Stowable Armrest in Herringbone Aircraft Seating
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Solution Overview
Problem
In premium aircraft seating, there is a need to balance passenger experience with space efficiency, particularly for amenities like armrests and tables, which are often space-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A passenger seating arrangement with alternating herringbone configuration where each seat unit is angled, allowing a retractable armrest to be stowed within the foot-receiving end and deployed to serve an adjacent seat, optimizing space usage by sharing amenities between seats without compromising packing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed armrests are provided for each seat unit, then passenger comfort is improved, but space consumption increases and packing efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the armrest function with the foot-receiving end structure, allowing one structure to serve dual purposes. The foot-receiving end houses the armrest mechanism and provides structural support, eliminating the need for separate fixed armrest structures on each seat unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest is designed as a multi-functional component that can be deployed to serve multiple adjacent seat units. A single armrest mechanism can provide support for passengers in different seat configurations (inwardly-facing and outwardly-facing), replacing the need for dedicated armrests on each seat.
2Adaptability or versatility
If amenities are provided for each seat unit, then passenger experience is improved, but space efficiency and packing density deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is designed as a movable and configurable component rather than a fixed structure. It can be deployed or retracted based on the seating configuration and passenger needs, allowing the system to adapt amenities to actual usage requirements rather than providing static space-consuming structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest utilizes the vertical dimension by being housed within the foot-receiving end structure, rather than extending horizontally from each seat. This vertical integration allows amenities to be provided without increasing the horizontal footprint and compromising packing efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If armrests are deployed for all seat units, then passenger comfort is improved, but the complexity of the seating arrangement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest system is segmented into modular units that can be independently deployed or retracted for different seat configurations. Each foot-receiving end contains its own armrest mechanism that can be controlled separately, allowing simplified management of complexity through modular design rather than a single complex system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A passenger seating arrangement (1) in an aircraft cabin, the passenger seating arrangement comprising a column of seat units (C1) adjacent an aisle. The column (C1) comprises a multiplicity of seat units, each consecutive seat unit alternates between: an inwardly-facing seat unit (11a) angled at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin; an outwardly-facing seat unit (lib) angled at the same acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft cabin but facing outwardly away from the aisle. Each seat unit comprises a foot-receiving end (25). The foot-receiving end of each inwardly-facing seat unit (11a) houses a retractable armrest (29) which is configurable between a stowed position, and a deployed position in which the armrest extends to one side away from the foot-receiving end, such that the armrest (29) provides an armrest surface for use by a passenger in the adjacent outwardly-facing seat unit (11b).