Aircraft Seat Leg Rest Housing for Accessible Life Jacket Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing passenger seat designs that accommodate life jackets, such as those stored under the armrest or in the leg rest, face challenges of limited storage space and difficult access, particularly when a leg rest is present, which restricts access to the life jacket and compromises storage for other components.

Innovation Solution

A passenger seat leg rest with a pivoting housing that securely stores a life jacket, allowing easy access and maintaining the usable space by integrating the housing within the leg rest structure, utilizing solid and stable housing halves connected via a pivoting mechanism with a spring device, and a locking mechanism to ensure secure storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the life jacket is stored under the seat cushion or below the armrest, then storage space is provided, but access to the life jacket becomes difficult or storage space for other components is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to life jacketVSAvoidstorage space for other components
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The leg rest is divided into two functional segments: a first region that serves as a usable surface for passenger comfort and a second region that functions as a storage compartment for the life jacket. This segmentation allows the leg rest to simultaneously provide seating comfort and life jacket storage without compromising either function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The leg rest is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides a usable surface for passenger comfort during flight and simultaneously serves as a storage compartment for the life jacket. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate storage spaces while maintaining ease of access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Quantity of substance

If the life jacket is placed under the seat surface of a passenger seat with a leg rest, then storage is provided, but the life jacket cannot be accessed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidaccess to life jacket
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The leg rest is designed to be movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The life jacket storage compartment is accessible when the leg rest is in the retracted position, allowing passengers to easily access the life jacket without obstruction from the extended leg rest structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Facilitates easy access to the life jacket while optimizing storage space by integrating the life jacket storage within the leg rest, ensuring secure and accessible storage without compromising the functionality of the leg rest or other seat components.

Implementation Method 1

a spring device (72), in particular having spring elements (73, 74), by means of which the first housing half (38) can be moved from the closed position towards the open position relative to the second housing half (39)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP4114735B1Leg rest for an aircraft passenger seat, comprising a device
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 ZIM AIRCRAFT SEATING GMBH
  • EP4114735B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4114735B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4114735B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A leg rest for an aircraft passenger seat, comprising a device, wherein: the device has a housing; the housing has two housing halves; the two housing halves are pivotally connected to one another; the housing is designed such that a life jacket for an aircraft passenger can be stowed therein; a seat cover for the aircraft passenger seat can be provided on one housing half, so that the device forms part of the usage surface of the leg rest; and the device can be provided on a main structure of the leg rest.