Articulating Armrest Curvilinear Stowage Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft armrests with stationary pivots are short or narrow, limiting comfort and storage space, as they cannot stow effectively within the seat back, preventing ample support and storage for beverages during flights.
Innovation Solution
An articulating armrest system with a housing and mechanical tension device, allowing the armrest to pivot and translate along a curvilinear path, enabling it to stow within the seat back and deploy with phases of release, translation, articulation, and securement, providing full-length support and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a stationary pivot armrest design is used, then the armrest can pivot between horizontal and vertical positions, but the armrest must be short or narrow to stow within the seat back, resulting in limited comfort and storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest transitions from a stationary pivot design to a dynamic articulating design with multiple degrees of freedom. The armrest can pivot about a first axis and articulate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, enabling it to assume multiple positions including fully extended horizontal positions that provide greater length and storage space while still stowing within the seat back when not in use
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds an additional dimension of movement by introducing a second axis of articulation perpendicular to the first pivot axis. This allows the armrest to move from simple pivoting to a combined pivoting and articulating motion, enabling the armrest to achieve a longer effective length in the deployed position while maintaining compact stowage
2Volume of moving object
If the armrest is designed to stow within the seat back, then space is saved when not in use, but the armrest becomes short or narrow and cannot provide ample support or storage room
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest employs dynamic articulation mechanisms that allow it to transform from a compact stowed configuration to a fully extended support configuration. The combination of pivoting about a first axis and articulating about a second perpendicular axis enables the armrest to maximize its effective area and volume when deployed, providing ample support and storage room while maintaining minimal stowage volume
3Device complexity
If a stationary pivot design is used, then the structure is simple, but the armrest cannot deploy through multiple phases to achieve optimal position and function
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic articulation with two perpendicular axes of movement, transforming the simple stationary pivot into a sophisticated multi-phase deployment mechanism. This allows the armrest to progress through distinct phases of deployment (pivoting phase and articulating phase) to achieve optimal positions and functions that a simple pivot cannot provide
Data Source
AI summary
An articulating armrest includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion that protrude from a member a predetermined spacing apart. Each protrusion aligns within a separate track within a housing configured for stowing the armrest within a seat back. The two tracks include straight and curved portions configured to articulate the armrest. Specifically, the armrest moves along a curvilinear path between stowed and deployed positions by translating along the tracks and pivoting about the second protrusion. The armrest may stow in a seat back and beneath the seat bottom to provide a full length armrest when deployed, and the armrest may stow flush with the seat back for sitting against. Mechanical tension may be provided to automatically deploy the armrest, and a rotational damper and a gas spring may be used to control the speed at which the armrest deploys.