When it needed to find a new headrest hinge which would help to reduce the overall weight of its aircraft seating, Geven turned to Southco for a solution.

Under new industry standards, as set by bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the EU emissions trading system (ETS), airlines need to reduce their fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. In response, Geven, a global leader in the design and manufacture of aircraft seating and interiors, looked into ways to reduce the weight of the seats without compromising function and passenger experience, or increasing production costs.

The seat’s headrests were fitted with heavy hinges measuring over 18mm in diameter. While these functioned adequately, they not only did not complement the design aesthetics but they added weight. So when redesigning the head supports, the company wanted a solution that would be light enough to help reduce the overall seat weight, but with a high enough level of functionality to meet the needs of the passengers of leading airlines. This posed a significant challenge because reducing the overall size, diameter, thickness and weight of the hinge could potentially affect the performance of the headrest. The product also needed to fit seamlessly within the company’s complete range of aircraft seating.

So, to meet application requirements, the company selected Southco’s E6 Constant Torque Position Control Hinge series – a low-profile high torque friction hinge measuring approximately 10mm in diameter.

Hinge technology

The E6 class hinge incorporates Southco’s patented Positioning Technology. This provides constant resistance throughout the entire range of motion, enabling airline passengers to easily position headrests and other mounted components with zero-drift and backlash, even under vibration or dynamic loads, holding them securely at any desired angle. In addition, the hinge eliminated the need for secondary supports, simplifying Geven’s build process and reducing costs.

For this application, Southco slightly adapted the E6 hinge to add further length and provide greater torque, allowing them to design a headrest with low profile. Having been rigorously tested over 20,000 cycles with performance remaining within the optimal static torque range, the hinge ensures that the headrest maintains a consistent, high level of performance.

By using the hinge, Geven has been able to reduce the overall weight of the seats.

Meeting seat requirements

While the project started primarily as a retrofit initiative, the Southco hinge is now being built into both premium and economy class seating ranges.

Pasquale Rapullini, R&D area manager, Geven, commented: “With new industry pressures, OEMs need suppliers to develop innovative solutions to help achieve challenging targets. The integration of the E6 into our new seat and headrest design was a major benefit to us as we were able to cost-effectively reduce the profile of the hinge whilst maintaining high levels of torque. We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with Southco.”

T: 01905 346722