Modular Vehicle Seat with Detachable Leg Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats lack flexibility and efficiency in conversion between different configurations, such as legrest presence or absence, leading to increased parts variety and logistics costs, and reduced passenger comfort on longer trips.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design where the leg support can be easily separated from the frame and adjusted between use and non-use positions, with a pivotable mechanism and gas spring for effortless conversion, allowing the same frame and backrest to support both seat versions, and featuring a saddle-shaped legrest for enhanced comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the leg support is firmly connected to the frame, then the seat structure is stable and reliable, but the conversion between different seat configurations becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is divided into modular components: the frame, the seat surface with leg support as one unit, and the backrest. The leg support assembly can be easily detached and replaced with another unit (such as a footrest or storage box), allowing quick configuration changes without complex disassembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the leg support and seat surface is designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than permanently fixed. Quick-release mechanisms or detachable joints enable the leg support to be easily attached and detached, transforming the static connection into a dynamic, reconfigurable interface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple seat configurations are supported with different leg supports, then passenger comfort and versatility are improved, but the variety of parts and logistics costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frame and backrest are designed as universal components that can accommodate different types of seat surfaces and leg supports. The standardized mounting interfaces allow the same frame to work with various configurations (leg support, footrest, storage box), reducing the need for multiple specialized frames and backrests.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of permanently installing different leg support types on different frames, the system allows temporary attachment and easy removal of leg support units. Used leg supports can be recovered, stored, and reused on other frames, reducing the total number of parts needed across the fleet.
3Ease of manufacture
If the leg support is fixed in position, then the manufacturing and installation process is simple, but the passenger comfort on longer trips is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The leg support incorporates adjustable elements such as height adjustment, angle adjustment, or position adjustment mechanisms that allow passengers to customize the support to their comfort needs during longer trips, while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes.
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
This design enables flexible conversion of vehicle seats, reduces parts and logistics costs, and significantly enhances passenger comfort by providing adjustable and ergonomic seating options, particularly on longer journeys.
Implementation Method 1
Gasfedre (11), mit dem das Beinst"utz (5) zwischen seiner Verwendungslage und seiner Nichtverwendungslage verstellt werden kann
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3
AI summary
The seat (1) comprises a frame (2) holding a seat part (4), a backrest (2), and a footrest (5). The backrest (3) can be adjusted regarding the level of inclination. The footrest (5) has a particularly comfortable curved shape (9) with shallow lateral elevations and can also be adjusted with a gas-pressurized spring. The seat part (4) and the footrest (5) can be easily removed from the frame (2) by lifting the unit (4,5) towards the backrest (3) and replaced by a seat (4) with no footrest (5) attached.