Aircraft Seat Track Fitting Quick Release Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of aircraft seat track fittings is complex due to the need to align and lock four discrete fittings, which increases installation time and difficulty, and each fitting has its own locking mechanism, complicating the process.
Innovation Solution
A track fitting design with a quick-release lock mechanism that allows simultaneous alignment and locking of multiple protrusions, reducing the complexity of installation and weight by distributing forces to minimize compression and buckling during events like braking or impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If four discrete track fittings are used to secure the aircraft seat, then the seat can be firmly locked to the floor, but the installation time and difficulty increase due to the need to align and lock each fitting separately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines four discrete track fittings into a single integrated track fitting assembly that spans the width of the seat pedestal. This unified structure allows all four locking points to be aligned and secured simultaneously through a single installation operation, eliminating the need to separately position and lock four individual fittings while maintaining the same structural support and locking reliability.
2Reliability
If each track fitting has its own locking mechanism, then each fitting can be independently secured, but the complexity of installation and removal increases due to managing four separate locks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates four separate locking mechanisms into a single unified locking system. The track fitting assembly includes one plunger that simultaneously engages all four locking points (two forward protrusions and two aft protrusions) with the seat track. This unified plunger mechanism can be operated with a single action to secure or release all four locking points, maintaining independent control while eliminating the complexity of managing four separate locking operations.
3Ease of operation
If a single track fitting assembly is used to span the width of the seat pedestal, then installation is simplified, but the structure may be more susceptible to compression and buckling during braking or impact events
Solution Approach 1:
The track fitting assembly is segmented into multiple structural components including forward and aft sections, lateral arms extending to each side of the pedestal, and integrated locking mechanisms at each corner. This segmentation creates a modular structure that distributes mechanical loads across multiple discrete load paths rather than relying on a single continuous beam, thereby maintaining high compression and buckling resistance while preserving the installation simplicity of a unified assembly.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A track fitting for securing a seat pedestal of an aircraft seat to a floor of an aircraft may comprise a strut (121) and a lock assembly (130). The strut may include an aft section (132) configured to attach to an aft foot of the seat pedestal, a forward section (134) configured to attach to a forward foot of the seat pedestal, and a central section (136) extending between the aft section and the forward section. The lock assembly may be located proximate the aft section of the strut.