Luggage Compartment Flap Closing Aid With Integrated Lock Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In aircraft and other vehicles, overhead luggage compartments can be difficult to close due to their high position, requiring passengers to climb onto seats, which poses risks and necessitates a stable, heavier seat construction.
Innovation Solution
A closing aid for luggage compartment flaps, integrating an actuating element within the locking mechanism, includes a movement element and connecting element, such as a Bowden cable or hydraulic line, to pivot the flap from an open to a closed position, allowing easier manual closure without additional external actuating elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the luggage compartment flap is positioned high above the aisle when open, then the luggage compartment can be accessed from below, but the free end of the flap becomes difficult to reach for closing
Solution Approach 1:
A closing aid with an actuating element serves as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the high-positioned flap. The actuating element, connected via a connecting element (such as a Bowden cable or hydraulic line) to a movement element on the flap, transmits force and motion to move the flap from open to closed position without requiring direct manual contact with the unreachable free end.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical action of directly gripping and pulling the high-positioned flap is replaced by a mechanical transmission system. The actuating element converts user input into controlled movement of the flap through the connecting element, substituting the need for direct mechanical interaction with the inaccessible part of the flap.
2Ease of operation
If additional external actuating elements are added to close the flap, then the closing function is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element of the closing aid is integrated into the existing locking mechanism of the luggage compartment flap. This merging of functions allows the closing aid to utilize the space and structural elements already present in the locking mechanism, avoiding the need for separate external actuating elements and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism serves dual functions: its original locking/unlocking function and the new function of housing the actuating element for flap closure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated separate components solely for closing the flap, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If the actuating element is integrated in the locking mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the locking mechanism must perform additional functions
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating element is merged with the locking mechanism structure, allowing the locking mechanism to accommodate the closing aid's actuating element within its existing spatial envelope. This integration reduces the number of separate components while the locking mechanism's design is adapted to accommodate the additional closing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed with multi-functionality, serving both its original locking purpose and housing the actuating element for flap closure. This universal design allows a single structural element to fulfill multiple functions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining operational versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A closing aid for a luggage compartment flap is described, which closing aid comprises an actuating element, a movement element and a connecting element. The actuating element is integrated in a locking mechanism of the luggage compartment flap. The connecting element connects the actuating element to the movement element and transmits a movement of the actuating element to the movement element such that the luggage compartment flap fastened to the movement element is moved at least part of the way from an open position to a closed position. A luggage compartment and a vehicle having a closing aid of this type are also described.