Central Driver Seat Overlap for Compact Vehicle Ergonomics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compact vehicles face compromised driver ergonomics due to the front wheel arch intruding into the passenger cabin, and existing seating arrangements for vehicles with a central driver and two rear seats are not widely adopted due to practical limitations and space constraints.
Innovation Solution
A compact seating arrangement with a centrally positioned driver's seat that extends transversely to overlap part of each rear passenger's legs, allowing for comfortable seating with the passengers' feet on either side, and the use of a gull-wing door or sliding cabin side for easy access, maintaining a narrow cabin width while providing adequate space and comfort for all occupants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a central driver's seat with two rear passenger seats is arranged in a compact vehicle, then the vehicle can accommodate three passengers and maintain a narrow cabin width, but the driver ergonomics are compromised due to front wheel arch intrusion into the passenger cabin
Solution Approach 1:
The driver's seat is positioned in a third dimension (longitudinally forward) relative to the rear passenger seats, allowing the driver to be located ahead of the wheel arch intrusion zone while rear passengers remain behind it. This longitudinal dimensionality change resolves the conflict between accommodating three passengers and maintaining driver ergonomics by separating the driver and rear passengers along the vehicle's length rather than competing for lateral space.
2Length of stationary object
If the driver's seat extends transversely to overlap with rear passenger legs, then the cabin width can be kept narrow, but the rear passenger leg space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The driver's seat base is designed with non-uniform transverse extension, overlapping with the rear passenger leg space only in the longitudinal direction while maintaining adequate lateral clearance. This localized overlap approach allows the cabin width to remain narrow without significantly compromising rear passenger leg space, as the overlap is confined to a specific region rather than extending across the entire cabin width.
3Device complexity
If the seat backs are inclined at an angle of 30 degrees or less to the vertical, then the seating arrangement becomes more compact, but the passenger comfort may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The seat back inclination angle is optimized within the range of 0-30 degrees from vertical, representing a parameter change that balances compactness and comfort. This angular parameter optimization allows the seating arrangement to achieve greater compactness while maintaining adequate passenger comfort through precise control of the inclination angle within the specified range.
Data Source
AI summary
A compact seating arrangement for a vehicle, the seating arrangement has at least three seats comprising two rear passenger seats aligned substantially transversely, and a driver's seat arranged substantially centrally and in front of the two rear passenger seats. The driver's seat extends transversely; to be positioned in front of part of each of the passenger seats and extends rearward beyond the front of the legs of the rear passengers (when seated in the passenger seats). Each of the seats being arranged to seat a person in a generally upright position: the seat backs being inclined to the vertical at an angle of 30 degrees or less, an upper surface which supports the occupant of each seat base being spaced 400-500 mm above a substantially horizontal floor space provided adjacent the seats, and the passengers' feet being placed on the horizontal floor space on either side of the driver's seat.