Center Console Design for Utility Vehicle Cabin Openness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional all-terrain vehicles face a challenge in creating a spacious center console without compromising the feeling of openness within the cabin, often resulting in a narrow console that cannot be used effectively.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle design incorporates a center console with a larger internal space by positioning it between the front seats, where the passengers do not move laterally, allowing for increased size without affecting the openness, and integrates it with the vehicle body frame and roof supports to maintain the feeling of openness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the center console is made larger to increase internal space, then the console storage capacity is improved, but the feeling of openness in the cabin is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecenter console internal spaceVSAvoidfeeling of openness

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The center console is extended in the front/back direction (longitudinal dimension) rather than expanding it laterally (width dimension). This dimensional shift allows the console to gain internal volume while maintaining the lateral openness of the cabin, as passengers do not move laterally and thus are not affected by longitudinal extensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of moving object

If the center console is positioned further forward to maximize foot space, then the foot space of driver and passenger is improved, but the console internal space becomes narrow and less usable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefoot spaceVSAvoidconsole internal space

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of positioning the console further forward (which would reduce foot space), the invention extends the console in the front/back direction from its current position. This longitudinal extension provides both adequate foot space and sufficient console internal space, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The console design adapts to the spatial constraints by dynamically adjusting its orientation and extension direction, extending forward in the longitudinal axis rather than expanding laterally or positioned further forward, thereby optimizing both foot space and console volume simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7967100B2Utility vehicle

Publication Date: 2011.06.28 YAMAHA MOTOR MANUFACTURING CORPORATION OF AMERICA

AI summary

A vehicle includes a center console provided with left and right walls, and a top wall, provided to the rear, in the front/back direction of the vehicle, of a front panel. The top wall, extends rearward, in the front/back direction of the vehicle, from a center portion, in the direction of width of the vehicle, of the front panel to at least a front end of a front seat. The top wall is provided at a position that is higher than a bottommost end of a front portion of a seating surface of a seat cushion portion of the front seat and higher than a top end of an engine, and at a position that is lower than a top end of the front panel.