Rotating Protective Partition for Commercial Vehicle Seats
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective devices in motor and utility vehicles for passenger compartments are complex to use, interfere with longitudinal seat translation, and do not optimize free space, particularly when folding the front passenger seat backrest, leading to suboptimal protection and installation challenges.
Innovation Solution
A protective device with two pairs of connecting rods securing protective partitions to seat stretchers and the vehicle's roof, allowing rotational movement with seat translation, and featuring adjustable and modular components to maintain protection without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the protective partition is secured to the vehicle structure (floor and roof) to prevent longitudinal translation of seats, then protection against objects striking seat rear faces is improved, but longitudinal translation of seats is prohibited or limited
Solution Approach 1:
The protective partition is transformed from a static structure fixed to the vehicle floor into a dynamic structure that rotates with seat movement. The partition remains attached to the seat backrest and rotates automatically when the seat moves longitudinally, maintaining continuous protection without restricting seat translation.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective partition is merged with the seat assembly rather than being a separate fixed structure. The partition forms an integrated unit with the seat backrest, moving together as one assembly, which eliminates the conflict between protection and seat mobility.
2Ease of operation
If the protective partition is secured to the seat base to allow longitudinal translation, then seat translation is enabled, but objects can penetrate the upper part and pass between the partition and roof
Solution Approach 1:
The protective partition extends from the seat base to the roof and rotates dynamically with seat movement. This dynamic configuration ensures that the partition maintains its protective position relative to the seat at all times, preventing object penetration while allowing translation.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective partition is extended vertically to reach the roof, adding a vertical dimension to the protection. This creates a complete barrier from floor to ceiling that prevents objects from passing over or around the partition, while the rotational mechanism maintains this protection during seat translation.
3Ease of operation
If sophisticated protection devices with complex kinematics are used to allow seat translation, then seat translation is enabled, but the devices become difficult to install and use, and require seat removal for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device is segmented into simple components: the partition attached to the seat backrest and connecting rods linked to the seat stretchers. This segmentation creates a modular system that is easy to install and operates automatically without complex mechanisms or user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective partition operates automatically through self-service mechanisms. The connecting rods are passively actuated by seat movement itself, causing the partition to rotate and follow the seat without requiring any user action, complex controls, or manual intervention.
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 solution provides a simple, effective protection system that allows independent longitudinal seat translation without user interaction, optimizes storage space, and ensures continuous protection by automatically adjusting with seat movement, enhancing the overall safety and usability of the vehicle's passenger compartment.
Implementation Method 1
each of its protective partitions comprises a lower part, coupled at the upper ends of the connecting rods of an associated pair, and an upper part, intended to be integral in rotation with a part of a roof of the vehicle, so that it can be driven in rotation with respect to this part of the roof in case of translation of the associated pair of seat stretchers
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A protective device (D) is fitted to the floor (PL) of a utility vehicle. Two pairs of slides (GL1-GL2) are fixedly attached to this floor. These slides are coupled in translation to two pairs of seat frames (BA1-BA2) for the driver and passenger seats, respectively. This device (D) comprises two protective partitions (CP1-CP2) installed behind the driver and passenger seats, respectively, and two pairs of connecting rods (BC1-BC2) with lower ends, rotationally attached to the seat frames (BA1-BA2) of an associated pair, and upper ends.Each of the protective partitions (CP1-CP2) includes a lower part, coupled to the upper ends of the connecting rods (BC1-BC2) of an associated pair, and an upper part, rotationally attached to a part (TT) of the roof of the vehicle, so as to be driven in rotation relative to this part (TT) in the event of translation of the pair of associated seat stretchers (BA1-BA2) relative to the corresponding pair of slides (GL1-GL2).