Rail Car Convertible Berth Assembly With Rotating Backrest
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current railway vehicle seating and berth installations for night trains are cumbersome to install and lack ergonomics, providing inadequate comfort for passengers.
Innovation Solution
A convertible assembly for railway vehicles featuring a seating structure with a backrest that rotates between seat and berth positions, where the mattress forms both faces of the backrest, allowing for a seamless transition between seating and lying positions, and includes an upper berth that can be stowed and a headrest for enhanced comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate seats and backrests are used to form convertible installations, then the berth can be formed, but the assembly becomes tedious and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the seat and backrest into a single integrated convertible unit. The seat structure includes integrated support surfaces that form both the seating area and the backrest, eliminating the need for separate components. This integration simplifies assembly while maintaining the convertible function between seat and berth positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The convertible unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as a seat during the day and converts into a berth for sleeping. The support surfaces can be configured in different positions to provide both seating and lying functions, making the structure universal and adaptable to different uses without requiring separate installations.
2Ease of manufacture
If thin mattresses are used in separate backrests, then assembly is simpler, but passenger comfort and ergonomics are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple support surfaces into a single integrated mattress structure. Instead of using thin mattresses in separate backrests, the invention employs one thicker mattress that forms both the seat support and the backrest support, improving comfort while simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mattress thickness parameter is increased compared to conventional separate backrest installations. The single integrated mattress provides adequate thickness to ensure passenger comfort and ergonomics, while the integration reduces the number of components and simplifies assembly.
3Ease of operation
If the backrest has distinct shapes on both faces, then ergonomic support is improved, but manufacturing and assembly become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is designed with different local qualities on each face: the first face has a shape complementary to the seat surface for optimal seating support, while the second face has a different shape for backrest support. This local differentiation provides ergonomic benefits while the single-integration design keeps manufacturing manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of manufacturing two separate backrests with different shapes, the patent merges both functional surfaces into a single mattress structure. This integration maintains the distinct ergonomic shapes needed for both seating and backrest functions while simplifying manufacturing and assembly processes.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly (14) for a railway car (10), comprising at least one convertible unit (21, 22), the convertible unit (21, 22) comprising a seating structure (48) having at least two seating surfaces (54), and a backrest (50) having a first face (50A) and a second face (50B), the backrest (50) comprising a mattress (62), the first face (50A) having a support surface (58), the support surface(s) (58) having a shape substantially complementary to the shape of the associated seating surface (54). The convertible unit (21, 22) is movable between a seating position (PS) and a sleeping position (PC). In the sleeper position (PC) of the convertible unit (21, 22), each seating surface (54) is at least partially in contact with the associated support surface (58) and the second face (50B) of the backrest (50) is configured to accommodate a passenger in the reclining position.