Seat Support Assembly Pitch Reducer and Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passenger seat designs face challenges in incorporating energy absorption features effectively, especially with lightweight composite materials, which struggle to manage stress and distortion during dynamic events like crash landings, and fail to address pre-test conditions such as pitch and roll operations.
Innovation Solution
The seat support assembly incorporates a pitch reducer assembly with rotating pitch risers and stops, an integrated leg assembly with rotational couplings, and an energy absorption assembly with a tubular member and die holder to manage stress and distortion, allowing for rotation and movement to relieve floor distortion stresses during pitch and roll operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If lightweight composite materials are used to reduce seat weight, then cost effectiveness is improved, but the ability to manage stress and distortion during dynamic events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seat support assembly is divided into multiple functional segments: a pitch reducer assembly with pitch risers and stops, an integrated leg assembly, and an energy absorption assembly with tubular members and dies. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in managing specific types of stress and distortion, enabling lightweight composite materials to be used while maintaining overall structural integrity through coordinated action of multiple specialized elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates dynamic elements including pitch risers that can extend and retract, pitch stops that can engage and disengage, and an energy absorption assembly with tubular members that can deform controllably. These dynamic components allow the lightweight structure to adapt to varying load conditions during pitch and roll operations, maintaining strength where needed while reducing weight overall.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional rigid seat designs are used, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to absorb energy during dynamic events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The energy absorption assembly includes tubular members and dies positioned to deform in a controlled manner during pitch and roll operations, absorbing energy before it can cause structural failure. The pitch reducer assembly similarly provides pre-configured mechanical advantage to cushion the seat against dynamic loads, maintaining structural stability while enabling energy dissipation through controlled deformation of specific components.
3Loss of energy
If energy absorption devices are incorporated into traditional designs, then energy absorption capability is improved, but the ability to address pre-test pitch and roll conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pitch reducer assembly serves multiple functions: it reduces pitch motion through mechanical advantage, provides structural support during roll operations, and works cooperatively with the energy absorption assembly. The integrated leg assembly similarly provides both structural support and facilitates controlled deformation. This multi-functionality allows the design to address pre-test pitch and roll conditions while maintaining energy absorption capability.
4Ease of manufacture
If composite materials are used, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but the difference between tensile, yield, and rupture strengths deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different material properties and structural characteristics to different locations within the seat support assembly. The pitch risers and stops use specific material configurations optimized for pitch motion, while the tubular members and dies in the energy absorption assembly use configurations optimized for controlled deformation. This local quality approach allows composite materials to be manufactured with tailored properties in different regions, managing the limited strength differential through spatial distribution of functional requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
Described are seat support assemblies comprising at least one of a pitch reducer assembly, a fitting assembly, an energy absorption assembly, and an integrated leg assembly. The pitch reducer assembly may include a pitch reducer housing, at least one pitch riser, and at least one pitch stop. The integrated leg assembly may include a forward leg and an aft leg, where the forward leg is coupled to the pitch reducer assembly. The fitting assembly may include a pair of forward housing mating components and a pair of aft housing mating components, where the pairs of mating components are coupled to the forward and aft legs, respectively. The energy absorption assembly may include a tubular member, a die slidingly coupled to the tubular member, and a die holder coupled to the die, wherein the die holder has a hemispherical outer surface that is configured to pivotally mate with a passenger seat housing and rotate about an arc of rotation relative to the tubular member.