Seat Back Panel Gap Maintenance During Recline

Solution Overview

Problem

Current seat assemblies in commercial and military transportation suffer from aesthetically undesirable wrinkling, bunching, or wadding of the soft covering material when the backrest structure is reclined, as the closeout skirt portion fails to maintain a gap between the backrest and lower seat structures, leading to potential scuffing, marring, and premature wear.

Innovation Solution

A seat assembly design featuring a lower back skirt panel and upper back shell panel with a track-cam arrangement that allows controlled relative movement, maintaining a gap between their edges during reclining, thereby preventing interference and maintaining the aesthetic appeal by minimizing contact between the panels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a closeout skirt portion is used to cover the seat frame, then the underlying seat frame structure is hidden, but the covering wrinkles, bunches together, and wads up when the backrest structure is moved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic appearance of coveringVSAvoidmovement of backrest structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The closeout structure is divided into a stationary upper back shell panel and a movable lower back skirt panel. The lower panel is separated into distinct segments that can move independently relative to each other and the upper panel, allowing the covering to accommodate backrest movement without wrinkling or bunching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower back skirt panel is designed to move dynamically with the backrest structure during reclining. The panel includes movable portions that shift position as the backrest changes angle, maintaining a consistent gap relationship with the upper back shell panel and preventing the soft covering from deforming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Shape

If the closeout skirt portion bridges the seat frame, then the frame structure is concealed, but the soft covering material suffers scuffing, marring, and premature wear

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic appearance of coveringVSAvoiddurability of soft covering material

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The closeout structure is divided into a stationary upper back shell panel and a movable lower back skirt panel. The lower panel is separated into distinct segments that can move independently relative to each other and the upper panel, allowing the covering to accommodate backrest movement without wrinkling or bunching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower back skirt panel is designed to move dynamically with the backrest structure during reclining. The panel includes movable portions that shift position as the backrest changes angle, maintaining a consistent gap relationship with the upper back shell panel and preventing the soft covering from deforming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Shape

If the lower back skirt panel is disposed adjacent to the upper back shell panel, then the gap is maintained for aesthetic purposes, but relative movement between panels is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegap maintenance between panelsVSAvoidrelative movement capability of panels

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The lower back skirt panel is designed to move dynamically with the backrest structure during reclining. The panel includes movable portions that shift position as the backrest changes angle, maintaining a consistent gap relationship with the upper back shell panel and preventing the soft covering from deforming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A gap is maintained between the upper back shell panel and the lower back skirt panel, acting as an intermediary space that accommodates relative movement. This gap allows the panels to move independently while maintaining their aesthetic relationship and preventing direct contact that would cause wear or deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10688890B2Seat assembly that reclines and includes a back panel

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORP

AI summary

Seat assemblies are provided. In one example, a seat assembly includes a seat frame. The seat frame includes a seat structure portion and a backrest structure portion pivotally coupled to the seat structure portion for movement between a substantially upright seat position and a substantially reclined seat position. An upper back shell panel is coupled to the seat frame. A lower back skirt panel has an upper edge portion and is disposed adjacent to the upper back shell panel such that a gap is present between an upper edge portion of the lower back skirt panel and an outer surface of the upper back shell panel. The lower back skirt panel and the upper back shell panel allow relative movement between each other during movement between the substantially upright seat position and the substantially reclined seat position while maintaining at least a portion of the gap.