Portable Seatback Retainer for Electronic Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices for securing personal electronic devices on airplane seats are cumbersome, require significant setup time, are not universal, and do not allow for adjustable viewing angles, especially when the seatback is reclined, and are only usable when the tray table is deployed, limiting passenger convenience during flights.
Innovation Solution
A portable retainer using a rigidly malleable elastic wire and magnets that can be adjusted to hang over or prop up on the seatback, providing stable support for various device sizes and allowing for optimal viewing angles, while being compact and storable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing retaining devices are used to secure personal electronic devices on seatbacks, then the devices can be held in place, but they require significant setup time and are bulky and unwieldy
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining device is divided into separate functional components: an elastic wire with hook ends for securing to seatbacks, a core for winding and storing the wire, and a separate mounting mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall setup process.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic wire is pre-formed with hook-shaped ends that can be quickly engaged with seatback structures. The core is designed to pre-store the wire in a compact, organized manner, eliminating the need for complex assembly or configuration during use.
2Reliability
If existing retaining devices are used to secure personal electronic devices on seatbacks, then the devices can be held in place, but they are bulky and unwieldy, making them inconvenient to bring along when traveling
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic wire is wound around and stored within the core, creating a compact nested configuration. The hook ends are positioned to engage with the core structure, allowing the entire retaining device to be stored in a small, portable form factor that fits easily in travel bags.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic wire provides a flexible yet sturdy structure that can be bent and wound into a compact form while maintaining its mechanical properties. This flexibility allows the device to be stored in a small volume without compromising its ability to securely hold electronic devices.
3Reliability
If existing retaining devices are used to secure personal electronic devices on seatbacks, then the devices can be held in place, but they do not allow for adjustment of the viewing angle or multi-positional use
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic wire is designed to be flexible and adjustable, allowing it to be bent into different configurations and positions. The wire can be engaged at various points on the seatback and adjusted to different angles, enabling the secured device to be viewed from multiple positions and orientations.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining device allows for changes in geometric parameters such as the angle of the elastic wire, the position of the hook ends, and the orientation of the secured device. These parameter changes enable adaptability to different seatback configurations and user viewing preferences.
4Reliability
If existing retaining devices are used to secure personal electronic devices on seatbacks, then the devices can be held in place, but they only work when the tray table is deployed, requiring the passenger to hold the device in hand or lap when using the tray table
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining device is designed to be universally applicable to different seatback configurations regardless of tray table deployment. The elastic wire can be engaged with various structures on the seatback, providing hands-free device securing whether the tray table is up or down, eliminating the limitation of existing devices.
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
Enables hands-free viewing of electronic devices on airplane seats with adjustable angles, supporting devices during turbulent flights, and compact storage, addressing the limitations of existing solutions by providing a versatile and convenient solution for multiple seatback widths.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic wire having the property of taking a new shape and holding said new shape
Implementation Method 2
one or more magnets attached to a front surface of the core... a ferromagnetic anchoring plate removably engaging the second two and an electronic device
Data Source
AI summary
A portable retainer for securing personal electronic devices on the backs of seats is provided. The portable retainer provides a core having communicating wire holes adjacent each end of thereof, through which an elastic wire protrudes for either hanging from a seatback in an upright hanging position or being supported in a pocket of the seatback in an inverted propped up position. The portable retainer provides front and rear endplates that are peripherally broader than the core for facilitating winding the elastic wire about the core in a stored position. The endplates may provide a slot for magnets, to which anchor plates can removably attach to a desired electronic device in either the hanging or the propped-up positions for viewing the anchored electronic device from selective angles and height, due in part to the rigidly malleable elastic wire.