Pivotable Headrest Forming Secondary Seat for Military Vehicle Operators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seats in military vehicles with turrets expose operators to vulnerability when transitioning from a head-down to a head-out position, as their entire upper body protrudes from the vehicle, compromising safety and visibility.
Innovation Solution
A seat design featuring a pivotable headrest that can move to form a secondary seating surface, allowing only the operator's head to protrude, with adjustable height and locking mechanisms to minimize exposure and enhance visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the operator uses a conventional seat to transition to head-out position, then the operator can communicate with the outside and see the environment, but the entire upper body protrudes from the roof making the operator very vulnerable
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is segmented into two functional parts: the original seat cushion for lower body support and the movable headrest that forms a secondary seating surface. This segmentation allows the operator to position only the head and upper torso outside the vehicle while keeping the lower body protected inside, thus reducing vulnerability while maintaining head-out capability
Solution Approach 2:
The headrest is made dynamically movable between an upright position (for normal seating) and a folded position (forming a seat for head-out operation). This dynamic transformation enables the seat to adapt to different operational requirements, allowing the operator to transition smoothly between protected and exposed positions without compromising safety
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the headrest is made movable to form a secondary seat, then only the head needs to protrude from the roof, but the seat structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest serves multiple functions: it provides head support in the upright position and transforms into a secondary seating surface when folded. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional separate structures, reducing overall device complexity while achieving the safety benefit of minimizing exposed body parts
Solution Approach 2:
The headrest's weight and geometry are designed to enable automatic positioning. When folded, the headrest's own weight causes it to naturally assume the correct angular position (between 16-45 degrees below horizontal) without requiring complex locking mechanisms or active control systems, thus simplifying the overall structure
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
The design minimizes operator vulnerability while maintaining visibility and communication capabilities by allowing only the head to protrude from the vehicle, with automatic return to a safe position when needed.
Implementation Method 1
The seat may advantageously comprise an elastic return means bringing the head restraint back to its upright position.
Data Source
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AI summary
The seat (1) has a headrest (5) having a front face and a rear face (9) opposite to and mounted on a backrest (4) to move between a raised position in which the front face constitutes a bearing surface for a head of a person sitting on the seat, and another position in which the headrest is moved to the front face. Stopping units stop the movement of the headrest and retention of the headrest in the latter position, where the headrest supports weight of the person sitting on the rear face of the headrest to form a base (2) on which the person is seated.