Pivotable Armrest Assembly for Compact Seat Stowage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional telescopic armrests in passenger seats, such as those in aircraft, are difficult to assemble and occupy significant space, necessitating a design that can be stowed out of view and deployed with minimal moving parts.
Innovation Solution
A pivotable armrest design featuring a first pivot assembly with a housing and pivot plate, and a second pivot assembly with a coupling projection, allowing for rotation between stowed, semi-deployed, and deployed positions with minimal space usage, using materials like aluminum or polycarbonate, and attachment to a privacy shell or seat frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a telescopic assembly is used for the armrest, then the armrest can deploy and move vertically, but the assembly becomes difficult to assemble and requires significant space
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is divided into multiple segments that can pivot relative to each other. The main armrest body is segmented from the stowage compartment, allowing independent movement and deployment without requiring complex telescopic mechanisms. This segmentation enables simple deployment while reducing the number of moving parts.
2Ease of operation
If a telescopic assembly is used for the armrest, then the armrest can deploy and move vertically, but the armrest and mechanisms take up significant space
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest pivots and nests within the stowage compartment when not in use. The coupling projection allows the armrest to be stored compactly within the compartment boundaries, minimizing the volume occupied by the armrest mechanism while maintaining full deployment functionality.
3Ease of operation
If the armrest is stowed adjacent to the seat, then it is easily accessible, but it occupies valuable stowage space
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest transitions from a static adjacent position to a dynamic pivoting mechanism. The armrest can pivot between a deployed position (accessible to passengers) and a stowed position (within the compartment), allowing it to occupy minimal space when not in use while remaining easily accessible when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are pivotable armrests having a first pivot assembly with a housing and a pivot plate pivotally coupled to the housing, a second pivot assembly with a coupling projection extending from a circumferential surface of the pivot plate, an armpad pivotally coupled to the coupling projection, and the housing includes a receptacle having a receptacle surface. The armpad has a longitudinal axis arranged in an elongated direction of the armpad and a lateral axis arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and extending in a plane parallel to at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the armpad. When the pivotable armrest is in a stowed position, the coupling projection and the longitudinal axis of the armpad are substantially vertically oriented and the lateral axis of the armpad is substantially parallel with a receptacle surface of the housing.