Swingarm Seat Mounting for Aircraft Plinth Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat assemblies in aircraft are not suitable for suite-style seating units as they do not effectively protect the plinth and surrounding furniture from floor deformation during crashes, limiting their application to seats only.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic seat mounting assembly featuring a swingarm and clevis sub-assemblies that deflect forces away from the plinth, allowing the seat and privacy shell to be mounted on the same plinth, isolating it from floor deformation, and enabling pre-assembly and easy installation onsite.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional track fittings are used to secure seats to floor tracks, then the seat frame members are protected from deformation during crashes, but the plinth and surrounding furniture remain vulnerable to floor deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into separate functional components: traditional track fittings for seat frame protection, and a swingarm mechanism specifically for plinth isolation. This segmentation allows each component to address its specific protection need independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The swingarm acts as an intermediary element between the floor tracks and the plinth. It absorbs and deflects floor deformation forces before they can reach the plinth, similar to how traditional track fittings protect the seat frame. This mediator approach isolates the plinth from harmful floor movements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If suite-style seating units with multiple components mounted on the same plinth are implemented, then passenger suite functionality is improved, but the plinth becomes more vulnerable to floor deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The swingarm mechanism introduces dynamic flexibility to the plinth mounting system. Rather than rigidly fixing the plinth to the floor tracks, the swingarm allows controlled movement and deflection, enabling the plinth to adapt to floor deformation while supporting suite-style configurations.
3Productivity
If pre-assembly of suite-style seats on a common plinth is performed, then installation efficiency is improved, but the complexity of mounting to floor tracks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into separate functional components: traditional track fittings for seat frame protection, and a swingarm mechanism specifically for plinth isolation. This segmentation allows each component to address its specific protection need independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The plinth with suite-style seating components is pre-assembled as a complete unit before installation. The swingarm and clevis sub-assemblies are prepared in advance, allowing the entire plinth assembly to be quickly installed as one unit, improving productivity while managing complexity through standardized components.
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
The solution effectively isolates the plinth from floor deformation, allowing for the assembly of suite-style seats with a seat and privacy shell on the same plinth, ensuring protection and ease of installation while maintaining aesthetic concealment of attachment points.
Implementation Method 1
the swingarm is configured to deflect in a direction away from the plinth in response to floor deformation
Data Source
AI summary
A seat mounting assembly including a swingarm configured for attachment to spaced-apart floor tracks, and a plinth having a seat mounted thereon mounted on the swingarm such that the swingarm is configured to deflect in a direction away from the plinth in response to floor deformation. An assembly for mounting a suite-style seat supported on a plinth to spaced floor tracks to isolate the plinth from floor deformation.