Vehicle Cab Seat Battery Tray Layout to Cut Seat Over-Construction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle seats with in-cab batteries face over-construction and increased weight due to direct attachment, leading to unnecessary weight and cost, as regulations require seats to withstand forces proportional to their weight.

Innovation Solution

Decoupling the energy storage system from the seat structure by attaching it to the vehicle cab floor via a tray, ensuring the weight of the batteries and tray rests solely on the floor, not on the seat's anchorage, using clamping devices for secure attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the energy storage system is directly attached to the seat structure, then the seat provides electrical power to occupants, but the weight of the energy storage system increases the seat weight leading to over-construction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical power provisionVSAvoidseat weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two independent parts: the seat structure and the energy storage system. The energy storage system is mounted on a tray that is attached to the vehicle floor, not to the seat structure. This segmentation allows the seat to provide electrical power without bearing the weight of the batteries, thus avoiding over-construction while maintaining power provision functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Use of energy by moving object

If the energy storage system is directly attached to the seat structure, then the seat provides electrical power, but the increased weight results in unnecessary cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical power provisionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the energy storage system from the seat structure and mounting it independently on the vehicle floor via a tray, the seat structure can be manufactured to meet only its required load specifications. This avoids the need to over-engineer the seat for battery weight, reducing material usage and manufacturing costs while maintaining full electrical power provision capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Weight of stationary object

If the tray and energy storage system are decoupled from the seat structure, then unnecessary weight is avoided, but attachment security must be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseat weightVSAvoidattachment security

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A tray serves as an intermediary component between the energy storage system and the vehicle floor. The tray is securely attached to the vehicle floor (not the seat), providing a stable mounting platform for the batteries. This intermediary structure ensures attachment security and reliability while maintaining the decoupling that prevents battery weight from adding to the seat weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4656463A1Seat equipped with in-cab batteries for a vehicle cab, associated vehicle cab and assembly method

Publication Date: 2025.12.03 VOLVO TRUCK CORP

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AI summary

A seat for a vehicle cab comprises: - a seat structure, the seat structure defining an internal volume and being configured to be attached to a floor of the vehicle cab, - an energy storage system, the energy storage system being located in the internal volume of the seat structure and being configured to provide electric power, - a tray, configured to rest on the floor of the vehicle cab, the energy storage system resting on the tray. Furthermore, the tray and the energy storage system are devoid of attachment to the seat structure.