Mobile Frame for Seats Resolving Space Accessibility Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
The arrangement of seats in transportation vehicles, particularly for disabled users with wheelchairs, often reduces the number of available seats due to dedicated space requirements, making efficient use of space challenging.
Innovation Solution
A sliding frame system for seats that allows for easy reconfiguration by moving between two positions, enabling the rearrangement of seats to optimize space usage, thereby increasing the number of seats and providing better accessibility for disabled users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated space is allocated for disabled users with wheelchairs, then accessibility is improved, but the number of available seats is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a mobile frame that can dynamically change position between a first position (dedicated space for wheelchairs) and a second position (additional seating position). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same space to serve different functions, enabling the vehicle to adapt between prioritizing accessibility and maximizing seat capacity depending on operational needs
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile frame serves multiple functions: it creates dedicated accessible space when positioned at the first position, and provides additional seating capacity when positioned at the second position. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by allowing a single structural element to address both accessibility requirements and seat quantity requirements at different times
2Productivity
If seats are arranged in fixed parallel rows, then structural simplicity is maintained, but space utilization efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile frame that can be repositioned between different locations, transforming the fixed seating arrangement into a dynamic one. This allows the seating configuration to adapt to different space utilization needs while maintaining relatively simple structural components that can be moved rather than completely reconfigured
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile frame for at least one seat of a means of transportation is disclosed. The mobile frame includes: a load-bearing structure suitable for supporting the seat, and an anchoring element coupled with the load-bearing structure to selectively constrain the mobile frame to the support surface of the transportation means. The anchoring element has a fixing mechanism that can be moved from a non-anchored configuration, wherein at least one fixing element is retracted inside the load-bearing structure to an anchored configuration, wherein the fixing element protrudes beyond the load-bearing structure in order to constrain the mobile frame to the support surface.