Ejection Seat Pan Lifter for Pilot Height Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft ejection seats often fail to accommodate pilots of varying heights, particularly smaller female pilots, due to fixed seat pan geometries that cannot be adequately adjusted, leading to discomfort and the infrequent use of separate cushions for height adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A seat pan lifter mechanism is integrated into the ejection seat, allowing the seat pan to pivot between two positions, accommodating pilots of different heights by interposing a block spacer between the seat pan and a fixed ledge, thereby increasing the height adjustment range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate cushions are provided to raise smaller pilots, then pilot height accommodation is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to separate storage and manual installation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The seat pan lifter integrates the previously separate cushion function directly into the seat structure. The lifter is coupled to the seat pan and automatically provides height adjustment when deployed, eliminating the need for separate cushions that required manual installation and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat pan lifter is selectively deployable from a stowed position to a deployed position, providing automatic height adjustment. When deployed, the lifter positioner mechanism maintains the lifter in the elevated position without requiring continuous manual intervention, allowing the system to serve itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the seat pan is made pivotable with adjustment mechanisms, then pilot height accommodation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat pan adjustment system is segmented into distinct functional components: the pivotable seat pan, the lifter mechanism, and the lifter positioner. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while maintaining adjustability capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat pan is designed to be pivotable relative to the fixed frame, allowing dynamic adjustment between different height positions. The lifter can be selectively deployed to create an elevated position, enabling the system to adapt to different pilot heights through controlled movement rather than fixed configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft is provided and includes a fixed frame including a ledge and a seat pan on which seating elements for seating an aircraft crewperson are disposable. The seat pan includes a hinge about which the seat pan is pivotable relative to the fixed frame and a flange disposable on the ledge to establish a first pivot position for the seat pan relative to the fixed frame and a seat pan lifter coupled to the fixed frame and selectively interposable between the flange and the ledge to establish a second pivot position for the seat pan relative to the fixed frame.