Height-Adjustable Folding Table Case for Compact Aircraft Seating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Folding tables in commercial aircraft, particularly in first or business class, cannot be installed in the backrest of the front seat due to limited seat pitch, requiring attachment to the side wall or credenza, and existing solutions lack versatility and ease of handling.
Innovation Solution
A folding table arrangement featuring a height-adjustable table case on a support device with horizontal displacement capabilities, using slide rails and external power assistance for easy deployment and stowage, allowing the table top to pivot from a vertical stowed position to a horizontal use position, with separate table box supports for enhanced adjustability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the table case is made height-adjustable on the support device, then the table top can be positioned above credenza height for better usability, but the device complexity increases due to additional adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The table case is made height-adjustable through a dynamic mechanism that allows it to be positioned at different heights relative to the support device. This enables the table top to be placed above the credenza height for better ergonomics while maintaining the ability to return to a compact stowed position, thus improving usability without permanently increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into discrete positioning levels or stages, allowing the table case to be adjusted to specific heights (including above credenza level) through a controlled mechanism. This segmentation makes the adjustment process manageable and intuitive while controlling the overall complexity of the system.
2Device complexity
If the table top is made fully self-supporting in use position, then the structure is simplified, but the table case must be sufficiently robust increasing its weight
Solution Approach 1:
The table top is designed to be fully self-supporting in its use position, bearing its own weight and any loads placed upon it without requiring additional active support mechanisms. This simplifies the overall structure by eliminating the need for motors, sensors, or control systems to maintain the table top position, while the table case is dimensioned to provide sufficient structural strength to support this self-bearing configuration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate table box supports with horizontal displacement are added, then the adjustability and versatility of the arrangement is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Separate table box supports equipped with horizontal displacement capability are introduced, allowing the table case to be positioned not only at different heights but also at different horizontal locations along the support device. This adds a spatial dimension to the adjustability, enabling versatile positioning options while distributing the complexity across modular support components.
4Volume of moving object
If the table case accommodates the table top in a compact vertical stowed position, then the stowage efficiency is improved, but the mechanism for deploying and pivoting the table top becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The table top is designed to nest within the table case in a compact vertical stowed position, with the table top fitting inside or against the interior surfaces of the table case. This nesting arrangement maximizes stowage efficiency by minimizing the volume occupied during storage, while the deployment mechanism is designed to smoothly extract and pivot the nested table top into its horizontal use position.
Data Source
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AI summary
The arrangement has a table box (5) for receiving a table top (7) in a vertical holdup position. The table box is arranged in a height adjustable manner at a support device i.e. vertical wall (1). The table top is adjustable from the vertical holdup position in the table box into a horizontal utilizable position. The table top supports itself with its lower side on the table box in the utilizable position. The table box is height adjustable relative to the support device in such a manner that it projects above an upper edge of the support device.