Convertible Aircraft Seat Arrangement Diagonal Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In aircraft cabins, the reduction of seat pitch to accommodate more passengers compromises comfort, and existing solutions that attempt to minimize this impact either do not fully utilize available space or create restrictive personal spaces for passengers.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of seats in groups of four, with two blocks of two seats each, where each seat is individually convertible, and positioned face-to-face or back-to-back, allowing for a diagonal alignment that shares an elongated volume, reducing the distance between seats while maintaining comfort by overlapping foot zones and varying sleeping surface heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the distance between two rows of seats is reduced to accommodate more passengers, then the quantity of passengers that can be seated increases, but the comfort of passengers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies diagonal arrangement of seats at 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis, transitioning from traditional longitudinal row arrangement to a diagonal configuration. This dimensional change allows seats to be arranged more efficiently in the available cabin space, reducing the pitch distance between rows while maintaining adequate personal space for passengers, thus increasing passenger capacity without significantly compromising comfort
2Length of stationary object
If seats are arranged in pairs with converging axes to reduce spacing between backrests, then the distance between rows is reduced, but the personal space arrangement for passengers becomes restrictive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric arrangement where seats in a row are positioned at different longitudinal positions relative to the row ahead, with alternating seats shifted forward or backward. This asymmetric configuration optimizes personal space distribution while maintaining reduced row spacing, allowing better legroom and movement space for passengers compared to symmetric pair arrangements
3Productivity
If more seats are installed in a given cabin length, then the productivity of the cabin increases, but the average seat pitch decreases compromising comfort
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging seats diagonally at 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis rather than in traditional longitudinal rows, the patent enables more seats to be fitted within the same cabin length. This diagonal configuration optimizes space utilization by projecting seat rows across the cabin width, effectively increasing seat density while maintaining adequate pitch distances for passenger comfort
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
An assembly (100) comprises two blocks (10a, 10b) of two seats (20a, 20b, 21a, 21b) convertible into beds, in which the two blocks are arranged with the seats of one block facing the seats of the other block in an excircle (101). Each block (10a, 10b) comprises a first seat (21a, 21b) and a second seat (20a, 20b). The first seats (21a, 21b) of the two blocks (10a, 10b) are arranged along a first diagonal (105) of the excircle (101), and the longitudinal axes (211a, 211b) of the first seats are oriented so that their directions are close to the first diagonal and the first seats are substantially opposite each other.