Seatback Bezel Privacy Closeout for Aircraft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft seating lacks privacy in economy class and insufficient stowage opportunities for personal items, with premium economy offering these amenities.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft passenger seat assembly featuring a closeout body that fills gaps between seatbacks, incorporating a privacy panel and storage structures like cupholder assemblies, fabricated through thermoforming or injection molding, and coupled using mechanical fasteners or solvent bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional economy seating is used, then seat cost is reduced, but privacy between passengers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seat assembly is divided into separate functional modules: a base seat structure and a detachable privacy closeout body. This segmentation allows the privacy feature to be added as a separate component that can be installed on economy seats without redesigning the entire seat assembly, thus maintaining cost-effectiveness while improving privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The privacy closeout body is merged with the seatback bezel through coupling mechanisms (mechanical fasteners or solvent bonding) to create an integrated assembly. This merging provides the privacy function while maintaining a unified structure that fits within the existing seat design, avoiding the need for completely separate privacy structures.
2Device complexity
If traditional aircraft seating is used, then device complexity is reduced, but stowage opportunities for personal items deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The closeout body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides privacy separation between adjacent seats, creates structural support for mounting storage features, and houses cupholder assemblies and other personal item storage opportunities. This multi-functionality adds stowage capacity without requiring entirely separate structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
Storage opportunities are added in the vertical dimension by incorporating cupholder assemblies and storage compartments within the closeout body structure, which extends the functional space beyond the traditional horizontal seat footprint. This allows personal items to be stored in the space between seatbacks without affecting seat functionality.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If privacy panels are added to economy seats, then privacy between passengers is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closeout body is pre-formed as a complete integrated component including privacy surfaces and storage features before installation. This preliminary formation of the privacy structure as a single unit simplifies the final assembly process, as the entire privacy module can be installed as one component rather than assembling separate privacy elements during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The closeout body acts as an intermediary component between the seatback bezel and the privacy panel. This intermediary structure provides a standardized mounting interface that simplifies the connection between different privacy components, making manufacturing and assembly more straightforward by using the closeout body as a unifying element.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If closeout body is coupled to seatback bezel, then privacy separation is improved, but coupling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism is designed to be self-contained within the closeout body structure, using integrated features such as snap-fit connections or pre-applied adhesives that allow the closeout body to be attached to the seatback bezel without requiring complex external fastening systems. The coupling structure serves itself by being incorporated into the design of the closeout body rather than requiring separate coupling components.
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
Provides improved privacy and additional storage for passengers, enhancing comfort by separating seating environments and accommodating personal items without interfering with seat functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the closeout body is formed by at least one of a thermoforming process or an injection molding process
Implementation Method 2
the closeout body is formed by at least one of a thermoforming process or an injection molding process
Implementation Method 3
the closeout body is coupled to the seatback bezel by at least one of a mechanical fastener or a solvent bonding
Implementation Method 4
the closeout body is coupled to the seatback bezel by at least one of a mechanical fastener or a solvent bonding
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
An aircraft passenger seat assembly is disclosed. In embodiments, the aircraft passenger seat assembly includes an aircraft passenger seat (101), wherein the aircraft passenger seat includes a seatback (103) configured to support an upper body of an aircraft passenger, and a seatback bezel (105) defining at least a portion of a rear seatback surface. In embodiments, the aircraft passenger seat assembly may further include at least one privacy assembly (102), wherein the at least one privacy assembly includes a closeout body (104) coupled to the seatback bezel, and a privacy panel (106) coupled to the closeout body, the privacy panel extending from the closeout body in order to at least partially separate a seating environment of the aircraft passenger seat from an adjacent seating environment of an adjacent aircraft passenger seat.