Passenger Seatback Tray Table Layout for More Legroom

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional passenger seat designs often compromise legroom by encroaching on space with amenities like tray tables and coat hangers, reducing comfort, especially for tall passengers on long-haul flights.

Innovation Solution

A seatback design where the tray table folds along a latitudinal axis to occupy only a portion of the seatback's width, allowing the remaining space to be used for legroom, with independently accessible cup holders and coat hangers that do not interfere with the tray table's position, and can support electronic devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If amenities (tray table, cup holder, coat hanger) are installed on the seatback, then passenger comfort and functionality are improved, but legroom space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger comfort and functionalityVSAvoidlegroom space

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The tray table is divided into a first half and a second half that can be folded relative to each other. The second half folds to the first half in the stowage position, reducing the transverse width occupied by the tray table when not in use, thereby freeing up space for the pocket and improving legroom while maintaining full functionality when deployed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tray table is designed to be movable between a stowage position (folded) and a use position (deployed). This dynamic configuration allows the tray table to occupy minimal space when not needed while providing full amenity functionality when required, resolving the contradiction between space occupancy and functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Area of stationary object

If the tray table is stowed against the seatback, then space is maximized, but the cup holder becomes inaccessible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidcup holder accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cup holder is extracted from the tray table structure and repositioned on the seatback in a location that remains accessible regardless of the tray table's position. This allows the cup holder to be independently accessed while the tray table is stowed, eliminating the accessibility issue while maintaining space efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If the seat pitch is kept low to maximize the number of rows, then productivity is improved, but legroom is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of rows per aircraftVSAvoidlegroom

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The foldable tray table design reduces the space required for amenities, effectively creating additional legroom within the same seat pitch. This allows airlines to maintain high seat pitch (improving comfort) while still maximizing the number of rows, or to maintain the same number of rows with improved passenger comfort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9610879B2Seatback for a passenger seat

Publication Date: 2017.04.04 ST ENG AEROSPACE LTD

AI summary

A seatback for a passenger seat, a passenger seat, and a method of manufacturing a seatback for a passenger seat. The seatback comprises an upwardly extending base having a front and a rear, the front capable of supporting a passenger; a pocket attached to the rear; a tray table attached to the rear and operable between a stowage position and a use position; and wherein the rear has a longitudinal length and a transverse width, with the tray table, when in the stowage position, being at least partly transversely aligned with pocket.