Aircraft Seat Swivel Pin-Slot Feedback for Orientation Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft seats lack a reliable mechanism to provide passengers with haptic feedback indicating when they are swiveled into specific orientations, such as during taxi, takeoff, and landing operations, which can be critical for safety and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A swivel indicating system comprising a pin mount on the seat frame and a slot plate on the base frame, where a pin protruding from the seat frame interacts with the slot to provide haptic feedback when the seat is swiveled into a desired orientation, using a spring to maintain contact and a set screw to adjust the force, ensuring the seat is locked in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a swivel indicating mechanism is added to provide haptic feedback, then passenger safety and comfort are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The swivel indicating mechanism is self-actuating through the natural rotation of the seat frame. The pin and slot interaction automatically provides haptic feedback when the seat reaches specific orientations during swiveling, eliminating the need for external power sources or complex control systems while ensuring safety through tactile confirmation of proper seat positioning.
2Reliability
If a spring is used to maintain contact between pin and slot plate, then haptic feedback reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring acts as an intermediary element between the pin and slot plate, maintaining consistent contact and ensuring reliable haptic feedback. The spring provides continuous pressure to keep the pin engaged with the slot plate during seat rotation, while the set screw serves as an adjustment intermediary to fine-tune the spring force, achieving dependable feedback without complex mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If the pin is designed to protrude into the slot at specific orientations, then orientation indication precision is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The slot in the slot plate is designed with a curved path that corresponds to the rotational arc of the pin. This curved geometry naturally guides the pin through specific engagement points at predetermined orientations, providing precise orientation indication through tactile feedback while accommodating normal manufacturing tolerances through the geometric design rather than requiring extremely tight tolerances.
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
The system provides passengers with tactile confirmation of the seat's orientation, enhancing safety and comfort by ensuring the seat is correctly positioned for operations like taxi, takeoff, and landing, without requiring a power source.
Implementation Method 1
a spring held by the pin mount, wherein the spring is configured to exert a downward force on the pin
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft seat includes a base frame; a seat frame rotatably connected to a top side of the base frame, wherein the seat frame is configured to rotate about a vertical axis; a slot plate connected to the top side of the base frame, wherein the slot plate has a slot in a top surface of the slot plate; and a pin mount connected to a bottom side of the seat frame, wherein the pin mount has a pin that protrudes downward, wherein the pin is configured to protrude into the slot when the seat frame is rotated into a first orientation relative to the base frame.