Active Suspension Seat Rotation Control and Energy Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Active suspension vehicle seats that rotate pose a safety concern as they can be rotated away from a driving position while the vehicle is in motion, potentially disrupting the driver's ability to operate the vehicle safely.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a swivel mechanism, brake, and actuators that allow the seat to rotate when the vehicle is stationary but prevent rotation and disable active suspension when the vehicle is in motion, ensuring the seat remains in a safe driving position and conserves energy by disabling suspension when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seat is allowed to rotate freely to provide driver comfort and versatility, then the driver can adjust to different orientations, but the seat may rotate away from driving position while vehicle is in motion, creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The brake mechanism transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic controlled state based on vehicle motion detection. When the vehicle is stationary, the brake releases allowing seat rotation; when motion is detected, the brake engages to lock the seat in place, providing adaptive safety control
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses acceleration sensors to detect vehicle motion and provides feedback to the brake control mechanism. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically adjust the brake state based on real-time vehicle conditions, preventing seat rotation during motion
2Ease of operation
If active suspension is continuously operated to maintain driver comfort, then driver comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases when the seat is not in driving position
Solution Approach 1:
The active suspension operates periodically rather than continuously - it is activated only when the seat is in the driving position and deactivated when rotated away. This periodic operation maintains comfort when needed while conserving energy when the seat is not in use
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects seat position and vehicle motion conditions, and autonomously controls the active suspension activation without requiring manual driver input. The system serves itself by making intelligent decisions about when to operate based on detected conditions
3Reliability
If the brake mechanism is always engaged to prevent seat rotation, then driver safety is maintained, but the driver cannot rotate the seat when the vehicle is stationary
Solution Approach 1:
The brake mechanism is designed to be dynamically controllable, transitioning between engaged and disengaged states based on vehicle motion detection. This allows the system to provide safety when needed while enabling adjustability when safe
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
An active suspension seat for use in a vehicle incorporates a swivel enabling the active suspension seat to be rotated about a vertical axis towards and away from a position appropriate for use in driving the vehicle, and incorporates a seat controller operating a brake to prevent such rotation away from that appropriate position in response to an indication that the vehicle is in motion, and limiting the active suspension to being enabled only when the seat is in the appropriate position for use in driving.