Aircraft Seat Tray Table Positioning for Passenger Size Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passenger seat tray tables in aircraft do not adequately accommodate passengers of varying sizes, as they are typically designed with a one-size-fits-all approach, compromising comfort and usability.
Innovation Solution
A passenger seat assembly with a tray table that is adjustable in height and depth, featuring a sliding rail mechanism and height adjustment mechanism, allowing the tray table to be moved between stowed and deployed configurations, and an adjustable width through a folding mechanism, ensuring better fit for diverse passenger needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-position tray table is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different passenger sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray table is designed with adjustable positioning mechanisms in both the widthwise direction (via lateral movement along the armrest) and depthwise direction (via forward/backward sliding), transforming a static fixed-position structure into a dynamic adjustable one. This allows the tray table to adapt to passengers of different sizes while maintaining reasonable device complexity through mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the tray table is made adjustable in multiple directions, then the adaptability to different passenger sizes is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into independent directional controls: widthwise adjustment along the armrest, depthwise adjustment via sliding rails, and height adjustment through armrest positioning. This segmentation allows each degree of freedom to be controlled separately, improving adaptability while managing device complexity by breaking down the adjustment system into manageable mechanical components.
3Ease of operation
If the tray table is made compact when stowed, then the productivity of space utilization is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray table is designed to nest within the armrest structure when stowed, with the tray table body fitting into a recess or cavity in the armrest. This nesting arrangement achieves compact space utilization when not in use while maintaining ease of operation through simple deployment motions that extract the tray table from its nested position.
Data Source
Figure 1~2C
Figure 3A~3D
Figure 4A~4D
AI summary
A passenger seat assembly for an aircraft and a method of positioning a tray table are disclosed herein. The passenger seat assembly (100) comprises: a seat (1) having a front side and a back side separated from one another in a depthwise direction, and a first lateral side and a second lateral side separated from one another in a widthwise direction; and an armrest (3) located at one of the first lateral side or the second lateral side of the seat (1), the armrest (3) comprising a tray table (5) movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. A position of the tray table (5) is adjustable, relative to the seat (1), in the depthwise direction and in a heightwise direction when in the deployed configuration.