Segmented Driving Seat for Pilot Rest and Control Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators in complex machines, such as aircraft pilots, face challenges in maintaining awareness of flight parameters during rest periods due to the need to adjust their seating position for optimal relaxation, which compromises their ability to monitor controls quickly in emergency situations.
Innovation Solution
A seat design with a segmented seat pan and backrest that allows adjustable inclination angles, enabling the occupant to maintain a comfortable and relaxed position while still being able to monitor controls, through modifications in the angles between the seat pan and backrest panels, including a working position, standby position, and rest position, with optional crash position for safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the back rest is inclined to a greater degree backwards for optimal relaxation, then the operator's muscular and skeletal comfort is improved, but the operator loses visibility of control instruments and leaves the piloting loop
Solution Approach 1:
The back rest is divided into multiple segments (first back rest portion, second back rest portion, third back rest portion) that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows the operator to incline the lower portions for comfort while keeping the upper portion upright to maintain visibility of instruments and remain in the piloting loop.
2Loss of information
If the operator remains in a working position to monitor flight parameters, then awareness of flight parameters is maintained, but physical recovery through real rest period is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented back rest structure enables a compromise position where the operator can achieve partial relaxation of the lower body while maintaining an upright upper body position for continuous monitoring of flight parameters, thus achieving both physical recovery and situational awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The back rest segments can be dynamically adjusted to different angles independently, allowing the operator to transition between working and resting positions while maintaining awareness, or to find an intermediate position that provides both comfort and visibility.
3Device complexity
If a simple seat structure with few mobile parts is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to provide improved comfort in rest periods is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The back rest is segmented into multiple adjustable portions, each capable of independent inclination adjustment. This provides enhanced comfort capabilities while maintaining relatively simple mechanics through the use of basic articulation points and inclination mechanisms for each segment.
Data Source
AI summary
A driving seat comprises a base and a back rest forming a support structure. The back rest is articulated onto the base about an axis of inclination of the back rest to provide an adjustable back rest inclination angle. The base comprises a rear base panel of fixed inclination and a front base panel with an adjustable base inclination angle relative to the rear base panel. The back rest comprises a lower back rest panel and an upper back rest panel with an adjustable raising angle relative to the lower back rest panel. In operation, the back rest inclination angle, the base inclination angle and the raising angle are adjustable to adapt the configuration of the seat to a working configuration, a standby configuration, a rest configuration or a crash configuration.