Pivoting Cable Actuating Mechanism for Aircraft Seat Armrests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft seat armrests require cable routing around the pivot area to connect the seat recline button to the recline lock device, leading to cable wear and increased space requirements, which can result in cable failure and increased armrest width.
Innovation Solution
A cable actuating mechanism using two articulating cable actuators contacting opposing ends of a floating pin within the pivot axis, allowing the first cable to actuate the second cable without routing outside the pivot area, thereby preventing wear and reducing space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cable is routed around the armrest pivot to connect the seat recline button to the recline lock device, then the cable can transmit the pulling force, but the cable experiences wear and failure over repeated cycling
Solution Approach 1:
The cable system is segmented into two separate cables: a first cable connected to the actuator on the rotating component, and a second cable connected to the lock device on the stationary component. This segmentation allows each cable to be independently routed and secured, eliminating the wear problem of routing a single cable around the pivot while maintaining the force transmission function.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoting mechanism acts as an intermediary that couples the rotating component (with first cable) and the stationary component (with second cable). This intermediary transfers the pulling force from the first cable to the second cable through the pivot mechanism, enabling force transmission without requiring the cable to physically route around the pivot area.
2Ease of operation
If the cable is routed around the armrest pivot, then the cable can connect the actuator to the lock device, but the space required in the pivot area increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the cable system into two separate cables attached to different components (rotating and stationary), the design eliminates the need for a single cable to traverse the entire pivot area. Each cable can be shorter and routed more efficiently within its respective component's vicinity, reducing the overall space required in the pivot area.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the cable connection points to different dimensional locations: the first cable connects to the rotating component while the second cable connects to the stationary component. This dimensional separation allows cables to be housed within their respective assemblies rather than requiring external routing around the pivot, thereby reducing the space footprint.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable actuating mechanism that actuates through a central pivot axis of a pivoting mechanism including two articulating cable actuators that contact opposing ends of a floating pin that passes through the center of the pivot. One actuator is affixed to a stationary assembly of the pivot device and the other actuator is affixed to a rotating body of the device. A first cable pulled at one end of the device pulls a second cable at an opposing end of the device through the articulating cable actuators. The cable actuating mechanism can be used to unlock, for example, a seat recline lock device in an aircraft seat equipped with a pivoting armrest, among other applications within and outside of an aircraft cabin environment.