Foldable Seat Rack Pivoting Mechanism for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable motorized vehicles, particularly electric bicycles, face challenges in folding the seat, which occupies the largest space and does not effectively reduce the overall size, making storage and carrying inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A novel foldable seat rack design featuring a frame with pivoted rods and hooks, a tension spring, and a handle that allows for easy folding and locking of the seat, preventing unexpected folding during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seat is made non-foldable to maintain structural stability during use, then the seat can provide reliable support, but the overall vehicle size cannot be reduced effectively for storage and carrying
Solution Approach 1:
The seat rack employs a dynamic folding mechanism with pivoting rods that allow the seat to transition between extended (stable) and folded (compact) positions. The upper and lower rods can rotate relative to the main supporting rods, enabling the seat to adapt its configuration based on whether it is in use or storage mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat rack is divided into multiple independent segments including upper rods, lower rods, main supporting rods, and a seat base, connected through pivoting joints. This segmentation allows each component to move independently, enabling the seat to fold into a compact configuration while maintaining structural integrity during use.
2Volume of moving object
If a folding mechanism is added to the seat to reduce storage space, then the vehicle becomes more compact, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
When folded, the upper and lower rods are positioned within the space defined by the main supporting rods and seat base, creating a nested compact configuration. The folding mechanism allows components to occupy the same spatial envelope, significantly reducing the overall storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism utilizes the user's own pulling action on the handle to trigger the unlocking sequence, which then allows the seat to fold under its own weight and the restoring force of the elastic element, reducing the need for additional motorized or complex actuation systems.
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is implemented to prevent unexpected folding, then the seat stability during travel is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element is pre-loaded to exert a restoring force that automatically engages the locking mechanism when the seat is in the extended position. This preliminary action ensures the seat is locked by default during travel, and the user only needs to perform a simple pulling motion on the handle to release it when folding is desired.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle serves as an intermediary component that the user interacts with to trigger the unlocking sequence. By pulling the handle, the user indirectly actuates the middle shaft and rod to disengage the locking mechanism, providing an intuitive and easy-to-operate interface without requiring direct manipulation of the locking components themselves.
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
The seat rack effectively reduces storage space requirements, enhances carrying convenience, and ensures safety by locking the seat in place during travel, allowing for compact folding of the bicycle.
Implementation Method 1
Under a restoring force of the elastic element, the middle shaft is automatically hooked by the hooks, so that the whole seat rack is locked
Implementation Method 2
the upper rods and the lower rods are pivoted on the main supporting rods and are pivoted on the two ends of the seat base respectively, so that the rotatable seat rack is formed
Data Source
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AI summary
A foldable seat rack mountable between a body rack (200) and a seat (300) of a foldable motorized vehicle includes main supporting rods (1), upper rods (2), lower rods (3), a seat base (4), hooks (5), and an elastic element (6). Main supporting rods (1) are fixed on two sides of the body rack (200) respectively. Upper rods (2) are pivoted on upper ends of the main supporting rods (1) respectively. Lower rods (3) are pivoted on middle portions of main supporting rods (1) and a rear end of seat base (4) respectively. Hooks (5) are fixed on the upper ends of the main supporting rods (1) respectively. The foldable seat base (4) has a middle shaft (41). Middle portions on two sides of the seat base (4) are opened with slide slots (42). Two ends of the middle shaft (41) pass through the slide slots (42) freely and are hooked by hooks (5). The elastic element (6) is placed between the front end of the seat base (4), and the middle shaft (41).