Boat Seat Hinge Assembly With Stop Pin Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing boat seat hinge assemblies do not effectively allow for smooth and controlled rotation from a folded to an extended position, often resulting in undesirable lateral bending and potential user injury due to unimpeded rotation beyond the intended extended position.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly comprising a seat back support, a seat bottom support, a hinge pivot, and a stop pin, where the stop pin engages a stop notch to prevent further rotation beyond the extended position, guiding the seat back hinge portion between the stop pin head and seat bottom hinge portion to ensure smooth and controlled movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional hinge assembly is used, then the seat back can rotate from folded to extended position, but uncontrolled rotation and lateral bending occur causing potential user injury
Solution Approach 1:
The stop pin is pre-positioned at a specific location along the rotation path to engage the seat back hinge portion at the desired extended position, preventing over-rotation before it can occur. This preliminary placement of the stopping mechanism ensures the seat back cannot rotate beyond the safe extended position.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop pin acts as an intermediary element between the seat back hinge portion and the rotation limit. It provides a controlled interaction point that guides the rotation and prevents uncontrolled movement, serving as a mediator that ensures safe operation.
2Ease of operation
If the stop pin engages early, then rotation is controlled, but the seat back cannot reach the full extended position
Solution Approach 1:
The stop pin is positioned at a precise parameter (distance from the hinge pivot) that allows the seat back to rotate through the full necessary arc to reach the extended position. This careful parameter selection ensures the stop pin engages exactly when the seat back reaches its intended extended position, not before.
3Adaptability or versatility
If no stop mechanism is used, then the seat back can rotate freely, but lateral bending and uncontrolled rotation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly allows dynamic rotation through the full range of motion needed for folding and extending the seat back. The stop pin provides a dynamic stopping point that engages only when needed, allowing free rotation during normal operation while preventing excessive rotation that would cause lateral bending.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of a hinge assembly includes a seat back support, a seat bottom support, a hinge pivot, and a stop pin. The seat back support has a seat back mounting portion and a seat back hinge portion. The seat back hinge portion includes a stop notch formed at an end of the seat back hinge portion. The seat bottom support has a seat bottom mounting portion and a seat bottom hinge portion. The hinge pivot passes through the seat back hinge portion and the seat bottom hinge portion to hingedly couple the seat back hinge portion to the seat bottom portion. The stop pin has a stop pin shaft and a stop pin head positioned at a first end of the stop pin shaft. A second end of the stop pin shaft is affixed to the seat bottom hinge portion of the seat bottom support proximate to the seat back hinge portion of the seat back support.