Expandable Aircraft Monument With Movable Side Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern aircraft cabins face challenges in optimizing space utilization during various operational phases, as existing aircraft monuments do not efficiently adapt to changing needs for comfort and safety, often requiring fixed installation spaces that are either too large or too small.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft monument with a movable side wall that can change its operational position to vary the base area of a functional module, such as a sanitary module, allowing for expansion or reduction in size to suit different operational phases, enabling optimal space use. The side wall can be swiveled about a vertex axis, and the module can be designed with a sliding door or swivel mechanism for easy access and minimal component parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the functional module has a fixed large base area to ensure passenger comfort during cruising, then passenger comfort is improved, but the space utilization during take-off and landing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is made movable between a first operational position (retracted) and a second operational position (extended), allowing the functional module's base area to dynamically adjust between a smaller footprint during take-off/landing and a larger footprint during cruising, thus resolving the contradiction between comfort and space utilization
2Area of stationary object
If the functional module has a fixed small base area to optimize space utilization during take-off and landing, then space utilization is improved, but passenger comfort during cruising is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The movable side wall enables the functional module to transition from a compact configuration during critical flight phases to an expanded configuration during cruising, ensuring both optimal space utilization and passenger comfort at different times
3Adaptability or versatility
If the side wall is made movable to enable base area variation, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is designed with a simple two-position movable mechanism (retracted/extended) rather than a continuously adjustable system, providing necessary adaptability while minimizing mechanical complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The movable side wall serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural boundary when extended, provides guidance function when retracted, and can serve as a privacy screen, thereby justifying the added complexity through multi-functionality
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft monument for installation in an aircraft cabin including a first functional module, the first functional module including a side wall for delimiting the first functional module from a region of the aircraft cabin adjacent to the first functional module and/or from a region of the aircraft monument adjacent to the first functional module. The side wall is movable between a first and a second operational position and comprises a side-wall region which merely in the second operational position of the side wall serves for delimiting the first functional module from a region of the aircraft cabin adjacent to the first functional module, so that a movement of the side wall out of its first operational position into its second operational position results in an enlargement of a base area of the first functional module.