Tray table tuning mechanism with curved mating surface for passenger seat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contemporary tray table mechanisms in passenger seats often suffer from quick wear of springs or other stabilizing components, leading to unstable tray table positioning, excessive rotation, and inability to adjust height or angle effectively.
Innovation Solution
A tray table tuning mechanism comprising a mount member, a pivot limiting member with a mating surface defining a groove, a paddle arm deployment member, and a paddle arm with stop members, allowing for adjustable height and angle positioning of the tray table by limiting rotation through the mating of stop members with the groove.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If springs or other mechanisms are used to limit tray table rotation, then the tray table can be stabilized, but the springs wear quickly leading to reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring component entirely from the tray table mechanism and replaces it with a pure geometric limiting structure consisting of a paddle arm, stop members, and a curved mating surface. This extraction eliminates the wear-prone elastic element while maintaining the rotation limiting function through rigid geometric constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a curved mating surface with a specific radius of curvature that engages with stop members on the paddle arm. This curved geometric interface provides the rotation limiting function without requiring springs, using shape and geometry rather than elastic deformation to achieve stabilization.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed mechanisms are used to limit tray table rotation, then rotation can be controlled, but the tray table cannot adjust height or angle effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic adjustment mechanism where the paddle arm can be rotated to different positions, and the mount member can be adjusted to change the engagement point on the curved mating surface. This allows the same geometric limiting structure to provide both stable rotation control at any given position and adaptability to achieve multiple height and angle configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved mating surface serves multiple functions: it limits rotation through geometric engagement with stop members, allows adjustment to different positions, and enables variation in height and angle configurations. This single geometric feature provides both stabilization and adaptability without requiring separate mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable mechanisms are added to allow height and angle changes, then versatility improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the rotation limiting function, height adjustment capability, and angle adjustment capability into a single integrated mechanism. The paddle arm with stop members, the curved mating surface, and the mount member work together as one unified system that provides all three functions simultaneously, rather than requiring separate mechanisms for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The same geometric components serve multiple purposes: the curved mating surface both limits rotation and enables position adjustment, the paddle arm both provides structural support and enables angular configuration changes, and the stop members both define rotation limits and allow repositioning. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A tray table tuning mechanism having a mount member; a pivot limiting member coupled to the mount member and having a mating surface defining a groove; a paddle arm deployment member pivotably coupled to the mount member and pivotable relative to the pivot limiting member; and a paddle arm pivotably coupled to the paddle arm deployment member, pivotable between a stowed state and a deployed state, and having at least one stop member; wherein, in the deployed state of the paddle arm, the at least one stop member is positioned within the groove and mates with the mating surface.