Sliding Aisle Seat Layout for Faster Aircraft Boarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing reliance on carry-on luggage has led to significant bottlenecks during passenger boarding and deplaning, as passengers block aisles while storing or retrieving luggage, resulting in prolonged airplane turn times and reduced profitability for airlines.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft seating system that allows for the selective movement of aisle seats to increase the width of the aisle during boarding and deplaning, utilizing a sliding mechanism that moves the aisle seat above and in front of the middle seat, and a staggered seating arrangement to provide additional elbow room and reduce seat widths, allowing for increased aisle width and passenger comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the aisle width is increased to reduce bottlenecks during boarding and deplaning, then passenger flow speed is improved, but the number of seating positions in a row must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The aisle seat is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be repositioned between a first position (adjacent to the middle seat) and a second position (retracted above and in front of the middle seat). This dynamic configuration enables the aisle width to be adjusted based on operational needs, resolving the contradiction between maximizing seats and enabling fast boarding.
Solution Approach 2:
The seating system is divided into fixed components (frame, middle seat, window seat) and a movable component (aisle seat on slide member). This segmentation allows the aisle seat to be independently repositioned without affecting the overall seat structure or floor footprint, enabling aisle width adjustment while maintaining total seating capacity.
2Productivity
If the aisle seat is repositioned to increase aisle width during boarding, then passenger flow is improved, but the seat configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slide member mechanism allows the aisle seat to be nested within the seat structure itself, with the slide member integrated into the seat frame. This nesting approach minimizes additional space requirements and reduces overall system complexity compared to external moving mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide member acts as an intermediary mechanism between the aisle seat and the fixed seat frame, providing a controlled movement interface. This intermediary component simplifies the movement mechanism by using a straightforward sliding action rather than complex mechanical systems.
3Loss of time
If a movable aisle seat mechanism is implemented to adjust aisle width, then boarding time is reduced, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The slide member mechanism is designed to be operated by the passengers themselves or cabin crew through simple manual activation, eliminating the need for complex motorized systems or additional mechanical components. This self-service approach reduces device complexity while still achieving the goal of rapid aisle width adjustment.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1E
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
An aircraft seat set is provided that allows for providing extra room for passengers and/or allow for selectively increasing the width of an aircraft aisle during enplaning and deplaning and/or increasing the width of some seats during flight. In one embodiment, the aisle seat of the seat set is movably connected to the seat frame of the seat set to allow the aisle seat to be disposed above and in front of the middle seat of the seat set for enplaning and deplaning.