Articulated Mounting Bracket With Motion Stops for Cockpit Tablets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tablet and smartphone supports in aircraft cockpits face challenges in accommodating limited space while ensuring the pilot's access to controls and visual displays, as they often provide excessive freedom of motion that can obstruct essential equipment.

Innovation Solution

A bracket with an articulation mechanism that restricts movement along specific axes using protrusions, allowing for controlled adjustment of electronic devices like tablets or smartphones, integrated into a compact design that prevents excessive motion and maintains access to critical cockpit components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the bracket allows free movement along three axes, then the adjustability and versatility of the electronic device holder is improved, but the risk of obstructing the pilot's access to controls and visual displays increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of electronic device holderVSAvoidobstruction of pilot's access to controls

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the range of motion parameters of the articulation mechanism. Protrusions are positioned at specific locations and heights to define precise angular limits for the articulation, transforming the continuous range of motion into a controlled, limited range that prevents obstruction while maintaining adjustability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The protrusions act as intermediary elements between the articulation mechanism and the holder. These protrusions physically intervene to limit the articulation's range of motion, serving as mediators that prevent excessive movement without completely restricting adjustability, thus resolving the contradiction between freedom of motion and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the bracket provides excessive freedom of motion, then the ease of operation for positioning the electronic device is improved, but the safety and reliability of the cockpit environment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of positioning electronic deviceVSAvoidsafety of cockpit environment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the motion parameter constraints by introducing protrusions that define specific angular boundaries. This allows the holder to be easily positioned within safe limits while preventing movement beyond those limits, thus maintaining ease of operation within the permitted range while ensuring cockpit safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The protrusions provide preliminary anti-action by pre-establishing physical barriers that prevent the holder from moving into dangerous positions. This preemptive constraint ensures that even if the user applies excessive force or attempts to position the device in an unsafe location, the protrusions will stop the movement before it compromises cockpit safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Device complexity

If the articulation is integrated into the plate and mounting component, then the device complexity is reduced, but the precision of controlling the range of motion may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of parts in bracketVSAvoidprecision of range of motion control

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the articulation mechanism directly into the mounting component and plate structure, eliminating the need for separate articulation parts. This integration reduces device complexity while maintaining precision through carefully designed protrusion geometries and positioning features that are built into the integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated design allows for precise control of motion parameters through the geometry and positioning of protrusions that are formed as part of the integrated structure. The parameters of these protrusions (height, position, shape) are designed to provide accurate range of motion limits without requiring additional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11486534B2Support and bracket with controlled articulation

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 INGENIO AEROSPACE INC

AI summary

A bracket for mounting to a flat surface; it has a plate for fastening to the flat surface through the use of fasteners; a mounting component for fastening, at a first surface of the mounting component, to a holder for an electronic device or the electronic device; an articulation interconnecting the plate and the mounting component; at least three protrusions located between the plate and the mounting component and projecting from at least one of the plate and the second surface of the mounting component, and wherein at least one of the plate and the mounting component abuts one or more of the at least three protrusions through movement of the articulation, the at least three protrusions restricting range of motion of the mounting component provided by the articulation along the three axes.