Removable Aircraft Seat Back Shell for Rapid Upholstery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft seat upholsterers face delays and inefficiencies due to the need to wait for the seat structure to be completed before starting the upholstery process, and the time-consuming process of replacing or repairing backrest upholstery requires disassembly of the entire seat or transporting it to the upholsterer.
Innovation Solution
A standard shaped seat back shell that can be upholstered separately from the seat structure, allowing for assembly and reupholstery without disassembling the seat frame, and enabling customization and lightweight construction by enclosing the seat back frame with a removable and replacable shell.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the seat structure is built first and then upholstered, then the seat structure can be completed and assembled, but the upholstery process is delayed until the structure is complete
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the seat into separate modules: the seat structure and the upholstery are independent components that can be manufactured separately and then assembled together. The seat bottom frame and seat back frame form the structural portion, while the upholstery is applied as a separate covering that can be prepared in advance and attached later, eliminating the waiting time between structure completion and upholstery.
2Ease of repair
If the entire seat or backrest structure is removed for upholstery replacement, then the upholstery can be replaced, but the process becomes very time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The upholstery is designed as a separate, removable component that can be detached from the seat frame without removing the entire seat structure. The seat bottom upholstery and seat back upholstery can be independently removed and replaced by simply detaching them from the respective frames, allowing rapid replacement without disassembling the structural components.
Solution Approach 2:
The upholstery system is designed to be dynamically adjustable and removable. The upholstery can be easily attached and detached from the seat frame, allowing for quick replacement and maintenance operations without permanent fixation, thereby reducing the time required for reupholstery operations.
3Ease of manufacture
If components are repaired in one facility and upholstered in another, then specialized work can be done, but the process becomes complicated and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is divided into independently serviceable components: the seat frame and the upholstery. This segmentation allows the frame to be sent to one facility for structural repairs while the upholstery can be sent to a specialized upholstery facility for reupholstery, or both can be serviced separately and then reassembled, simplifying the coordination between facilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The upholstery is extracted as a separate serviceable component from the seat structure. This allows the upholstery to be removed, serviced, or replaced independently at specialized facilities without affecting the seat frame, and the frame can be serviced separately at structural repair facilities, reducing process complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft seat that includes a seat bottom frame having a back, a seat back frame pivotally connected to the back of the seat bottom frame, and a seat back shell. The seat back shell has at least a front panel, a back panel opposite the front panel, and at least two side panels disposed between the front and back panels which connects the front panel to the back panel. The combination of the front, back, and side panels form a gap to receive the entire seat back frame.