Universal Armrest Assembly with Selective Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft seating designs lack versatility and safety features, with tray tables often obstructing passenger space, fixed or pivotable armrests being non-interchangeable, and controllers being inconveniently located within armrests, which limits adaptability and safety during crashes.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates tray tables positioned within seat backs with arms within the seat back envelopes, universal armrests that can be configured as fixed or pivotable, and controllers mounted on seat frames for direct routing and reduced complexity, along with luggage bars that absorb bending stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If tray tables are positioned within seat backs with arms within seat back envelopes, then passenger space obstruction is reduced, but tray table accessibility and deployment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tray table is nested within the seat back envelope, with the table and its support arms contained within the spatial boundaries of the seat back structure. This nesting approach reduces obstruction of passenger space while integrating the tray table mechanism into the existing seat back volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray table system is segmented into multiple components (table surface, support arms, deployment mechanism) that can be independently positioned and controlled. The support arms are separable from the main table structure, allowing for simplified deployment and stowage sequences.
2Adaptability or versatility
If universal armrests are made interchangeable between fixed and pivotable configurations, then adaptability and versatility improve, but structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single armrest assembly design serves multiple functions by accommodating both fixed and pivotable configurations through selectable locking mechanisms. The same basic armrest structure can be installed in either configuration depending on the specific seating application, eliminating the need for separate fixed and pivotable armrest designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest assembly incorporates a selectable locking mechanism that allows the structure to transition between a fixed configuration (for maximum stability) and a pivotable configuration (for enhanced comfort and adjustability). This dynamic capability is achieved through interchangeable locking components rather than fundamentally different structural designs.
3Reliability
If controllers are mounted on seat frames for direct routing, then cable routing complexity and safety are improved, but armrest design simplicity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The controllers are extracted from the armrest assembly and mounted directly on the seat frame structure. This extraction eliminates the need for controllers to be integrated into the moving armrest components, thereby improving cable routing safety by keeping control electronics in a fixed, protected location on the seat frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat frame serves as an intermediary mounting platform for the controllers, providing a stable and safe location that is separate from the armrest assembly. This intermediary positioning allows for direct cable routing to the seat frame without requiring complex cable management within the armrest structure.
4Reliability
If tray tables function as energy-absorption elements during crashes, then passenger safety improves, but structural design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray table structure is designed to utilize crash forces as a beneficial energy-absorption mechanism. During a collision, the tray table and its support arms are engineered to deform and absorb impact energy, converting the harmful crash forces into useful energy dissipation that protects passengers. This approach transforms a potential safety hazard into a protective feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray table assembly incorporates composite structural elements that provide both normal-use functionality and crash-energy-absorption capabilities. The structure may combine materials with different mechanical properties to achieve optimal performance, where certain components are designed to yield or deform in controlled ways during impact events.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an arm rest assembly comprising: - an arm rest, - a mounting bosshead (308) defining a curved slot (336) and comprising a curved boss (340), and - a pin (316) received by the curved slot (336) and defining a groove, the pin (316) configured for receipt by the curved slot (336) in a selected first or second position, the first position having the curved boss (340) aligned with the groove so as to permit travel of the pin (316) within the curved slot (336) and pivoting of the arm rest relative to the mounting bosshead (308) and the second position having the curved boss (340) misaligned with the groove so as to prevent pivoting of the arm rest relative to the mounting bosshead (308).