Foldable Seat Canopy With Lighting and Venting for Personal Space

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Solution Overview

Problem

Passengers in shared cabins of transport vehicles often experience discomfort due to the cramped atmosphere and lack of personal space, which affects their travel experience.

Innovation Solution

A foldable canopy mounted on passenger seats that can be configured to create a personal space with adjustable lighting and ventilation, allowing passengers to customize their environment for comfort without increasing seat space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a canopy is mounted to create a personal space for each passenger, then passenger comfort and personalization are improved, but device complexity and space occupation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonal space customizationVSAvoidcanopy structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The canopy is designed to be foldable and movable between extended and retracted positions, allowing it to dynamically adapt between providing personal space and being stored when not needed. This dynamic capability enables the system to improve passenger comfort on demand without permanently occupying additional space or maintaining complex structures continuously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The canopy structure integrates multiple functions including forming the personal space enclosure, housing lighting devices, and providing ventilation pathways. By combining these functions into a single multi-functional component, the patent reduces overall device complexity while achieving the desired personalization and comfort enhancements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If lighting and ventilation devices are integrated into the canopy, then personal space comfort is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonal space controlVSAvoidcanopy manufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting device and ventilation device are merged into the canopy structure itself, with the lighting device integrated within the canopy and the ventilation device utilizing the canopy's internal space. This merging approach allows personal space control functionality to be achieved while avoiding the need for separate, additional components that would increase manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the upper and lower sheets are spaced closer at the front end, then mechanical stability and light/air distribution are improved, but internal space volume is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecanopy structural stabilityVSAvoidinternal space volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The canopy employs non-uniform spacing between the upper and lower sheets, with closer spacing at the front end for stability and light/air distribution, and wider spacing at the rear end for passenger comfort and volume. This local variation in quality optimizes both structural performance and functional effectiveness without uniformly sacrificing internal space volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Enhances passenger comfort by providing a personalized space for illumination and ventilation, improving the travel experience while maintaining the existing seat layout.

Implementation Method 1

a lighting device configured for lighting the personal space by emitting light into the internal space formed between the two sheets

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emission: Light Emitting Diode

Implementation Method 2

a venting device configured for venting the personal space by blowing air into the internal space formed between the two sheets

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir flow: Fan

Data Source

PatentEP3766781B1Passenger seat canopy
Publication Date: 2024.05.15 GOODRICH LIGHTING SYST GMBH
  • EP3766781B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3766781B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3766781B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A canopy (2) is configured to be mounted to a passenger seat (80) of a passenger transport vehicle (100), in particular an aircraft. The canopy (2) is foldable between a retracted storage configuration and an extended operational configuration. In the operational configuration, the canopy (2) forms a hood establishing a passenger's personal space (3) below the canopy (2). The canopy (2) comprises at least one functional device (18, 30) which is configured for modifying a physical characteristics of the personal space (3). The at least one functional device (18, 30) in particular includes at least one of a lighting device (18) configured for lighting the personal space (3) and a venting device (30) configured for venting the personal space (3).