Translating Passenger Backrest for Short-Stature Seat Ergonomics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional passenger seats, particularly in aircraft, are designed for a specific percentile of adult male stature, failing to accommodate passengers of shorter stature, leading to discomfort and reduced effectiveness of passenger restraints during long haul flights.
Innovation Solution
A passenger seat with a translation backrest mechanism that allows the backrest to move forward or aft relative to the seat pan, independent of recline, adjusting to accommodate passengers of varying statures by effectively shortening the seat pan length for better ergonomics and knee positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seat pan has a fixed minimal length designed for 90-95th percentile adult males, then the seat accommodates tall passengers adequately, but the seat pan becomes too long for short stature passengers to properly position their knees
Solution Approach 1:
The backrest is made dynamically adjustable through a translation mechanism that allows it to move forward and rearward relative to the seat pan. This dynamic adjustment enables the effective seat length to be reduced for short passengers by translating the backrest forward, or maintained for tall passengers by positioning the backrest rearward, thus resolving the contradiction between fixed seat pan length and varying passenger stature requirements
2Device complexity
If the backrest is minimally reclinable between TTOL and in-flight positions, then the seat structure remains simple and stable, but the seat cannot accommodate passengers of short stature who need additional knee space
Solution Approach 1:
A translation mechanism is introduced that allows the backrest to move forward and rearward independently of the recline function. This adds minimal complexity to the existing recline mechanism while providing the additional degree of freedom needed to accommodate different passenger statures, effectively decoupling the recline function from the length adjustment function
Solution Approach 2:
The backrest adjustment function is segmented into two independent operations: recline (angular adjustment) and translation (forward-rearward movement). This segmentation allows each function to be optimized separately, maintaining the simplicity of the recline mechanism while adding translation capability through a separate actuation system
3Ease of operation
If passengers of short stature move their back off the backrest to position knees forward, then knee positioning improves, but the passenger shifts out of sync with seat support elements reducing restraint effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
By providing a controlled translation mechanism for the backrest, passengers can maintain proper knee positioning while keeping their backs against the backrest. The backrest moves forward as a unified structure with the seat support elements, ensuring that the passenger remains properly positioned relative to the restraint system throughout the translation range, thus maintaining restraint effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger seat, for instance an aircraft passenger seat, including a seat pan, a backrest frame coupled to the seat pan, a backrest supported by the backrest frame, and an adjustment mechanism coupling the backrest to the backrest frame, the adjustment mechanism operable to translate the backrest forward or aft relative to the backrest frame to change a position of the backrest relative to the seat pan. In use, translation motion of the backrest is independent of pivoting motion of the backrest frame and the backrest position is adjustable relative to the seat pan to provide seat ergonomics commensurate with the stature of the seat occupant. In embodiments, the adjustment mechanism is manual and accessible from above the backrest.