Movable Seat Assembly With Below-Deck Track System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles, such as boats, face challenges in efficiently utilizing limited space for components like equipment and furniture, leading to inconveniences and hazards due to poorly arranged objects.
Innovation Solution
A slide system that includes a component assembly, a track system, and a below-deck cavity structure, where the drive mechanism and track system are located below the deck, allowing components like seats or entertainment systems to be manipulated along a path, minimizing space usage and eliminating trip hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If components are arranged on the deck to maximize functionality, then the available functions are improved, but the deck space is reduced and trip hazards are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the drive mechanism and track system from the deck surface to the below-deck cavity, utilizing the vertical dimension to resolve the space conflict. This allows the component assembly to be manipulated along a path that includes vertical movement, enabling functional components to be accessed when needed while clearing the deck surface when not in use, thus maximizing both functionality and deck space.
2Ease of operation
If the drive mechanism is located on the deck to manipulate components, then component manipulation is enabled, but trip hazards are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drive mechanism and track system from the deck surface and relocates them to the below-deck cavity. This separation removes the harmful trip hazard elements from the deck area while preserving the component manipulation capability, as the drive mechanism can still actuate the component assembly along its path through the relocated positioning system.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the component assembly is fixed in position to ensure stability, then structural stability is improved, but space efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic positioning system where the component assembly can be manipulated between different positions along a defined path using the track system and positioning mechanism. The assembly can be secured at specific positions when stability is needed and relocated when space efficiency is required, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs.
Data Source
AI summary
A moveable component assembly includes a seat assembly, a track system, and a locking mechanism that secures the seat assembly in position. The track system is coupled at least indirectly to the seat assembly and guides the seat assembly along a path between a first and second position. The seat assembly is secured in the second position when the seat assembly is disposed away from the deck's walking surface, thereby resulting in the components of the track system being frictionally coupled. A floor panel includes a locking mechanism and a series of alignment surfaces that guide the floor panel into position, which is secured by the locking mechanism.