Headrest Torque Hinge for Adjustable Device Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for mounting and replacing video displays and personal electronic devices in passenger seats, such as those in aircraft, are invasive and time-consuming, requiring the removal of tray tables and video shrouds, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A torque hinge system comprising a ball joint, lower and upper hinge assemblies, and a plate assembly that allows for adjustable positioning and easy installation/removal by securing the shaft to the rear side of the headrest, enabling less invasive maintenance and replacement of devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices are mounted using video shroud and tray table structure, then mounting stability is improved, but installation and replacement time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into separate modular components: a mounting bracket that attaches to the headrest and a device holder that can be independently installed and removed. This segmentation allows the device holder to be replaced without affecting the stable mounting structure, resolving the contradiction between mounting stability and installation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket is pre-installed on the headrest structure before the device holder is attached. This preliminary action creates a stable base that remains in place, while the device holder can be quickly swapped without disturbing the pre-established mounting infrastructure, thereby reducing installation time while maintaining stability.
2Ease of operation
If tray table and video shroud are removed for device replacement, then device access is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device holder is extracted as a separate removable component from the mounting system. This allows the device to be accessed and replaced by simply removing the holder, without needing to remove the tray table or video shroud, thereby improving ease of operation while avoiding the complexity of disassembling multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket serves as an intermediary component that provides a permanent attachment point on the headrest, while the removable device holder interfaces with it. This intermediary structure enables easy device access through simple holder removal, avoiding the need to dismantle the entire mounting system and reducing operational complexity.
3Reliability
If invasive mounting methods are used, then mounting stability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is segmented into a permanent bracket and a removable holder, allowing the stable mounting function to be achieved through a simple bracket attachment to the headrest. This eliminates the need for complex invasive modifications to the tray table or video shroud structures, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining mounting stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of mounting devices through the existing tray table and video shroud structures (invasive method), the system inverts the approach by attaching a mounting bracket directly to the headrest and then mounting the device holder to the bracket. This non-invasive approach reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while achieving equivalent or superior mounting stability.
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
Described are headrests with a structural support surface and a torque hinge. The torque hinge includes a rotatable portion, a ball joint, and a plate assembly. The ball joint has a ball portion connected to a shaft. The ball portion is positioned within the rotatable portion, and the plate assembly is fitted over the shaft. The shaft is coupled to the structural support surface, and the plate assembly limits a rotational arc of the rotatable portion relative to the shaft.