Foldable Steering Wheel Tray for Stable In-Car Item Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle occupants face the challenge of juggling multiple items while eating or handling tasks, leading to items being dropped or spilled within the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A convenience device suspended from the steering wheel, comprising a hanger segment, a shelf segment, and a back segment, providing a stable surface for supporting items like food or business materials during vehicle use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If items are placed on dashboard or lap while driving, then hands are occupied with juggling items, but items may be dropped or spilled creating mess and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a steering wheel mounted tray as an intermediary device between the driver and the items. The tray provides a stable platform that holds food, drinks, and other items securely while the driver operates the vehicle, eliminating the need to juggle items on the dashboard or lap.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is designed with segmented components including a main tray body, adjustable shelves, and detachable mounting elements. This segmentation allows the tray to adapt to different item sizes and shapes while maintaining stability, and enables easy installation and removal from the steering wheel.
2Reliability
If a steering wheel mounted tray is added to provide stable item placement, then item stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tray incorporates adjustable shelves and reconfigurable compartments that can be dynamically adjusted to accommodate different item configurations. The mounting system allows for easy attachment and detachment, providing dynamic adaptability without permanent installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is designed as a multi-functional device that can hold various types of items (food, drinks, documents, electronics) and can be adjusted to suit different driving positions and preferences. This universality reduces the need for multiple specialized devices, simplifying the overall system.
3Reliability
If hands are freed from juggling items by using a mounted tray, then driving safety improves, but the tray occupies space in the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The tray utilizes the vertical dimension by mounting on the steering wheel, freeing up horizontal space in the vehicle. Items are arranged in three-dimensional space within the tray structure, including adjustable shelves that maximize vertical clearance without encroaching on the driver's leg space or other critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray design incorporates nested compartments and foldable elements that allow the structure to compact when not in use. Shelves can be folded flat against the tray body, and compartments can be nested within each other, minimizing the occupied space when the tray is detached or not being used.
Data Source
AI summary
A convenience device comprising a plurality of segments formed on a flat foldable material that when formed according to fold lines on the material becomes a three-dimensional convenience device for suspension from a steering wheel within a vehicle, said convenience device comprising a hanger segment comprising a cutout for fitting over the steering wheel to enable the device to be suspended from the steering wheel, a back segment extending between the hanger segment and the shelf segment, and a shelf segment comprising sides and a front rail segment for containment of items placed on the shelf segment.