Monolithic Aircraft Floor with Integral Cross Strut for Seat Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft cabin floors are bulky, heavy, and require complex installation due to multiple components, with seat rails often needing replacement upon damage, and they lack efficient load transfer mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A monolithic floor element with an integral cross strut and support structures, made from materials like metal or composite plastic, which can be easily manufactured and installed, providing lightweight and robust support for seat rails and other components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional floor structure with multiple components (longitudinal beams and floor panels) is used, then the structural strength is improved, but the device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple floor structure components (floor panels, longitudinal beams, cross beams) into a single monolithic floor element made of fibre reinforced plastic. This merging eliminates the need for separate components while maintaining structural strength through integrated design, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic floor element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as floor panels, longitudinal beams, and cross beams all in one component. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity while preserving the structural capabilities of the traditional multi-component system.
2Device complexity
If a monolithic floor element is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the weight increases during handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fibre reinforced plastic material for the monolithic floor element, which provides high strength-to-weight ratio. The composite material structure allows the floor element to be lightweight enough for easy handling during installation while maintaining the structural integrity required for aircraft floor applications.
3Ease of operation
If seat rails are mounted in dedicated recesses, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the seat rail mounting function from dedicated recesses and implements it through a universal mounting surface on the monolithic floor element. This allows seat rails to be mounted without permanent recesses, enabling easy removal and replacement when damage occurs, thus improving ease of repair while maintaining ease of operation.
4Reliability
If floor panels are replaced upon corrosion or damage, then the reliability is maintained, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the floor structure into modular components that can be independently replaced. The monolithic floor element can be removed as a unit, and new elements can be installed to replace damaged sections, enabling quick replacement without time-consuming repairs, thus maintaining reliability while minimizing loss of time.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a floor assembly (100) for an aircraft (1), which includes a monolithic floor element (110) including an integral cross strut (120). The monolithic floor element has an upper surface (111), which comprises a seat rail surface portion (117) configured to mount a seat rail (150) thereon. The floor assembly (100) further comprises at least one support structure arranged underneath the monolithic floor element (110) and configured to support the monolithic floor element at least in an area of the seat rail surface portion (117).