Dynamically Tilting Seatpan for Aircraft Passenger Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft seats fail to effectively redirect the head path of passengers during dynamic events like emergency landings, leading to potential head and neck injuries and damage to forward components due to inadequate millisecond-level dynamic timing in conventional mechanical approaches.
Innovation Solution
A dynamically tilting passenger seat assembly equipped with accelerometers and dynamic seatpan actuators that detect rapid deceleration and drive the forward end of the seatpan upward, redirecting the head path to mitigate injury risks and allow for more feature-rich seatback designs and reduced seat pitch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional mechanical approaches are used to redirect the head path, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the timing precision is insufficient to achieve millisecond-level dynamic response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical approaches with a system that uses sensors (accelerometers) to detect dynamic events and triggers actuators (DSAs) to redirect the head path. This substitution of mechanical systems with sensor-actuator systems enables millisecond-level timing precision while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of straightforward detection and actuation mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the seat is positioned at infinite setback or standard row-to-row setback, then the seat configuration is simple and space utilization is efficient, but the passenger is at risk of head impact injury and lumbar load injury during dynamic events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by detecting the onset of a dynamic event (such as emergency landing or collision) before the passenger's head actually impacts the forward seatback or bulkhead. The accelerometers detect the dynamic event and trigger the DSAs to redirect the head path upward, preventing the harmful impact before it occurs. This allows maintaining standard seat pitch while significantly reducing injury risk.
3Reliability
If mechanically based approaches are used to redirect the head path, then the device complexity is low, but the dynamic timing is insufficient to effectively mitigate injury risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using accelerometers to continuously monitor the aircraft's motion and detect dynamic events. When a dynamic event is detected, the system triggers the DSAs to activate and redirect the head path. This closed-loop feedback system ensures reliable injury mitigation by responding automatically to actual dynamic conditions, achieving millisecond-level timing precision while maintaining reasonable system complexity through the use of straightforward sensor-actuator architecture.
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 the risk of passenger injuries and damage to forward components by rapidly redirecting the head path during dynamic events, enabling safer seating configurations and design flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
accelerometers or similar detectors mountable to the passenger seat and configured to detect a rapid deceleration of the aircraft or a similar dynamic or inertial event
Implementation Method 2
dynamic seatpan actuators (DSA; e.g., ballistic devices) connected to the detectors and positioned beneath the seatpan. In response to a detected dynamic/inertial event, the DSAs activate (e.g., detonate, inflate) to drive the forward end of the seatpan (and the seat cushion) upward
Implementation Method 3
dynamic seatpan actuators (DSA; e.g., airbags) connected to the detectors and positioned between the seatpan and the seat cushion. In response to a detected dynamic/inertial event, the DSAs activate (e.g., detonate; inflate) to drive the forward end of the seat cushion upward
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for dynamically tilting a seatpan in an aircraft passenger seating assembly includes a seat frame, seatback, seat cushion, and cushion support structure (e.g., a seatpan), the seat cushion and seatpan together having a forward end and a rear end and together supporting a passenger occupying the seating assembly. Accelerometers may detect an inertial event such as a rapid deceleration that may cause the passenger to pitch forward; dynamic seatpan actuators (e.g., airbags or ballistic devices) connected to the accelerometers react to the inertial event by detonating, driving the seatpan and seat cushion upward. As a result, the head path of the passenger may be redirected upward, alleviating the risk of passenger injury and component damage. Additional airbags may react to the inertial event by tightening the passenger seatbelt.