Aircraft Seat Pan Layout for Accessible IFE Box Servicing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft passenger seat designs hinder access to in-flight entertainment (IFE) equipment, leading to increased repair time and reduced accuracy due to the inconvenient placement of IFE boxes and hydrolocks, which are exposed to debris and liquids, limiting legroom and storage space.
Innovation Solution
The design repositions IFE boxes underneath the seat pan and makes the seat pan pivotable, allowing technicians to access them from above, and centers and secures the hydrolock to the seat pan, providing unobstructed access and protection from debris and liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the IFE box is mounted on the side of the seat frame, then the IFE equipment can be integrated into the seat structure, but leg room and storage space are inhibited and access for servicing is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The seat pan is made pivotable relative to the seat frame, transforming from a static structure to a dynamic one that can be rotated to access the IFE box. This allows the IFE box to remain integrated in the seat structure while enabling easy access for servicing by rotating the seat pan to a service position.
Solution Approach 2:
The IFE box is repositioned from a lateral mounting position to a longitudinal position underneath the seat pan. This dimensional change in placement allows the box to be integrated into the seat structure while being accessible from the rear of the seat, improving both integration and serviceability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the IFE box is mounted on the side of the seat frame, then the equipment can be integrated into the seat, but repair time increases and repair accuracy reduces
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable seat pan allows technicians to quickly rotate the seat pan to a service position for accessing the IFE box, significantly reducing repair time and improving repair accuracy by eliminating the need to crawl underneath the seat.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat pan is pre-configured with pivot hinges and appropriate clearance to enable easy rotation to a service position, preparing the structure in advance for maintenance activities without requiring additional tools or complex disassembly procedures.
3Strength
If the hydrolock is positioned on the side of the seat frame or in the center below the seat pan, then the seat structure can support the hydrolock, but the hydrolock is exposed to debris and liquids which shortens service life
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrolock is extracted from its conventional exposed position on the seat frame and repositioned to the center of the seat pan, where it becomes protected from debris and liquids. This extraction from the harmful environment extends the hydrolock's service life while maintaining structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrolock is positioned in the center of the seat pan where it receives protection from debris and liquids, creating a localized protected environment for this critical component while the rest of the seat structure maintains its load-bearing function.
4Strength
If the hydrolock is positioned on the seat frame, then the seat structure can accommodate it, but access to the IFE box is prohibited or limited
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrolock is extracted from the seat frame structure and repositioned to the center of the seat pan. This extraction eliminates the obstruction to accessing the IFE box while the hydrolock remains securely supported by the seat pan structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrolock is repositioned from a lateral or lower center position to the center of the seat pan, changing its spatial relationship to both the IFE box and the seat structure. This dimensional change provides unobstructed access to the IFE box while maintaining structural support.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a design innovation to conventional air passenger seats. The design innovation relates to the positioning of IFE boxes. For a better understanding, the reader may recall the last flight in the airline seat and the way the passenger's leg room was inhibited by a box mounted on the seat leg in front of the passenger. The new design innovation repositions (or “pancakes”) the IFE box underneath the seat pan.