Vehicle Seat Adjustment Device with Perpendicular Spindle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats with laterally positioned operating devices face accessibility issues when adjusting the seat height, as these devices are often mechanically decoupled and designed in a bulky manner, making them difficult to operate while seated.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat adjustment device with a rotational axis extending in the seat width direction, featuring a spindle element with a central axis perpendicular to the shaft's central axis, allowing for space-saving arrangement and easy pivoting of the operating device for vertical and inclination adjustments, using a threaded spindle gear and a toggle lever kinematic system to minimize space and components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the operating device is mechanically decoupled from the seat adjustment device and arranged laterally on the seat, then the operating device can be positioned independently for different functions, but the operating device becomes difficult to access when the operator sits down and the seat height needs adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The operating device is made dynamically adjustable through the adjustment device with a rotational axis and shaft, allowing the operating device to be pivoted about the rotational axis to change its vertical position and/or inclination. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the operating device to adapt to different operational positions while remaining accessible to the operator.
2Device complexity
If the adjustment device is designed with traditional components arranged sequentially, then the structure is simple to understand, but the overall space requirements increase making the device bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensional optimization by arranging the spindle element such that its central axis is perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft. This perpendicular arrangement allows the two elements to be positioned at least partially on top of each other rather than behind each other, effectively utilizing vertical space and reducing the overall space requirements in the longitudinal direction.
3Ease of manufacture
If the spindle element is arranged behind the shaft in its length direction, then the structural arrangement is straightforward, but the overall space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of arranging the spindle element behind the shaft in the longitudinal direction, the patent positions the spindle element with its central axis perpendicular to the shaft's central axis, allowing the elements to overlap vertically. This dimensional reconfiguration reduces the overall length of the adjustment device while maintaining manufacturability.
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
Enables easy and ergonomic adjustment of the operating device's vertical position and inclination, reducing the need for bulky components and expensive locking devices, while ensuring continuous and precise adjustment within a compact installation space.
Implementation Method 1
the adjustment of the vertical position and/or of the inclination of the operating device is feasible by means of a rotational movement of a spindle element which is in operative contact with the shaft
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle seat with at least one laterally positioned operating device for operating the vehicle seat functions and/or vehicle functions and an adjustment device for adjusting a vertical position and/or an inclination of the at least one operating device with respect to a rest of the vehicle seat, wherein the adjustment device comprises a rotational axis extending in the seat width direction and a shaft which is connected to the operating device, positioned at a distance from the rotational axis and rotatable together with the operating device about the rotational axis, wherein the adjustment of the vertical position and/or of the inclination of the operating device is feasible by means of a rotational movement of a spindle element which is in operative contact with the shaft, wherein a central axis of the spindle element is perpendicular to a central axis of the shaft.