Aircraft Seat Base Rail Guide Mechanism for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft passenger seats face challenges in providing a stable, adjustable, and space-efficient design that minimizes interference with adjacent passengers while being lightweight and easy to configure for various seating positions.
Innovation Solution
The design features a frame with a movably mounted seat base and backrest, utilizing elongate rails with guide mechanisms and roller carriages for smooth adjustment, along with an articulated connection between the seat base and backrest, allowing for pivoting and displacement movements while maintaining stability and reducing weight through window openings in the rail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seat base and backrest are made adjustable with multiple positions, then the comfort and versatility of the seat is improved, but the construction complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is divided into separate adjustable components: the seat base can move independently along the rail, and the backrest can pivot independently on the frame. This segmentation allows each component to be adjusted separately, providing multiple seating positions without requiring a completely complex reconfiguration system.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat base is designed with dynamic movement capability along the rail, and the backrest has dynamic pivoting capability. These dynamic elements allow the seat to adapt to different positions while using relatively simple mechanical structures (rails and pivots) rather than complex fixed mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the seat base is made movable on the frame, then the adjustability and comfort are improved, but the stability of the seat structure may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The seat base is equipped with guide mechanisms that engage with the rail before movement occurs. This preliminary engagement ensures that the seat base remains properly guided and constrained during adjustment, preventing instability or unintended movements while allowing the required adjustability.
3Strength
If the rail is made solid and robust to ensure stability, then the structural strength is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rail is designed as a thin-walled tubular structure rather than a solid bar. This thin-walled construction provides sufficient structural strength and rigidity to support the seat base and guide its movement, while significantly reducing the weight compared to a solid rail of equivalent strength.
4Weight of moving object
If window openings are added to the rail to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The rail incorporates window openings (porous structure) in its construction. These openings reduce the amount of material required, thereby reducing weight, while the remaining material is strategically positioned to maintain the necessary structural strength and rigidity for guiding the seat base.
5Ease of operation
If guide mechanisms are implemented for smooth movement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide mechanism acts as an intermediary between the seat base and the rail. It provides the necessary guidance and support for smooth movement while keeping the overall system relatively simple. The guide mechanism translates the user's input force into controlled movement along the rail without requiring complex control systems.
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
This configuration enhances the 'living space' by allowing easier adjustment of the seat and backrest, improving stability and reducing user effort, while maintaining a lightweight and efficient structure.
Implementation Method 1
rollers of a roller carriage which is arranged displaceably together with the seat base on the at least one rail are prestressed on the rail
Implementation Method 2
rollers of a roller carriage which is arranged displaceably together with the seat base on the at least one rail are mounted by way of ball bearing and/or anti-friction bearing
Implementation Method 3
The backrest is preferably mounted in such a way that the backrest can carry out a pivoting/displacement movement, in particular, together with the seat base
Implementation Method 4
In order to save weight, the rail advantageously has window openings, for example, in the form of cutouts or through holes, over a large part of its length
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an aircraft passenger seat, comprising a frame intended to be fastened to a floor of an aircraft passenger cabin, a seat base movably mounted on the frame, and a movably mounted seat back. The aircraft passenger seat is characterized in that at least one rail is fastened to the frame and in that the seat base is slidably arranged on the rail by means of guide elements.