Nested Dual Armrest Assembly for Shared Passenger Seats
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional armrests in vehicles, particularly in aircraft, often inadequately serve adjacent passengers when shared, as they are designed to be a single unit between two seats, failing to provide individual support and comfort.
Innovation Solution
An armrest assembly with a primary armrest and a secondary armrest that can be stowed beneath the primary armrest, allowing the secondary armrest to deploy laterally and adjust in height, providing dedicated support to each passenger without increasing the overall armrest footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single shared armrest is used between two seats, then the armrest footprint is minimized, but the comfort and usability for individual passengers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is divided into a primary armrest and a secondary armrest that can be independently deployed. The secondary armrest segments away from the primary armrest to provide dedicated support space for adjacent passengers, resolving the conflict between minimized footprint and individual usability by allowing the armrest to be segmented when needed and unified when not needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary armrest is designed to be movable between a stowed position (within the footprint of the primary armrest) and a deployed position (laterally adjacent to the primary armrest). This dynamic capability allows the armrest configuration to adapt based on whether individual passenger support is needed, resolving the contradiction between fixed footprint and variable usability requirements.
2Ease of operation
If a secondary armrest is added to provide individual support, then individual armrest usability improves, but the armrest footprint expands
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary armrest is designed to nest within the dimensional footprint of the primary armrest when in the stowed position. This nesting arrangement allows the secondary armrest to be stored compactly without increasing the overall armrest footprint, while still providing dedicated support when deployed laterally adjacent to the primary armrest.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary armrest transitions from a vertical stacking arrangement (stowed beneath the primary armrest) to a lateral arrangement (deployed adjacent to the primary armrest). This dimensional change allows the secondary armrest to provide individual support without permanently expanding the footprint in the horizontal plane, as it utilizes vertical space when stowed.
3Area of stationary object
If the secondary armrest is stowed beneath the primary armrest, then the overall footprint is minimized, but the secondary armrest is less accessible
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary armrest is designed with movable links that allow it to dynamically transition from a stowed position beneath the primary armrest to a deployed position laterally adjacent to the primary armrest. This dynamic deployment mechanism resolves the contradiction by allowing the secondary armrest to be compact when not in use while providing easy accessibility when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Movable links act as intermediaries to connect the secondary armrest to the primary armrest assembly, enabling smooth transition between stowed and deployed positions. These intermediary mechanical elements facilitate the deployment motion, making the secondary armrest easily accessible while maintaining a compact footprint when stowed.
Data Source
AI summary
An armrest assembly comprising a secondary armrest assembly is disclosed that can be deployed from a stowed and nested position beneath a primary armrest, with the secondary armrest assembly comprising a plurality of articulable and pivotable components, a seating assembly comprising the present armrest assembly, and vehicles configured to comprise the present armrest and seating assembly.