Passenger Seat Headrest with Adjustable Hinge for In-Situ Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional passenger seat headrests do not allow for adjustments to the hinges, requiring disassembly and replacement when the hinges become loose or worn out.
Innovation Solution
A passenger seat headrest with an adjustable hinge that includes a first hinge piece, a second hinge piece, and an adjuster connecting them, allowing for adjustable resistance to rotation and enabling the hinge to be tightened or loosened without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If traditional fixed hinges are used in headrests, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the hinges cannot be adjusted when loose or worn, requiring complete disassembly and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into separate components: a first hinge piece connected to the main portion, a second hinge piece connected to the wing, and an adjuster mechanism. This segmentation allows the adjuster to be accessed and operated independently without disassembling the entire headrest, resolving the contradiction between ease of repair and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
An adjuster mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second hinge pieces. This adjuster can be accessed through an opening in the dress cover and allows for in-situ adjustment of the hinge resistance, eliminating the need for complete disassembly while adding minimal structural complexity.
2Productivity
If traditional fixed hinges are used, then manufacturing is simple, but maintenance requires disassembly of the dress cover and complete hinge replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The adjuster mechanism is pre-configured with an opening in the dress cover that provides direct access to the adjustment mechanism. This preliminary design feature allows maintenance personnel to adjust the hinge resistance without time-consuming disassembly operations, significantly improving maintenance efficiency and reducing downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge system is designed to be self-adjustable through the adjuster mechanism, which can be operated directly through the dress cover opening. This eliminates the need for professional disassembly and replacement procedures, allowing for quick on-site maintenance and extending the service life of the hinge assembly.
3Reliability
If traditional non-adjustable hinges are used, then the headrest structure is straightforward, but loose or worn hinges cannot be adjusted, requiring full replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge transitions from a fixed, non-adjustable connection to a dynamic, adjustable connection through the adjuster mechanism. This allows the resistance to rotation to be modified as needed, maintaining reliable hinge functionality over time while adding only minimal complexity through the adjustment capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger seat headrest may be provided for a passenger seat such as but not limited to an aircraft passenger seat. The passenger seat headrest includes a main portion, a wing, and a hinge connecting the wing with the main portion such that the wing is movable relative to the main portion about at least one axis. The hinge is adjustable such that a resistance to rotation of the wing relative to the main portion is adjustable.