Pivotable Cabin Attendant Seat Adapter

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cabin attendant seat designs do not effectively utilize space, as they are typically fixed on bulky pedestals or monuments, limiting the creation of additional passenger seating areas in vehicle cabins.

Innovation Solution

An adapter with a retaining body and pivoting mechanism allows the cabin attendant seat to be mounted on a wall or pillar, enabling it to be pivoted out of the way during takeoff and landing, thus freeing up space for passenger use, and includes a securing mechanism to ensure stability during use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cabin attendant seats are fixed on bulky pedestals or monuments, then stability and secure positioning are improved, but space utilization deteriorates and passenger seating capacity is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidspace utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the seat from its traditional fixed pedestal mounting and relocates it to a wall-mounted configuration. This removes the bulky pedestal structure from the cabin floor space, allowing the seat to be positioned vertically against the wall where it occupies minimal footprint while maintaining stability through the wall mounting structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The seat is transitioned from a floor-based horizontal arrangement to a wall-based vertical arrangement. By utilizing the vertical dimension of the wall rather than horizontal floor space, the seat achieves stable positioning without consuming valuable floor area that could be used for passenger seating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If cabin attendant seats are made foldable or pivotable, then space savings are improved, but device complexity and structural requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace savingsVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a pivotable mounting mechanism that allows the seat to rotate between a horizontal position (during takeoff and landing) and a vertical position (during normal flight). This dynamic positioning capability enables space optimization without requiring complex foldable structures, as the simple pivot mechanism achieves the same space-saving effect with fewer moving parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If more passenger seats are added to the cabin, then productivity and economic efficiency are improved, but safety requirements and cabin crew oversight capability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger seating capacityVSAvoidcabin crew oversight
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pivotable seat allows cabin crew to quickly reconfigure the cabin layout. During takeoff and landing, the seat can be pivoted to a horizontal position to block access to certain areas, providing enhanced security and oversight. During normal flight, it returns to vertical position to maximize passenger capacity, thus dynamically adapting to different operational phases.

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

This solution allows for the efficient use of previously unused space in aircraft cabins by enabling the attendant seat to be stowed during normal flight phases, thereby increasing passenger seating capacity without requiring new seat certifications, and provides a secure and accessible position for emergency equipment.

Implementation Method 1

the first pivoting means is arranged on the pivoting edge of the retaining body and is adapted for forming a vertical hinge with at least one correspondingly formed second pivoting means

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHinge: Hinge

Data Source

PatentEP2828155B1Adaptor for mounting a seat in a cabin of a vehicle, seat for a cabin of a vehicle and vehicle with a cabin and a seat
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
  • EP2828155B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2828155B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2828155B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An adapter for receiving a vehicle attendant seat in a cabin of a vehicle comprises a flat retaining body, a receiving device for a vehicle attendant seat, at least one first pivoting means and at least one first securing means. The at least one first pivoting means is arranged on a pivoting edge of the retaining body and is adapted for forming a hinge with at least one correspondingly formed second pivoting means. The receiving device is arranged on a surface of the at least one retaining body, which surface extends parallel to the plane, and is adapted for mechanically connecting the vehicle attendant seat with the at least one retaining body. Thus in a vehicle cabin a vehicle attendant seat may be accommodated in a very space-saving manner even at locations to which in conventional vehicle operation access is required.