Modular Vehicle Console Base Plate Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial vehicle seats require separate consoles adapted to different vehicle types due to varying attachment points, leading to inefficiencies in production and installation.

Innovation Solution

A modular console design featuring a base plate adaptable to different vehicle floors, with a console body that can be adjusted in height and fastened using a circuit board structure, allowing for universal compatibility across various vehicle types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate consoles are designed for each vehicle type, then the console fits the specific vehicle floor attachment points, but the device complexity and production variety increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different vehicle typesVSAvoidconsole design variety
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The console is divided into two independent segments: a vehicle seat-specific console body and a vehicle floor-specific base plate. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the console body remains consistent across applications while the base plate varies only in attachment hole patterns to match different vehicle floors, thereby reducing overall design complexity while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A single universal console body design is created that can be paired with different base plates to serve multiple vehicle types. The console body maintains consistent mounting interfaces for the vehicle seat, while the interchangeable base plates provide universal compatibility with various vehicle floor attachment patterns, eliminating the need for completely different console designs for each vehicle type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate consoles are produced for each vehicle type, then the correct attachment pattern is provided, but the manufacturing cost and production time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle type compatibilityVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the console into reusable console bodies and vehicle-specific base plates, the production process can mass-produce the console bodies in large quantities while separately manufacturing only the smaller base plates in the required variants. This segmentation enables parallel production streams and reduces total production time compared to manufacturing complete custom consoles for each vehicle type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The console body is designed as a recoverable and reusable component that can be paired with different base plates for various vehicle types. Instead of discarding the entire console when changing vehicle applications, only the base plate needs to be exchanged, allowing the expensive console body to be recovered and reused across multiple vehicle types, thereby improving production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Productivity

If a single console design is used for multiple vehicle types, then production costs decrease, but the attachment points may not match different vehicle floors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction cost efficiencyVSAvoidvehicle floor compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The console is segmented into a standardized console body and vehicle-specific base plates with different hole patterns. This allows a single console body design to be used across multiple vehicle types, achieving production cost efficiency, while the interchangeable base plates provide the necessary adaptability to match different vehicle floor attachment points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base plate serves as an intermediary component between the universal console body and the vehicle floor. It translates the standardized mounting interface of the console body into vehicle-specific attachment patterns, enabling a single console design to adapt to multiple vehicle types without compromising either production efficiency or vehicle floor compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Manufacturing precision

If the console body is made from a circuit board, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the structural strength must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsole body fabrication accuracyVSAvoidconsole body structural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit board is designed with optimized parameters including increased thickness, strategic reinforcement zones, and angled stiffening surfaces at 45 degrees. These parameter changes transform the typically thin circuit board into a structurally robust component that maintains the manufacturing precision advantages of circuit board fabrication while achieving the necessary structural strength for load-bearing console applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Angled stiffening surfaces are incorporated at 45-degree angles to distribute mechanical loads more effectively across the circuit board structure. This geometric modification enhances the structural strength and rigidity of the circuit board-based console body while maintaining the precision benefits of circuit board manufacturing techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

Enables the use of a single console design to fit multiple vehicle types by modifying the base plate and console body, reducing production costs and simplifying installation processes while maintaining structural integrity through angled stiffening surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

the circuit board is folded along predetermined lines and then welded in such a way that the console body is formed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFolding: Folding

Implementation Method 2

the circuit board is folded along predetermined lines and then welded in such a way that the console body is formed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Implementation Method 3

The circuit board is preferably cut out by means of laser cutting, as a result of which the desired shape can be precisely maintained

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser cutting: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 4

the stiffening surfaces are advantageously angled by about 45° relative to the cover surfaces and protrude into the interior of the console body. This advantageously increases the strength of the console body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGeometric reinforcement: Geometry

Data Source

PatentEP3013633B1Console for a vehicle seat, method for producing a console, and vehicle seat
Publication Date: 2018.06.13 ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HLDG SARL
  • EP3013633B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3013633B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3013633B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a console (101, 201) for a vehicle seat (1), comprising a console body (103, 203), which can be connected to the vehicle seat (1). The console (101, 201) comprises at least one bottom plate (24), which is connected to the console body (103, 203) and which can be connected to a vehicle floor. The invention also relates to a method for producing a console (101, 201), wherein a console body (103, 203), which can be connected to a vehicle seat (1), is connected to a bottom plate (24), which can be connected to a vehicle floor. The invention further relates to a vehicle seat (1), which comprises at least one console (101, 201) according to the invention.