Seat support system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft passenger seats face inefficiencies in structural design, leading to excessive weight due to inefficient load transfer and comfort features, which compromise both passenger safety and material usage.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a seat back and bottom assembly with a frame and vertically stacked panels, utilizing elastic attachment members and support structures to allow independent movement of panels, optimizing load transfer and reducing material usage while enhancing passenger comfort and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional seat structural assemblies are designed to meet specific loading conditions with safety and convenience features, then passenger safety and comfort are ensured, but the seat weight increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The seat back assembly is divided into multiple panels (first panel, second panel, third panel, fourth panel) that can move independently relative to each other and the frame. This segmentation allows the structure to be lighter while maintaining safety, as each panel can be optimized individually and the system adapts to passenger needs without requiring a heavy monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat back panels are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment during passenger interaction. The panels can move independently to accommodate different passenger sizes and postures, providing comfort while using less material than a rigid fixed structure would require.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional seat structural assemblies include moveable or deployable safety and convenience features, then passenger comfort and convenience are enhanced, but the seat weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable panels serve multiple functions: they provide passenger comfort by adapting to different sizes and postures, contribute to crash safety through controlled movement, and eliminate the need for separate heavy safety mechanisms. This multi-functionality achieves comfort and safety goals without adding excessive weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat structure uses the passenger's own body weight and movements to activate the panel movements, rather than requiring separate motors or actuators. The elastic members and mechanical linkages automatically respond to passenger interaction, providing comfort adjustment without additional powered components.
3Loss of substance
If seat structural assemblies use efficient load paths to transfer load from passenger through seat into aircraft structure, then material usage is reduced, but structural design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented panel structure creates natural load paths where each panel and its attachments transfer loads efficiently to the frame and ultimately to the aircraft structure. The segmentation allows for optimized material distribution, placing material only where needed for load transfer rather than using uniform thick structures throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The design uses elastic members with specific flexibility characteristics to manage load transfer. By carefully selecting the elastic properties and geometric parameters of the attachments and support structures, efficient load paths are achieved without requiring complex active control systems.
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
This design achieves a lighter, more efficient structural configuration that effectively transfers loads while accommodating various passenger sizes and postures, improving both safety and comfort while minimizing material usage.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one attachment member comprises an elastic material configured to allow movement of at least one panel of the seat back assembly due to interaction with a passenger seated in the passenger seat
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a passenger seat that includes a seat bottom assembly with a forward edge and a rear edge and a seat back assembly extending up from the rear edge of the seat bottom assembly. The seat back assembly may include a frame, a plurality of panels within a perimeter of the frame, and at least one attachment member configured to attach the plurality of panels to the frame. The seat bottom assembly may include a frame and a plurality of panels within a perimeter of the frame.