Deployable Leg Rest Assembly for Vehicle Seats
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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 modification of the seat frame.
Innovation Solution
A deployable leg rest assembly featuring a mounting plate that matches the seat pan's profile, with a deployment mechanism allowing the leg support to be easily mounted and retro-fitted, and an actuating apparatus for smooth deployment and retraction, enabling support for occupants without interfering with other seat adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing leg rest designs are implemented, then leg support function is provided, but other seat movements (reclining, longitudinal and vertical adjustment) are inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The leg rest assembly is divided into separate functional components: a mounting plate that attaches to the seat pan, a deployment mechanism, and a leg support element. This segmentation allows the leg rest to be added as a modular accessory without interfering with the integrated seat adjustment mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between providing leg support and maintaining seat movement freedom
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting plate acts as an intermediary element between the seat pan and the leg support. It provides a dedicated attachment interface that isolates the leg rest mechanism from the seat's primary adjustment systems, enabling leg support functionality while preserving the operation of reclining and position adjustment mechanisms
2Adaptability or versatility
If bespoke seats or substantial seat frame modification are used, then leg rest integration is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate is designed with a universal interface that can be attached to standard seat pans without requiring bespoke seat designs or substantial frame modifications. The plate's profiled configuration allows it to adapt to various seat pan shapes while using standardized attachment methods, enabling leg rest integration across different seat types without increasing manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting plate is pre-configured with attachment features and profiling that match standard seat pan geometries before installation. This preliminary preparation allows the leg rest assembly to be mounted as a complete unit to existing seats during assembly or retro-fitting, eliminating the need for on-site frame modifications and simplifying the manufacturing process
3Shape
If mounting plate is profiled to match seat pan, then integration and aesthetics are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate incorporates profiling only in the specific regions that contact or align with the seat pan, rather than requiring the entire plate to be precisely contoured. This localized profiling approach achieves adequate integration and aesthetics while reducing the overall manufacturing precision requirements compared to a fully contoured design
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
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).