Extendable Table Retraction Locking for Crash Evasive Movement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable tables in vehicles, such as rail vehicles, are not crash-worthy as they lock the supplementary table top in the fully extended position during a collision, causing direct impact forces to be transmitted to passengers, particularly affecting the stomach area.
Innovation Solution
The supplementary table top is guided by an auxiliary guide with a guide arm that engages with a resiliently mounted primary guide plate and a secondary guide plate, allowing the table to move evasively during a crash by releasing the locking mechanism when a horizontal force is applied, enabling the table to move downward and away from the passenger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the supplementary table top is locked in the fully extended position to maintain a flush surface with the base table top, then the table provides a stable and extended surface area, but during a crash the locked position transmits direct impact forces to passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The resiliently mounted guide plate can deform under crash forces, automatically releasing the locking engagement between the guide arm and guide plate. This allows the table top to transition from a locked stable state to an unlocked movable state during collisions, preventing impact force transmission to passengers while maintaining stability during normal use.
2Shape
If the supplementary table top is designed to move diagonally downwards under the base table top to remain flush, then the table extends smoothly, but a defined locking mechanism is required that blocks horizontal movement
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism using a resiliently mounted guide plate provides dynamic locking that adapts to operational conditions. During normal extension, the guide plate maintains engagement to ensure flush alignment. During crash conditions, the resilient mounting allows the guide plate to deform and release the lock, enabling horizontal movement freedom when needed.
3Reliability
If the guide plate is rigidly mounted to provide strong locking, then the locking is reliable, but the table cannot release the lock during a crash to perform evasive movement
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting stiffness parameter of the guide plate is designed to be non-rigid, allowing the locking force to be sufficient during normal operation but insufficient during crash conditions. The resilient mounting changes the effective locking parameter based on applied force magnitude, maintaining reliability for normal use while enabling adaptability for crash scenarios.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the crash suitability of the expandable table by allowing the supplementary table top to perform a downward evasive movement during a collision, reducing the transmission of impact forces to passengers and improving safety.
Implementation Method 1
a primary guide plate arranged vertically below the base table top and resiliently mounted and held in the horizontal direction to assume a basic position
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an extendable table comprising a main table plate (2) and at least one supplemental table plate (1) which can be placed next to the main table plate (2), which supplemental table plate (1) is configured as a retraction plate which can be guided by means of a main guide obliquely downwards under the main table plate (2), wherein said retraction plate can be moved between a fully extended and a fully retracted position, and a locking of the supplemental table plate (1) is provided with respect to the main table plate (2) for the fully extended position such that the horizontal movement thereof is prevented in the direction to the main table plate (2), wherein the supplemental table plate (1) is guided additionally by means of an auxiliary guide, which has a guide arm (6), which is fastened with the end (7) thereof directed outwards to the supplemental table plate (1) and which can be engaged with a primary guide plate (10) arranged vertically below the main table plate (2) via the free end (7) thereof to lock the supplemental table plate (1) in the fully extended position thereof, and the primary guide plate (10) is mounted resiliently and held to adopt a main position in the horizontal direction and is guided by means of a secondary guide plate (15) which is arranged parallel to the guide plate (10) and likewise interacts with the guide roller (8) such that when a force applied horizontally from the supplemental table plate (1) via the guide arm (6) onto the guide plate (10) is exceeded, the locking of the supplemental table plate (1) can be removed with respect to the main table plate (2).