Vehicle Seat Armrest Kinematics for Stable Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat armrests do not automatically adjust to maintain comfort during changes in seat inclination and height, leading to potential issues with blood circulation and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
An armrest arrangement for a vehicle seat that utilizes a kinematic construction, including a connecting rod and guide element, to automatically adjust the armrest's orientation in response to seat inclination and height adjustments, ensuring minimal angular change (up to 5°) to maintain comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the armrest is firmly connected to the seating portion, then the armrest automatically adjusts with seat movement, but the armrest orientation changes significantly (more than 5°) during inclination and height adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
A connecting rod is introduced as an intermediary element between the seating portion connection and the armrest. This connecting rod, guided by a guide element, mediates the motion transmission such that vertical movements of the seating portion are converted into rotational adjustments of the armrest, while inclination movements are compensated. The guide element acts as a constraint that directs the connecting rod's motion, ensuring the armrest maintains its orientation within 5° during seat adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the motion parameters of the armrest based on the type of seat adjustment. During height adjustment, the connecting rod translates vertical displacement into armrest rotation. During inclination adjustment, the guide element constrains the connecting rod to move in a way that compensates for the seat's tilt, maintaining armrest orientation. This dynamic parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between automatic adaptation and orientation stability.
2Ease of operation
If the armrest is connected via kinematic construction to allow automatic adjustment, then comfort is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The kinematic construction is segmented into distinct functional components: a seating portion connection for mounting, a connecting rod for motion transmission, and a guide element for constraining motion. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function, simplifying the overall design and making it easier to manufacture and maintain while still achieving the desired automatic armrest adjustment and orientation control.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the connecting rod is guided by a guide element to compensate for seat tilt, then armrest orientation is maintained, but the construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element is designed to create a motion path for the connecting rod that effectively equalizes the armrest's orientation regardless of the seat's inclination angle. By constraining the connecting rod to move along a specific trajectory defined by the guide element, the system maintains the armrest in a consistent orientation (within 5°) across different seat positions, achieving equipotentiality in terms of armrest orientation stability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an armrest arrangement for a vehicle seat including an armrest and a seating portion connection for connecting the armrest to a seating portion in such a way that the armrest can be adjusted via a kinematic construction in relation to the seating portion.