Aircraft Tray Table Horizontal Rail Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tray tables in aircraft seats require stowing during egress, which is inconvenient and inefficient in terms of space usage, as they need to change orientation and often require passengers to remove items, and their storage within a vertical pocket adds complexity and weight.
Innovation Solution
A tray table assembly that includes a horizontal rail system allowing the tray table to deploy horizontally without stowing, with a carriage assembly that travels along the rail, a ledge to prevent premature deployment, and a support beam with gas springs and dampers for controlled rotation, enabling the tray table to remain deployed for egress and stow vertically within unused space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tray table is stowed within a vertical pocket alongside the seat, then the tray table can be stored when not in use, but the storage compartment adds complexity and weight, and consumes valuable floor and seat space
Solution Approach 1:
The tray table is moved from a vertical pocket storage configuration to a horizontal rail system that allows the tray table to slide along the rail and stow horizontally alongside the seatback. This dimensional change eliminates the need for complex vertical hinge assemblies and armatures, while also freeing up vertical space and reducing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray table is extracted from the conventional vertical pocket storage location and repositioned to utilize the horizontal space alongside the seatback. This extraction eliminates the need for complex vertical storage mechanisms and allows for a simpler, more space-efficient design.
2Ease of operation
If the tray table is stowed to permit ingress/egress from the seat, then egress is enabled, but the passenger must remove articles and the stowing process is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The tray table employs a dynamic sliding mechanism along a horizontal rail that allows the tray table to be quickly moved between deployed and stowed positions. This dynamic system enables the tray table to clear the egress path efficiently without requiring complex folding or pivoting mechanisms, making the stowing process simple and convenient for passenger access.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tray table is configured to move between vertical and horizontal orientation, then the tray table can be deployed for use, but complex hinge assemblies and armatures are required
Solution Approach 1:
The tray table deployment mechanism is changed from a vertical pivoting motion requiring complex hinges and armatures to a horizontal sliding motion along a rail. This dimensional change simplifies the mechanical requirements while maintaining the ability to transition between deployed and stowed positions, reducing structural complexity significantly.
4Area of stationary object
If the tray table stows within a vertical pocket, then space is utilized, but valuable floor and seat space is consumed and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage configuration is transitioned from a vertical pocket arrangement to a horizontal rail-based system that utilizes the horizontal space alongside the seatback. This dimensional change eliminates the need for complex vertical storage structures, reduces weight, and maximizes the use of available horizontal space without compromising storage functionality.
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 enhances passenger comfort and space utilization by allowing the tray table to remain deployed during egress without stowing, optimizing limited aircraft cabin space and simplifying the stowing process while maintaining safety and stability.
Implementation Method 1
The tray table assembly may include a gas spring arranged to provide a spring force for lifting the tray table for stowing
Implementation Method 2
a damper arranged to control tray table rotation during deployment
Data Source
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AI summary
A tray table assembly for a passenger seat including a horizontal rail arranged alongside the seat, the horizontal rail having a length extending from the seatback to a position forward of the seat, a carriage assembly configured to travel horizontally along the rail, and a tray table attached to the carriage assembly, the tray table configured to pivot between a vertical orientation in which the tray table is stowed alongside the seatback and a horizontal orientation in which the tray table is positioned forward of the seatback.