Full-Flat Aircraft Seat Layout for Compact Cabin Comfort Zoning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft seating arrangements lack compactness and variability, failing to efficiently utilize space and cater to diverse passenger comfort needs across different booking classes.

Innovation Solution

An aircraft seating arrangement with multiple full-flat seats of varying comfort categories, arranged in a seat gap with differing seating and reclining directions, allowing direct access to an aisle and flexible positioning to optimize space usage and passenger comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If aircraft seats are arranged in conventional configurations, then the seating arrangement is simple to implement, but the space utilization is inefficient and comfort variability is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomfort variabilityVSAvoidseating arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The aircraft seating arrangement is divided into multiple independent seat units (first aircraft seat, second aircraft seat, third aircraft seat, fourth aircraft seat) that can be individually configured with different comfort categories. Each seat unit can be independently arranged in the seat gap, allowing for customized comfort levels while maintaining modular simplicity in the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the aircraft cabin are provided with locally optimized seating configurations. The seat gap accommodates seats with varying comfort categories (economy, premium economy, business class) positioned according to specific spatial and accessibility requirements, creating localized comfort zones without requiring complete redesign of the entire seating system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If multiple aircraft seats are arranged in a seat gap with direct aisle access, then passenger accessibility is improved, but the compactness of the arrangement is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaisle accessVSAvoidseat gap occupancy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The seating arrangement utilizes the vertical dimension and angular orientation within the seat gap to accommodate multiple seats with direct aisle access. Seats are positioned at different angles and heights, with some arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis and others at angled orientations, maximizing space utilization while ensuring all seats maintain direct access to the aisle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The aircraft seats are nested within the confined seat gap space through strategic positioning and angular arrangement. The first, second, third, and fourth aircraft seats are arranged in a compact configuration where each seat occupies a specific spatial niche, allowing all seats to fit within the limited seat gap volume while maintaining accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If aircraft seats are arranged at different angles to the longitudinal axis, then space efficiency is improved, but the uniformity of seating configuration is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace efficiencyVSAvoidconfiguration uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The seating configuration deliberately employs asymmetric angular arrangements to optimize space utilization. The first aircraft seat is arranged at a first angle, the second at a second angle, the third at a third angle, and the fourth at a fourth angle relative to the longitudinal axis. This asymmetric positioning allows each seat to occupy optimal spatial positions, maximizing the number of seats that can be accommodated in the seat gap while maintaining structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP4110696B1Aircraft seat arrangement
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 RECARO AIRCRAFT SEATING GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4110696B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4110696B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4110696B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an aircraft seat assembly (14a-g) comprising multiple aircraft seat devices (100a-g, 100'a-g, 200a-g, 200'a-g, 300a-g, 300'a-g, 400a-g, 400'a-g, 500a-g, 500'a-g, 600a-g, 600'a-g, 700a-g, 700'a-g, 800a-g, 800'a-g, 1000f, 3000f, 3000'f, 4000g, 4000'g, 5000f, 5000'f, 7000f, 7000'f, 8000g, 8000'g) arranged in an aircraft cabin section (26a-g), which are designed to be at least partially different from one another and each have an aircraft seat (120a-g, 220a-g, 320a-g, 420a-g, 520a-g, 620a-g, 720a-g, 820a-g, 1200f, 3200f, 4200g, 5200f, 7200f, 8200g), which is designed as a full-flat seat. According to the invention, the aircraft seat devices (100a-g, 100'a-g, 200a-g, 200'a-g, 300a-g, 300'a-g, 400a-g, 400'a-g, 500a-g, 500'a-g, 600a-g, 600'a-g, 700a-g, 700'a-g, 800a-g, 800'a-g, 1000f, 3000f, 3000'f, 4000g, 4000'g, 5000f, 5000'f, 7000f, 7000'f, 8000g, 8000'g) in the aircraft cabin section (26a-g) differ in terms of at least one comfort category, wherein the aircraft seat devices (100a-g, 100'a-g, 200a-g, 200'a-g, 300a-g, 300'a-g, 400a-g, 400'a-g, 500a-g, 500'a-g, 600a-g, 600'a-g, 700a-g, 700'a-g, 800a-g, 800'a-g, 1000f, 3000f, 3000'f, 4000g, 4000'g, 5000t, 5000'f, 7000f, 7000'f, 8000g, 8000'g) each have a different value from one another for the at least one comfort category, resulting from a different arrangement of the aircraft seats (120a-g, 220a-g, 320a-g, 420a-g, 520a-g, 620a-g, 720a-g, 820a-g, 1200f, 3200f, 4200g, 5200f, 7200f, 8200g) and from the at least partially different formation of the aircraft seat devices (100a-g, 100'a-g, 200a-g, 200'a-g, 300a-g, 300'a-g, 400a-g, 400'a-g, 500a-g, 500'a-g, 600a-g, 600'a-g, 700a-g, 700'a-g, 800a-g, 800'a-g, 1000f, 3000f, 3000'f, 4000g, 4000'g, 5000f, 5000'f, 7000f, 7000'f, 8000g, 8000'g).