Cable Driven Sliding Center Console for Third Row Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In larger vehicles, fixed center consoles can obstruct access to third-row seats, as they are typically stationary and do not accommodate the need for adjustable storage or configuration based on seating arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A center console assembly featuring a translatable member coupled to a fixed rail and a gearbox assembly with rotating cable drums, allowing the console to move between different positions, thereby accommodating varying seating configurations and providing adjustable storage solutions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed center console is used, then storage and climate control features are provided, but access to third-row seats is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The center console is designed with a translatable member that can move between a first position (blocking access) and a second position (allowing access to third-row seats). This dynamic positioning capability resolves the contradiction by making the console adaptable to different seating configurations while maintaining its storage and climate control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The center console is divided into a fixed portion and a translatable portion. The translatable portion can be independently moved along the fixed rail, allowing selective adjustment of the console's position to facilitate third-row seat access while preserving the fixed portion's structural support and storage capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed center console is used, then structural stability is maintained, but flexibility in seating arrangements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The console incorporates a translatable member that can move along a fixed rail, providing flexibility in seating arrangements while maintaining structural stability through the fixed rail and gearbox assembly mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The translatable member is nested within the fixed rail structure, allowing it to move freely along the rail while remaining constrained by the rail's boundaries. This nesting arrangement provides both flexibility for seating configurations and stability through the fixed rail framework.
3Ease of operation
If a translatable center console is implemented, then seating accessibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gearbox assembly is configured to be operable by the translatable member itself, allowing the console to translate along the fixed rail through its own operational mechanisms rather than requiring external actuation systems. This self-service approach improves seat access while minimizing additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gearbox assembly and translatable member are integrated into a unified mechanism where the translatable member's movement directly actuates the gearbox, which in turn controls the cable drum and cable system. This merging of components reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the desired translational functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Center console provided with a fixed rail, extending in a longitudinal direction, a translatable member, a gearbox assembly and first and second cables. The translatable member may be coupled to the fixed rail and configured to move between a first position and a second position. The gearbox assembly may include a cable drum configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction. The first and second cables may each be coupled to the translatable member and a cable drum. As the cable drum rotates in the first rotational direction, the first cable may translate the translatable member towards the first position. As the cable drum rotates in the second rotational direction, the second cable may translate the translatable member towards the second position.