Integrated Cabin Attendant Seat Assembly for Space-Saving Aircraft Seating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cabin attendant seat installations in commercial aircraft often result in unused space behind passenger seats, which could be utilized for additional seating or enhanced comfort.
Innovation Solution
A mutually integrated cabin attendant seat and passenger seating assembly where the cabin attendant seat faces aft and shares a combined track fitting with the passenger seat, allowing for the elimination of unused space by integrating both into a single fitting system, including a quick-release pin attachment and auxiliary floor anchoring for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cabin attendant seats are installed directly behind passenger seats facing the opposite direction, then crewmembers have a seated high-visibility position during takeoff and landing, but unused cabin space is created that could provide more room for additional passenger seating or enhanced passenger comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cabin attendant seat (CAS) and passenger seat into a single integrated assembly where the CAS is positioned at the forward end of the passenger seat and both share a common base structure. This merging eliminates the gap between separate installations and allows the CAS to face aft while the passenger seat faces forward, maximizing cabin space utilization without compromising crewmember visibility positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated seat assembly serves multiple functions: the passenger seat provides seating for passengers facing forward, the CAS provides a high-visibility position for crewmembers facing aft during critical phases of flight, and the shared base structure provides unified mounting to the aircraft floor. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the same structural space serve both crew safety and passenger capacity needs.
2Area of stationary object
If cabin attendant seats are integrated with passenger seats to eliminate unused space, then additional seating or enhanced passenger comfort is enabled, but the complexity of the seat assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the CAS and passenger seat into a single assembly with a shared base structure that mounts to the aircraft floor through a common fitting system. This merging reduces the number of separate mounting structures needed while enabling additional cabin space utilization for either passenger seating or legroom enhancement.
3Area of stationary object
If the cabin attendant seat faces aft to maximize space, then crewmember visibility is maintained, but the seat must be precluded from reclining to ensure safety
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the CAS face forward like traditional seats, the patent inverts the orientation to face aft (toward the rear of the aircraft). This inversion allows the CAS to be positioned at the forward end of the passenger seat while maintaining crewmember visibility during takeoff and landing, and the seat is precluded from reclining to ensure safety in this inverted configuration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A passenger seating assembly with an integrated cabin attendant seat (CAS) (106) is disclosed. In embodiments, a CAS folds down from a monument (118) mounted to the cabin floor via a combined track fitting (124) that secures into the left-side or right-side track rail. A group of passenger seats (102) (e.g., two to five) faces opposite the CAS monument and includes left-side and right-side leg assemblies (114, 116) mountable to the track rails via track fittings. One rear portion of a leg assembly attaches to the combined track fitting to integrate the passenger seats and CAS monument, eliminating unused space between the passenger seats and CAS monument.