Vehicle Seat Armrest Coplanar Retraction Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle seats with retractable armrests hinder movement in and out of the vehicle when the armrest is retracted, as it stands upright and obstructs the path.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat with a position adjustment mechanism that allows the armrest to be retracted to a position coplanar with the seat surface, eliminating obstruction and enabling easy movement, while also providing multi-stage angle adjustment and increased load-carrying capacity through engagement with protruding seat portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the armrest is retracted by turning it forward around a pivot part, then the armrest can be stored when not used, but the armrest body stands upright in front of the seat part and hinders movement for getting in or out of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is designed to be dynamically repositionable between a deployed position (protruding rearward for arm support) and a retracted position (coplanar with the seat upper surface). The pivotal connection allows the armrest to rotate and change its spatial configuration, transitioning from a vertical L-shape when retracted to a horizontal configuration when deployed, thus eliminating obstruction during entry/exit while maintaining functionality during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest retraction mechanism utilizes rotational movement around a pivot axis to reposition the armrest body from a vertical orientation (obstructing the path) to a coplanar orientation (flush with the seat surface). This dimensional transformation allows the armrest to occupy a different spatial plane when retracted, eliminating its harmful obstructive effect while preserving the compact storage benefit.
2Ease of operation
If the armrest is deployed above the seat part, then it can support the arm of the seated person, but it may obstruct movement when not properly positioned
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest employs a pivotal connection that enables dynamic adjustment between deployed and retracted positions. When deployed, the armrest extends horizontally above the seat part to provide arm support. When retracted, it rotates forward to become coplanar with the seat upper surface. This dynamic reconfigurability ensures the armrest only occupies space when needed for support, eliminating potential obstruction during vehicle entry/exit.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest structure serves multiple functions: it provides arm support when deployed above the seat part, and it acts as a non-obstructive element when retracted to be coplanar with the seat surface. The same structural component fulfills both the support function and the space-saving function through its ability to assume different spatial configurations based on usage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat includes a seat part, a back part, and an armrest pivotally supported by the seat part. The armrest includes an armrest body and a position adjustment mechanism that is capable of adjusting the armrest body between at least two positions including a deployment position in which the armrest body is deployed above the seat part and a retraction position in which the armrest body is retracted to be positioned adjacent to the seat part. An upper surface of the armrest body in the retraction position is coplanar with an upper surface of the seat part.