Removable Loading Floor with Vertical Guide and Locking Mechanism

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing removable loading floors in vehicle trunks lack securement during rollovers and create a free passage between the trunk and passenger compartment, compromising safety and usability.

Innovation Solution

A removable loading floor system comprising two rotatably connected parts by a hinge, with a vertical guide and locking device that secures the second part against upward movement, ensuring the floor remains in place during rollovers and providing a transverse wall to close off the space under the raised loading floor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the removable loading floor is only inserted in the trunk without upward securement, then the installation is simple, but the floor is not secured in the event of a vehicle rollover

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidsecurement during rollover
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The loading floor is divided into two parts: a first part that forms the raised loading floor surface, and a second part that extends vertically to engage with a guide structure. This segmentation allows the second part to provide upward securement in the guide during rollovers while the first part maintains the loading surface function, resolving the contradiction between simple installation and rollover securement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the removable loading floor is designed as a simple panel braced against side trim, then the structure is simple, but there is a free passage between the trunk part under the raised loading floor and the passenger compartment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidfree passage safety hazard
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The loading floor design transitions from a purely horizontal panel to a two-dimensional structure where the second part extends vertically downward to engage with a guide structure. This vertical extension creates a transverse wall effect that closes off the passage between the trunk space and passenger compartment, eliminating the safety hazard while maintaining overall structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the second part is provided with a locking device to prevent upward movement, then the securement during rollover is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurement during rolloverVSAvoidlocking device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking device is designed to automatically engage and disengage without manual intervention. During installation, the second part is inserted into the guide and the locking device self-activates to secure it against upward movement. During removal, lifting the first part triggers automatic unlocking. This self-service mechanism provides reliable rollover securement without adding complex manual locking operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2226219B1System with a removable loading floor
Publication Date: 2012.12.12 SKODA AUTO AS
  • EP2226219B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2226219B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2226219B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The system has a loading platform formed of two parts (6, 7), where the parts are rotatably connected with each other by a hinge joint (8). The parts include a right angle in a utilizing position of the loading platform employed in a vehicle. One of the parts vertically extends from a front edge of the other part toward a ground platform (2). A vertical guide (15) is provided with a locking device, where the locking device is secured against movement by an adjustment device in a locked and unlocked position.