Deployable leg rest assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing deployable leg rest designs for vehicle seats often inhibit other seat movements such as reclining, longitudinal, and vertical adjustment, and are either bespoke or require substantial modifications to the seat frame.

Innovation Solution

A deployable leg rest assembly comprising a leg support, a mounting plate that matches the seat pan profile, and a deployment mechanism connected to the mounting plate, allowing the leg support to be easily mounted and retro-fitted, with an actuating apparatus located beneath the mounting plate to operate the deployment mechanism without interfering with other seat functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If existing leg rest designs are integrated into vehicle seats, then leg rest functionality is provided, but other seat movements such as reclining, longitudinal and vertical adjustment are inhibited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleg rest functionalityVSAvoidseat movements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The leg rest assembly is segmented from the main seat structure, with the mounting plate separately mounted on top of the seat pan rather than being integrated into the seat frame. This segmentation allows the leg rest to be deployed independently without interfering with seat reclining, longitudinal, or vertical adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A mounting plate acts as an intermediary element between the seat pan and the leg rest assembly. The mounting plate is profiled to match the seat pan and provides a separate mounting surface, allowing the leg rest to be attached without modifying the seat frame structure or interfering with existing seat adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If bespoke leg rest designs are used, then leg rest functionality is provided, but substantial modification of the seat frame is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleg rest functionalityVSAvoidseat frame modification

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting plate is designed with a profile that预先 matches the seat pan contour, allowing it to be mounted on top of the existing seat pan without requiring any modification to the seat frame. This preliminary design of the mounting plate interface enables retro-fitting to existing seats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting plate design is universal and can be applied to various seat pan configurations. By matching the profile of the seat pan, the same mounting plate design can be used across different seat types, enabling the leg rest assembly to be retro-fitted to existing seats without custom modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9821692B2Deployable leg rest assembly

Publication Date: 2017.11.21 JAGUAR LAND ROVER LTD

AI summary

A deployable leg rest assembly (3) for mounting to a seat pan (9) of a vehicle seat frame (11) comprises a leg support (4), a mounting plate (13) and a deployment mechanism (6) for deploying the leg support (4). The deployment mechanism (6) connects the leg support (4) to the mounting plate (13). The mounting plate (13) is adapted to be located above the seat pan (9). The deployable leg rest assembly (3) can be mounted to different vehicle seats (1) by accessing the seat pans (9) of the corresponding vehicle seat frames (11).