Bench Seat Pivot Linkage for Easy Two-Position Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle bench seats with sliding mechanisms are bulky, heavy, and require significant effort to move, compromising passenger comfort and trunk space, as they either reduce or increase trunk volume depending on the seating configuration.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle with a bench seat that uses pivotable front links connected to pre-loaded springs, allowing the seat to move between forward and rearward positions with minimal effort and without occupying excessive space, using a locking mechanism to maintain positions and facilitate movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rails and slides are used to enable the bench seat to slide along the longitudinal axis, then the bench seat can be positioned forward or backward, but the mechanism becomes bulky, heavy, and encroaches on passenger space
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding mechanism is segmented into two independent front connecting rods that pivot separately at front end zones of the seat and at floor support pieces. This segmentation allows each rod to be compact and lightweight while collectively providing the full sliding function, eliminating the need for a single bulky rail-or-slide assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using traditional rails and slides that guide the seat along the longitudinal axis, the invention inverts the approach by using front connecting rods that pivot in vertical and longitudinal planes to achieve the same positioning effect. This inversion transforms a linear sliding problem into a rotational linkage problem, resulting in a more compact solution.
2Ease of operation
If rails and slides are used to enable the bench seat to slide, then the bench seat can be repositioned, but the mechanism significantly increases the vehicle's weight
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy sliding mechanism is divided into two lightweight front connecting rods that can be individually optimized for minimal weight. Each rod acts as an independent lever arm, allowing the use of thin-walled or hollow construction materials that reduce weight while maintaining structural integrity during pivoting motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical sliding system based on friction-heavy rails and slides is replaced with a pivot-based linkage system. This substitution eliminates the need for continuous contact surfaces and reduces friction losses, allowing for lighter construction of the moving components while maintaining smooth repositioning capability.
3Ease of operation
If the bench seat is moved backward to prioritize occupant comfort, then passenger comfort is improved, but the trunk volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The front connecting rods are designed with pivot points and spring mechanisms that enable dynamic adjustment of the bench seat position. The springs provide pre-stress to facilitate movement in either direction, allowing the seat to be easily repositioned between forward and backward positions based on whether trunk space or passenger comfort is the priority, making the system adaptable to different usage scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows changing the positional parameter of the bench seat along the longitudinal axis. By adjusting the pivot angles of the front connecting rods, the bench seat can be positioned in extreme forward or backward locations, enabling the user to optimize either trunk volume or passenger comfort depending on the situation.
4Volume of stationary object
If the bench seat is moved forward to increase trunk volume, then trunk space is improved, but passenger comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pivot mechanism with pre-stressed springs allows the bench seat to be easily repositioned forward when trunk space is needed. The spring force assists the movement in both directions, making the compromise between trunk volume and comfort reversible and adaptable rather than fixed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables effortless and space-efficient movement of the bench seat between two positions, reducing the weight and bulk of the sliding mechanism, and maintaining trunk volume without compromising passenger comfort.
Implementation Method 1
each connecting rod is mounted in rotation in the support piece by means of at least one pre-stressed spring which tends by default to maintain the connecting rod in a vertical position corresponding to an equilibrium position for the bench seat
Implementation Method 2
said at least one spring being configured to favor a forward or backward movement of the bench seat depending on the direction of the force applied to said bench seat
Implementation Method 3
the two front connecting rods being arranged so that they can each pivot in a vertical and longitudinal plane XZ of the vehicle, between a first position for which they place the bench seat in a forward position and a second position for which they place said bench seat in a rearward position
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A vehicle comprising a bench seat (1) for seating at least two people, said bench seat (1) comprising a seat (2) and a backrest (3), the seat (2) being connected to a floor of the vehicle by means of two front connecting rods (9, 10) rotatably mounted in two front end zones (11, 12) of the seat (2) and in two support pieces (13, 14) of the floor located at said end zones (11, 12). Each connecting rod (9, 10) is rotatably mounted in the support piece (13, 14) by means of at least one preloaded spring (30, 40, 41) which tends by default to maintain the connecting rod (9, 10) in a vertical position corresponding to an equilibrium position for the bench seat (1).