Finished-Panel Berthing Divan With Roller Backrest Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional berthing divans in aircraft have unsightly cutouts and exposed mechanical linkages that pose safety hazards, increase complexity, weight, and noise, while compromising the finished look when berthed.
Innovation Solution
A berthing divan with roller support mechanisms that engage with a backrest panel to guide backrest motion, eliminating the need for mechanical linkages and providing a seamless finish, using rollers and biasing members to support the backrest in both seating and berthing positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical linkages are used to guide backrest motion, then backrest support and motion control are achieved, but device complexity, weight, and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical linkages with roller support mechanisms that utilize rolling contact between the backrest panel and support rollers. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple interconnected linkages, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable backrest support throughout the transition range.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the mechanical linkage system entirely from the divan structure. By eliminating this complex subsystem and replacing it with simpler roller supports, the patent reduces overall device complexity, weight, and noise while preserving the essential backrest support function.
2Reliability
If mechanical linkages are used to guide backrest motion, then backrest support is achieved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes heavy mechanical linkages with lightweight roller support mechanisms. The rollers, mounted on simple arms with spring biasing, provide adequate support with minimal weight, directly addressing the weight reduction goal while maintaining backrest support reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
By removing the mechanical linkage system entirely and replacing it with minimal roller supports, the patent eliminates the weight penalty associated with complex linkages, achieving significant weight reduction while preserving essential support functionality.
3Reliability
If mechanical linkages are used to guide backrest motion, then backrest support is achieved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical linkages that generate noise through friction and mechanical contact with roller support mechanisms that utilize rolling contact. This substitution dramatically reduces noise generation while maintaining reliable backrest support throughout motion.
4Ease of manufacture
If cutouts are formed in backrest panel for linkages, then linkage installation is enabled, but finished appearance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes mechanical linkages entirely from the system, which eliminates the need for cutouts in the backrest panel. This extraction of the problematic component allows the backrest panel to maintain its complete, finished appearance without any openings or exposed mechanical elements.
5Reliability
If multiple linkages are positioned along backrest length, then backrest motion support is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes multiple complex linkages with multiple simple roller support mechanisms. Each roller provides localized support along the backrest length, maintaining motion support reliability while dramatically reducing overall device complexity compared to a multi-linkage system.
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 reduces complexity, weight, and noise, while ensuring a smooth and quiet operation, maintaining a finished appearance and improved support in both seating and berthing positions, with cost savings.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of roller support mechanisms are attached to the backrest subassembly and are configured to roll against the backrest panel
Implementation Method 2
a biasing member positioned between the mounting block and the roller arm, the biasing member configured to bias the roller arm toward the rotation limiter
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A berthing divan (100) for use in a conveyance such as an aircraft. In embodiments, the berthing divan includes a frame assembly (110) supporting a seat bottom subassembly (104) and a backrest subassembly (106) coupled for synchronous motion between a seating condition and a berthing condition. A finished backrest panel (126) is attached to the frame assembly (110). A plurality of roller support mechanisms 124) are mounted to a backside of the backrest subassembly (106) and are configured to roll against the backrest panel (126) as the divan transitions between the seating condition and the berthing condition and are configured to support the backrest subassembly (106) in each of the seating and berthing conditions.