Pivotable Hatrack with Center-of-Gravity Axis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing luggage racks in aircraft and other vehicles face challenges with accessibility due to high positioning, mechanical loads, and lack of integration with the cabin lining, leading to difficulties in stowing and removing luggage, especially under extreme conditions.
Innovation Solution
A luggage rack design with a pivot point close to the center of gravity, allowing for easy opening and closing without power assistance, integrated into the aircraft fuselage with a load-path-optimized rotary axis, and a semi-circular housing that pivots from a horizontal loading position to a vertical transport position, ensuring secure storage and seamless integration with cabin lining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the luggage rack is positioned high above passenger seats to maximize storage space utilization, then storage capacity is improved, but accessibility for stowing and removing luggage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The luggage rack housing is designed to pivot dynamically between a horizontal loading position for easy access and a vertical transport position for space-efficient storage. This dynamic repositioning allows the rack to optimize both accessibility and storage capacity at different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions the luggage rack from a static vertical position to a dynamic system that operates in multiple positions (horizontal and vertical). This dimensional change enables the rack to be easily accessed when horizontal and provides maximum storage when vertical, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and storage capacity.
2Strength
If conventional luggage racks use rigid fixed structures to meet safety standards, then strength and stability are improved, but ease of operation and accessibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The luggage rack employs a pivotable housing that can dynamically change position while maintaining structural integrity. The rigid housing ensures strength and stability when vertical, while the ability to pivot to horizontal position provides ease of operation for loading and unloading, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If luggage racks use eccentric pivot points to enable pivoting motion, then movement capability is improved, but the force required to close the rack increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot point is positioned at the center of gravity of the housing, creating a balanced system where the housing pivots easily between horizontal and vertical positions without requiring excessive force. This equipotential positioning at the center of gravity eliminates the need for additional closing force while maintaining full pivoting capability.
4Ease of operation
If separate cabin wall elements are moved independently to accommodate luggage rack, then accessibility is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving separate cabin wall elements independently, the invention integrates the luggage rack housing itself as the moving element that provides accessibility. The housing pivots as a single unit, eliminating the need for complex multi-element kinematic systems and reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining ease of operation.
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
Enhances accessibility and usability with minimal manual effort, provides secure storage under extreme loads, and maintains a uniform cabin appearance without complex kinematics or separate reinforcements, meeting safety standards while reducing maintenance and production costs.
Implementation Method 1
a pivot point close to the center of gravity, allowing for easy opening and closing without power assistance
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for accommodating luggage in an aircraft passenger cabin which also comprises a hatrack that is pivotably arranged above a row of seats in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft. The hatrack includes a one-piece housing that forms a luggage holding space. The housing can be pivoted from a loading position into a transport position or storage position about a rotational axis which is near to the center of gravity and associated to the base of the housing. For the purpose of fastening the hatrack, the housing is connected via an outer frame to an aircraft-fixed structure of the aircraft fuselage.