Rotating Panel Seat Leveler for Multi-Container Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing car seat levelers can only accommodate one or two container retention structures due to a single level surface, which limits their versatility in securely supporting diverse food and drink items during transport, often resulting in damage or spills on inclined vehicle seats.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable apparatus comprising three or more interconnected panels that form an isosceles triangular profile, allowing multiple level support plane configurations by rotating the panels, each with container retention structures on both surfaces, and adjustable attachment means to secure items on a level plane over an inclined surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single level surface is used in car seat levelers, then the device structure is simple, but the versatility in accommodating different container retention structures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple rotatable support panels (first support panel, second support panel, third support panel) that can be independently positioned. Each panel can accommodate different container retention structures, allowing the device to adapt to various container types while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through modular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support panels are designed to be rotatable relative to each other, transforming the static single-level surface into a dynamic multi-level configuration. This rotational capability allows the device to adapt its structure to accommodate different container retention structures while maintaining simplicity through controlled mechanical movement rather than complex fixed configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple container retention structures are incorporated, then the versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each support panel is designed with universal container retention structures that can accommodate multiple types of containers. The retainer members can be positioned and adjusted on each panel, providing multi-functional capability without requiring separate specialized structures for each container type, thus increasing versatility while controlling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different local areas of the support panels are equipped with different container retention structures tailored to specific container types. Each panel can have customized retention features at specific locations while sharing the same basic panel structure, allowing versatility through localized differentiation rather than overall structural complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the panels are made rotatable to provide multiple level orientations, then the adaptability is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple support panels are connected through a shared rotation mechanism centered on the second support panel. The first and third panels rotate relative to the second panel, which itself can rotate relative to the base. This merged rotational system provides multiple level plane configurations through coordinated movement of panels rather than requiring separate complex mechanisms for each panel, thus improving adaptability while controlling overall mechanism complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus supports objects on a level support plane above an underlying inclined surface, such as a vehicle seat. It comprises three or more substantially rectangular panels that are rotatably interconnected so as to form an isosceles triangular profile, in which the equal sides serve as support panels, and the shortest side is an elevation panel. Each support panel can incorporate one or more container retention structures on both its obverse and reverse surface. The apparatus is configurable, through the rotation of its panels, so that either surface of each support panel can provide the level support plane that supports objects.