Aircraft Seat Flap Element Gap Bridging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft seat designs lack adequate safety features to prevent passenger injury during crashes, particularly from the hooking between the backrest and backrest bridge, and require improved storage solutions for personal items.

Innovation Solution

An aircraft seat device with a pivotally arranged flap element that covers the backrest area above the backrest bridge in a closed state, forming a storage container and bridging the gap between the backrest and backrest bridge to prevent injury, made from a material with an elastic modulus of 1500 MPa to 3000 MPa, and equipped with a locking mechanism for secure operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a backrest bridge is introduced to connect lateral boundaries of the backrest, then structural stability is improved, but it creates a harmful gap that can cause passenger injury during crashes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackrest bridge structural stabilityVSAvoidpassenger injury from backrest bridge gap
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A flap element is introduced as an intermediary component between the backrest bridge and the backrest. This flap element pivotably connects to the backrest bridge and can rotate to cover the harmful gap, preventing passenger injury during crashes while maintaining the structural stability provided by the backrest bridge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The flap element is designed with rotational freedom around a pivot axis, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. In normal conditions, the flap element covers the gap for safety; during a crash, it can rotate to absorb impact forces, transforming the rigid structure into a dynamic safety feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the flap element is made from elastic material with modulus 1500-3000 MPa, then crash energy absorption is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrash energy absorption capabilityVSAvoidflap element material property control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies a particular range for the elastic modulus (1500-3000 MPa) to optimize the balance between structural integrity and energy absorption. This parameter control allows the flap element to deform elastically during crashes, absorbing impact energy while returning to its original position, thus improving reliability without requiring extreme manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the flap element pivotably connects to the backrest bridge, then safety during crashes is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger injury preventionVSAvoidflap element pivot mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The backrest assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the backrest bridge for structural support, the flap element for safety coverage, and the pivot mechanism for dynamic adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to prevent passenger injury without excessive overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 safety by preventing injury from the backrest and backrest bridge interaction during crashes and provides a secure storage solution for personal items, ensuring they are not lost during flight.

Implementation Method 1

the flap element is pivotably arranged in the region of the backrest bridge

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRotation:

Implementation Method 2

made from a material with an elastic modulus of 1500 MPa to 3000 MPa

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3781481B1Aircraft seat device
Publication Date: 2024.01.10 RECARO AIRCRAFT SEATING GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3781481B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3781481B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3781481B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention is based on an aircraft seat device with at least one backrest (10a; 10b), with at least one backrest bridge (16a; 16b), which at least substantially spans the backrest (10a; 10b) at least in a transverse direction, and with at least one flap element (14a; 14b) which is arranged so as to be pivotable in the region of the backrest bridge (16a; 16b). It is proposed that the at least one flap element (14a; 14b), at least in a closed state, covers at least one backrest region (46a; 46b) above the backrest bridge (16a; 16b).