In-Floor Seat Adapter for Rapid Cargo Deck Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft cargo handling systems require time-consuming and costly reconfiguration from passenger to cargo transport, involving the removal of seats and installation of roller trays.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable cargo handling system featuring an in-floor adapter with a seat mount fitting that can replace roller trays, allowing for the conversion of a cargo handling system to a transport system for people by attaching seats to the adapter, which is configurable to couple with the cargo deck, enabling the addition of extra rows of seats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If roller trays are installed for cargo transport, then cargo handling capability is improved, but weight increases and passenger transport capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The in-floor adapter is designed to serve dual purposes: it provides roller trays for cargo handling while also serving as a mounting structure for passenger seats. This multi-functionality allows the same physical infrastructure to support both cargo and passenger transport modes, eliminating the need for separate weight-bearing structures for each mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The cargo handling system is segmented into removable roller trays that can be detached and replaced with seat assemblies. The in-floor adapter remains as a permanent structural element while the functional components (roller trays or seats) are interchangeable, allowing rapid reconfiguration without removing entire sections of the cargo handling system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If seats are removed and roller trays are installed for cargo transport, then cargo handling capability is improved, but reconfiguration time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cargo handling functionality into separate, interchangeable modules (roller trays) that can be independently removed and replaced. The in-floor adapter remains in place as a permanent mounting structure, allowing rapid swapping of functional components without time-consuming removal of entire cargo handling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The in-floor adapter is pre-installed and prepared in advance as a permanent structural element. This preliminary action creates a ready-made mounting infrastructure that accepts both roller trays and seat assemblies, eliminating the need for time-consuming installation work during reconfiguration events.
3Adaptability or versatility
If roller trays are installed for cargo transport, then cargo handling capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The in-floor adapter serves as a universal mounting platform that accommodates both roller trays and passenger seats through standardized interfaces. This universality reduces device complexity by using a single structural design for multiple functions, rather than requiring separate mounting systems for cargo and passenger modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting functions for both cargo rollers and passenger seats are merged into a single in-floor adapter structure. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining full adaptability for both cargo and passenger transport.
Data Source
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AI summary
An in-floor adapter for a cargo deck (102) of a cargo handling system may comprise: a plate (610, 810) extending from a proximal end to a distal end; a pocket (640, 840) disposed in the plate, the pocket having a sidewall and a bottom wall; a fitting (630, 830) disposed in the pocket, the fitting configured to mount a leg of a seat; and a slot disposed through the plate, the slot configured to guide an attachment mechanism during installation of the in-floor adapter in the cargo deck.