Ventilated Adjustable Headrest With Telescopic Air Duct Coupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft seats with individual air conditioning struggle to provide cooling to adjustable headrests due to nozzle disconnection and require significant modifications and increased maintenance when integrating cabin air ventilation systems, leading to weight and maintenance issues.

Innovation Solution

A ventilated adjustable headrest assembly with a perforated covering, mesh pads, and ventilation ducts that can be retrofitted onto existing aircraft seats, maintaining fluidic coupling during adjustments and minimizing weight and maintenance impacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a nozzle is integrated into an adjustable headrest to provide air conditioning, then individual air conditioning for the headrest is achieved, but the nozzle cannot remain fluidically coupled to the headrest as it is adjusted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair conditioning capabilityVSAvoidfluidic coupling

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The headrest is divided into multiple adjustable segments or layers, with ventilation channels integrated into each segment. This segmentation allows the headrest to maintain ventilation capability across multiple adjustment positions without requiring a single complex nozzle mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Ventilation ducts and channels are nested within the headrest structure itself, with ducts positioned within the adjustable layers. This nested arrangement ensures that ventilation pathways remain integrated with the headrest regardless of adjustment position, maintaining fluidic coupling without external nozzles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If cabin air ventilation systems are integrated within aircraft seats, then air conditioning is provided, but significant modifications to aircraft seats and portions of the aircraft are required including additional ducting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveventilation integrationVSAvoidducting and modifications

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation system uses flexible, adjustable ducting that can adapt to different headrest positions rather than rigid fixed ducts. This dynamic design reduces the need for complex modifications to accommodate headrest adjustment while maintaining ventilation functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Flexible ventilation channels and thin-film ducting are used within the headrest structure, allowing these components to bend and adjust with headrest movement. This flexibility eliminates the need for rigid ducting systems and complex structural modifications to the aircraft seat.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional ducting is added to integrate cabin air ventilation systems, then air conditioning coverage is improved, but aircraft weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair conditioning coverageVSAvoidaircraft weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The headrest incorporates porous ventilation materials that allow air permeation throughout the headrest structure. This eliminates the need for extensive ducting systems, as air can distribute through the porous material directly, significantly reducing the weight of ventilation components while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

4Adaptability or versatility

If traditional ventilation systems are modified to work with adjustable headrests, then air conditioning is provided, but maintenance requirements increase including additional filters requiring replacement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustable headrest compatibilityVSAvoidmaintenance requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation system is designed with self-cleaning or self-regulating features where the adjustable headrest structure itself facilitates air filtration and flow management. The movement and adjustment of headrest components naturally maintain ventilation pathways without requiring additional external filters or complex maintenance mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3964442B1Ventilated adjustable headrest

Publication Date: 2023.12.27 BE AEROSPACE INC

Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C~1D

AI summary

A ventilated adjustable headrest (100) may include an adjustable metal insert, a nozzle (108) fixedly attached to the adjustable metal insert (112). The nozzle (108) may be in fluid communication with a perforated covering (102) and one or more cushion elements. The nozzle (108) may be telescopically coupled to one or more ventilation ducts (110). The one or more ventilation ducts (110) may be configured to receive forced air from a ventilation system (208) at an air inlet, and may be configured to deliver the forced air to the nozzle (108).