Passenger Seat Armrest Gas-Spring Control for Stable Vertical Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for controlling the movement of vertically movable armrests in passenger seats, such as those found in vehicles, rely on the strength of flight attendants or coil springs, which are inadequate in supporting the weight of the armrests and can result in undesired oscillations.
Innovation Solution
A passenger seat armrest control mechanism utilizing a gas spring, pulley, and cable system to facilitate controlled vertical movement of armrests, providing support and resistance to prevent free-falling and ensure smooth transitions between stowed and deployed positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If traditional coil springs are used to control armrest movement, then the armrest can move between positions, but the springs produce insufficient forces to support the armrest weight and result in undesired oscillations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional coil springs with a gas spring mechanism that uses compressed gas to provide controlled force. The gas spring includes a piston and cylinder assembly that generates sufficient support force to hold the armrest weight while providing damping to prevent oscillations, directly resolving the force and stability contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas spring acts as a counterweight mechanism that balances the armrest weight. By positioning the gas spring to oppose the gravitational force on the armrest, it provides continuous support force that prevents the armrest from free-falling while maintaining stable positioning without oscillations.
2Ease of operation
If flight attendants manually support armrest weight, then armrest movement can be controlled, but the approach requires significant human strength and is not scalable
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring mechanism enables the armrest system to serve itself by automatically providing the force needed to support and move the armrest. The mechanism self-regulates the movement between stowed and deployed positions without requiring external human intervention, eliminating the need for flight attendant strength while improving service efficiency.
3Reliability
If heavy armrests are used to provide adequate support, then stability is improved, but the armrests become difficult to move and access for disabled passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring provides a counterweight force that offsets the armrest weight, making the armrest feel lighter and easier to move despite its actual weight providing stable support. This allows the armrest to maintain stability through its mass while the gas spring compensates for the weight in terms of operational effort, improving accessibility for disabled passengers.
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
The mechanism ensures reliable, controlled, and compact movement of armrests, supporting heavy weights and preventing oscillations, while allowing for easy access by disabled passengers.
Implementation Method 1
The gas spring includes a first end attached to the base member and a second end moveable relative to the base member
Data Source
AI summary
An armrest control mechanism for a passenger seat may be attached to a seat frame and an armrest to control movement of the armrest relative to the seat frame. The armrest control mechanism may include a base member, a gas spring, a pulley attached to the gas spring and moveable relative to the base member, and a cable movable relative to the base member for moving the pulley. The gas spring may provide forces through the pulley and the cable to the armrest.