Deployable Seat Bottom Assembly for Aircraft Legroom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Economy class aircraft seats provide limited legroom and space for egress, leading to passenger discomfort, difficulty in stretching, and increased risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).
Innovation Solution
A deployable seat bottom assembly that can be manually or automatically activated to lift and tilt the seat pan, providing additional legroom and space for egress, while being adaptable to existing seat frames and minimizing weight impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If seating pitch is increased to provide more legroom, then passenger comfort is improved, but the number of seats that can be installed in the aircraft is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a deployable seat bottom assembly that can dynamically change between stowed and deployed configurations. When deployed, the seat bottom provides additional legroom by extending forward; when stowed, it maintains the standard seat configuration, maximizing seat density.
2Productivity
If seat cushion is made smaller to accommodate limited space, then more seats can be installed, but passenger comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable seat bottom assembly allows the seat configuration to dynamically adapt. When deployed, it extends the seating surface forward, providing additional legroom and comfort without permanently increasing the seat's footprint, thus maintaining high seat density.
3Productivity
If seat pan is positioned closer to the seatback in front to reduce space, then more seats can be installed, but passenger egress becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable seat bottom assembly can be deployed to extend the seating surface forward, creating additional space for passenger egress. When stowed, it maintains the compact configuration that allows for higher seat density.
4Ease of operation
If deployable seat bottom assembly is added to increase legroom, then passenger comfort and circulation are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the seat bottom into a deployable assembly that can be independently activated. This segmentation allows the legroom enhancement function to be added without redesigning the entire seat, thereby managing complexity through modular design.
5Length of moving object
If manual or automatic activation mechanism is added to deploy seat bottom, then legroom is increased, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable seat bottom assembly is designed as a separate, modular component that can be manufactured independently and then integrated into the existing seat. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by allowing specialized production of the deployment mechanism as a standalone unit.
Data Source
AI summary
A seat bottom assembly, movable between stowed and deployed configurations, includes a seat pan plate having a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The seat pan plate is configured to move between stowed and deployed positions. The assembly also includes a pair of beam braces configured to engage a seat frame of a seat; a pair of front links operationally connecting the beam braces and the seat pan plate; and a pair of rear links operationally connecting the beam braces and the seat pan plate. Each of the front links is disposed on an opposite side of the seat pan plate from the other front link; and each of the rear links is disposed on an opposite side of the seat pan plate from the other rear link. The assembly also includes a seat cushion having a first top portion, a second top portion, and a bottom portion. The bottom portion of the seat cushion is generally disposed on the top surface of the seat pan plate. The bottom portion of the seat cushion and the seat pan plate are equally inclined when the seat pan plate is in the stowed and deployed positions. The second top portion is generally horizontal when the seat bottom assembly is in the deployed configuration, and negatively inclined relative to horizontal when the seat bottom assembly is in the stowed configuration.