Rotating Cab Seat for Dual-Direction Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle cabins with pivoting mechanisms do not provide optimal visibility, particularly limiting the driver's view of signals on the opposite side of the track during maneuvers.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle cabin is designed with a rotating seat and base around a central axis, allowing the driver to maintain visibility in both directions by adjusting the seat's position relative to the base, enabling 180° rotation and optional secondary axis rotation for enhanced visibility configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the driver's cab is equipped with a pivoting mechanism to change orientation, then the driver can have two directions of vision for different maneuvers, but the visibility to one side of the track is limited and signals on the opposite side are not optimally visible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirections of visionVSAvoidvisibility limitation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is made rotatable relative to the base around a first vertical axis, allowing the driver to dynamically adjust their viewing direction independently of the cab's orientation. This dynamic adjustment enables optimal visibility of signals on both sides of the track without requiring the entire cab to pivot, thus resolving the visibility limitation while maintaining adaptability for different maneuvers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cab is segmented into a base and a rotatable seat assembly. This segmentation allows independent rotation of the seat relative to the base, enabling the driver to change viewing direction without moving the entire cab structure. The secondary bearing system with locking elements provides discrete positional segments for the seat, optimizing visibility at key angles while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the seat is rotated around the first axis to provide two directions of vision, then the driver can see signals on both sides of the track, but the complexity of the bearing system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing directionVSAvoidbearing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is made rotatable relative to the base around a first vertical axis, allowing the driver to dynamically adjust their viewing direction independently of the cab's orientation. This dynamic adjustment enables optimal visibility of signals on both sides of the track without requiring the entire cab to pivot, thus resolving the visibility limitation while maintaining adaptability for different maneuvers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cab is segmented into a base and a rotatable seat assembly. This segmentation allows independent rotation of the seat relative to the base, enabling the driver to change viewing direction without moving the entire cab structure. The secondary bearing system with locking elements provides discrete positional segments for the seat, optimizing visibility at key angles while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3819184B1Vehicle with rotating driver's cab
Publication Date: 2023.05.24 ALSTOM HOLDINGS SA
  • EP3819184B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3819184B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3819184B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a vehicle comprising a driver's cab (12) including a base (14) and a seat (16), the vehicle having a longitudinal direction (X). The base (14) has a center (20) and a central longitudinal plane (P), the central longitudinal plane (P) extending along the longitudinal direction (X) and passing through the center (20) of the base (14). A projection of the seat (16) along an elevation direction (Z) onto the base (14) is included within the base (14). An assembly comprising the base (14) and the seat (16) is capable of rotating relative to the vehicle body about a first axis (D), the first axis (D) extending along an elevation direction (Z). The first axis (D) passes through the center (20) of the base (14).