is improved, but the device complexity and structural impact on the backrest increase
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is designed with dynamic adjustment capabilities through hinged arms that allow movement between multiple positions (low, intermediate, high) and angular orientations. The system transitions from static to dynamic configuration, enabling the headrest to adapt to different passenger needs while maintaining a clean integrated appearance when in the low position against the backrest padding.
Solution Approach 2:
The headrest adjustment mechanism is divided into separate functional segments: the headrest cushion, the hinged arms, the pivot links, and the braking mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall system while maintaining adjustability across multiple degrees of freedom.
2Shape
If the headrest cushion is located in a space produced in the padding of the backrest to ensure aesthetic continuity, then the visual integration is improved, but the structural integrity and shape of the backrest are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest cushion is extracted from the backrest padding structure, allowing it to be mounted on hinged arms that can position the cushion against the backrest when needed. This extraction preserves the integrity and continuous shape of the backrest padding while enabling headrest functionality, as the cushion is not permanently integrated into the backrest structure.
3Reliability
If a rigid headrest arm is used to support the head cushion, then the reliability and stability are improved, but the mass and footprint of the seat increase
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest arm is designed with optimized geometric parameters including blade-shaped cross-section and strategic thickness variations. The arm's dimensions and material properties are carefully selected to provide sufficient rigidity and stability for supporting the head cushion while minimizing mass. The blade shape provides high moment of inertia for bending resistance with minimal material.
4Ease of operation
If multiple pivot links and hinged arms are used to enable comprehensive adjustment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple adjustment functions (height adjustment, angular orientation, and position positioning) are merged into a single integrated hinged arm mechanism. The arm simultaneously performs all these functions through its natural degrees of freedom, eliminating the need for separate mechanisms for each adjustment type and simplifying the overall system while maintaining operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinged arm mechanism is designed to be manually operable without requiring additional actuators, motors, or complex control systems. The user can easily move the headrest to desired positions by manually moving the arm, and the braking mechanism automatically maintains position once set, making the system self-servicing and simple to operate.
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 enhances comfort by allowing easy adjustment of the headrest without increasing the seat's mass or complexity, maintaining the seat's original shape and padding design, and accommodating a range of passenger sizes, while being simple to install and maintain.
Implementation Method 1
said at least one headrest is hingedly attached on the structure of the backrest by a pivot link determining a first axis of rotation
Implementation Method 2
the headrest arm is shaped to go around the backrest, without interfering with the padding of the backrest, in all the positions of the headrest arm between the low position and the at least one raised position
Implementation Method 3
featuring a braking mechanism for stability
Data Source
AI summary
A seat including a seat portion, a backrest, and a headrest attached to a structure of the backrest. The headrest includes a head cushion attached to the backrest by at least one headrest arm; the arm is hingedly attached to the backrest structure by a pivot link with a transverse axis; the head cushion is hinged to the arm by a pivot link with a transverse axis. Moreover, the first axis is situated at a rear face of a structural part of the backrest; the second axis is situated close to the bottom edge of the head cushion; in the lowered position, the arm holds the head cushion bearing against the front face of the backrest; in the raised position, the arm holds the head cushion above and in front of the lowered position.