Rear Gate Integrated Panel for Deployable Vehicle Workstations
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle gates do not provide a convenient and space-efficient mechanism for transforming into a workstation or staging area, limiting the utility of vehicle interiors.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle gate with a built-in panel that can be deployed from a stowed position to a deployed position, providing a horizontal receiving surface, using components like bushings and brackets for linear and rotational movement, allowing the panel to function as a table or desk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a panel is integrated into the vehicle gate to provide a workstation surface, then the utility and versatility of the vehicle interior is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional moving components and mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The panel is nested within the gate structure, specifically within a recess formed in the gate body. When not in use, the panel is stored inside the gate, utilizing the gate's internal space. This nesting approach allows the workstation surface to be integrated without permanently occupying cabin space, resolving the contradiction by providing versatility only when needed while maintaining a simple appearance when retracted.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel transitions from a static gate structure to a dynamic, movable surface through the implementation of carriers, guides, and bushings. These components enable the panel to move between retracted and deployed positions, transforming the gate from a simple barrier into an adaptable workstation that can change its configuration based on user needs.
2Area of moving object
If the panel is deployed from the gate to create a workstation surface, then the functional area is expanded, but the space efficiency is reduced by occupying cabin space
Solution Approach 1:
The panel deployment mechanism utilizes the third dimension (depth) by extending the panel outward from the gate body rather than expanding within the cabin volume. The carrier system allows the panel to project forward, creating workspace area without intruding into the cabin's lateral or vertical space, thus resolving the contradiction between surface area and volume occupation.
3Strength
If hinge mechanisms are visible on the deployed panel, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the aesthetics are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanisms are extracted from the visible surface of the deployed panel and relocated to the gate body structure. The carriers and guides are mounted on the gate rather than on the panel edges, allowing the panel itself to present a clean, uninterrupted surface while the structural connection mechanisms remain hidden in the gate's recess and mounting structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a panel integrated with a gate. The panel is designed to move relative to the gate and provide a space (e.g., workstation) for passengers or users to place their belongings. The panel may be stored in the gate when not in use. Further, the panel may be opened and closed using brackets that facilitate both linear and rotational movement of the panel. Alternatively, the panel may be opened and closed using hinge assemblies that facilitate rotational movement of the panel.