Vehicle Seat Backrest Holder with Fold-Out Tray

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for attaching personal electronic devices to vehicle seats lack flexibility and reliability, particularly in ensuring passenger safety during critical flight phases.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle seat design featuring a backrest with a recess, a holder base, a resiliently mounted upper clip, and a fold-out tray with U-shaped latching hooks, allowing for adjustable retention of devices of varying sizes, which can be securely stowed during critical phases by folding into the backrest.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a holder is integrated into the backrest to secure personal electronic devices, then device retention reliability is improved, but the device complexity of the seat structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice retention reliabilityVSAvoidseat structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holder is divided into separate functional components: a holder base fitted to the backrest, movable clamping elements (upper and lower holder clips), and a fold-out tray with folding hinges. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while simplifying the overall integration into the seat structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping elements are designed to be movably mounted rather than fixed, allowing them to adjust dynamically to different device sizes and shapes. The fold-out tray provides dynamic adjustment between stowed and deployed positions, enabling the structure to adapt to different operational phases without permanent complex features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the holder structure is made adjustable to accommodate devices of different sizes, then adaptability is improved, but the device complexity of the holder mechanism increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice size adaptabilityVSAvoidholder mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping elements are designed to be movably mounted in the holder base, allowing them to adjust dynamically to different device sizes and shapes. This dynamic adjustment capability provides adaptability without requiring multiple fixed-position holders or complex adjustable mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient mounting of the clamping elements allows them to change their position and clamping force parameters automatically based on the size and shape of the inserted device. This passive parameter adjustment achieves adaptability without active control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the holder and tray are folded up into the backrest during critical phases, then passenger safety is improved, but the ease of operation for device access decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger safety during critical phasesVSAvoiddevice access convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The fold-out tray is designed with folding hinges that allow it to be quickly deployed from and returned to the stowed position. This dynamic structure enables rapid transition between the safe stowed configuration during critical phases and the accessible deployed configuration during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The holder base and clamping elements are pre-positioned within the backrest structure, ready for immediate use. The tray is pre-configured in the folded position and can be deployed on demand, eliminating the need for complex assembly or configuration during critical phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If a fold-out tray is added to provide device support, then ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements of the seat increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice viewing and operation convenienceVSAvoidseat structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fold-out tray is integrated with the holder base and backrest structure through folding hinges, merging multiple functions (device support, holder mounting, and space-efficient storage) into a single unified structure. This reduces the need for separate components and simplifies overall seat design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The tray is designed to fold into and nest within the backrest structure when not in use, similar to a nested doll configuration. This nesting approach minimizes the space required for the tray while maintaining full functionality when deployed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 solution provides a flexible and reliable means to secure personal electronic devices of different sizes, ensuring passenger safety and convenience while meeting aircraft safety regulations by forming a flat surface during critical flight phases.

Implementation Method 1

an upper holder clip (11) which is movably and resiliently mounted in a clip rail (12)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2962937B1Vehicle seat comprising integrated holder for electronic devices
Publication Date: 2019.09.25 AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
  • EP2962937B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2962937B1 patent drawingFigure 4(A)~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising a backrest, a recess made in the backrest, a holder base fitted to a rear wall of the recess, an upper holder clip which is movably and resiliently mounted in a clip rail extending vertically from top to bottom in the holder base, and a fold-out tray which can be folded out from the recess by means of two folding hinges which are fitted to the inner side walls of the recess inside the recess.