Vehicle Seat Armrest Control Lever for Ergonomic Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In commercial vehicles, the placement of controls and operating levers for vehicle functions is often not ergonomically designed, leading to driver discomfort and safety issues due to the need for forward bending or overcrowding of controls on the dashboard, making it difficult to operate multiple functions reliably and safely.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat with a control device integrated into the armrest, featuring a lever element that moves along a guide device, allowing for easy operation of vehicle functions without requiring the driver to change their posture, with a disc-like or cylindrical control element that is touch-sensitive and includes a display for intuitive operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If controls are placed in the dashboard area or near the steering wheel, then vehicle functions can be operated, but the driver must change posture or bend forward, impairing driving safety
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is extracted from the traditional dashboard area and relocated to the armrest of the vehicle seat. This extraction allows the controls to be positioned in a more ergonomic location that does not require the driver to change posture or bend forward, thereby maintaining driving safety while improving accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest serves as an intermediary structure between the driver and the control device. By placing the controls on the armrest rather than the dashboard, the design creates an intermediate positioning that optimizes both accessibility and safety without requiring structural changes to the vehicle's main control architecture
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple controls and levers are located in the steering wheel area, then vehicle functions can be operated, but it becomes difficult to reliably operate the correct lever or button
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is segmented into a modular joystick unit with integrated controls that consolidates multiple functions into a single operational element. This segmentation reduces the number of separate levers and buttons the driver must manage, improving operational reliability while maintaining versatility through the joystick's multi-directional control capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The joystick control element is designed as a universal control mechanism that can operate multiple vehicle functions through a single device. By integrating various control functions into one multi-functional joystick, the design eliminates the need for multiple separate controls, thereby improving both versatility and operational reliability
3Ease of operation
If controls are integrated into the armrest, then space is saved and accessibility is improved, but the armrest structure must accommodate additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is nested within the armrest structure, with the joystick and control elements housed inside the armrest's internal cavity. This nesting approach allows the controls to be accessible from the armrest's outer surface while containing all necessary mechanical and electronic components within the existing armrest volume, minimizing structural modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The control device is merged with the armrest as an integrated assembly, combining the structural support function of the armrest with the control function of the joystick. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting structures and allows the armrest to serve dual purposes: providing structural support and housing the control mechanism
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle seat (1), in particular a truck seat, with an operating device (2) for operating vehicle functions, wherein the operating device (2) is arranged on an armrest (3) of the vehicle seat (1) by means of a guide device (22) and is fixedly connected to it and comprises an operating element (5) arranged on a lever element (4), wherein the lever element (4) is movable along a longitudinal axis of the armrest (3) relative to the armrest (3) by means of the guide device, wherein the lever element (4) can be moved from a retracted state to an extended state by a first translational movement along the longitudinal axis (X) forwards and from the extended state to the retracted state by a second translational movement along the longitudinal axis (X) backwards.