Backrest Overlap Tray Table Structure for Neck Injury Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Tray tables in vehicle seats pose a risk of injury during accidents due to potential impact with a passenger's head, especially when the seat deforms, as they are not securely attached and can become a dangerous impact point.

Innovation Solution

A seat design with a backrest overlap portion that securely overlaps and retains the tray table in a stowed position, using a latch to prevent movement and a recess to maintain the tray table's position, reducing the risk of impact points by integrating the tray table with the backrest structure for enhanced structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the tray table is made moveable between stowed and deployed positions, then the passenger can use the tray table for eating or working, but the tray table may present an edge or surface that causes neck injuries during seat deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetray table usabilityVSAvoidneck injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The backrest is segmented into a backrest body and a separate backrest overlap portion that specifically covers the tray table. This segmentation allows the overlap portion to be positioned precisely where needed to cover the tray table's potential impact edges while maintaining the tray table's moveable functionality between stowed and deployed positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The backrest overlap portion acts as an intermediary element between the backrest body and the tray table. It provides continuous coverage of the tray table's edges during deformation, mediating the interaction between the tray table and the passenger's head while allowing the tray table to remain moveable for normal use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the tray table is securely attached to the backrest, then the tray table remains stable during deformation, but the structural complexity of the backrest increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetray table stabilityVSAvoidbackrest structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The backrest overlap portion is merged with the backrest body to form an integrated backrest structure. This merging provides continuous coverage and stable attachment of the tray table without requiring separate complex attachment mechanisms, as the overlap portion and backrest body work together as a unified structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The backrest overlap portion is positioned within the overall backrest structure, nesting the tray table coverage function within the existing backrest framework. This nesting approach allows the overlap portion to provide stable attachment and edge coverage without adding significant external complexity to the backrest structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12534207B2Seat with tray table

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 SAFRAN SEATS GB LTD

AI summary

A seat including a backrest; and a tray table coupled to the backrest, the tray table being movable between a stowed position in which the tray table lies against the backrest and a deployed position in which the tray table extends away from the backrest; the backrest having a backrest body and a backrest overlap portion, the backrest overlap portion having a fixed orientation relative to the backrest body and overlapping a first portion of the tray table when the tray table is in the stowed position such that the first portion of the tray table is between the backrest overlap portion and the backrest body.