Seat arrangement switching unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat arrangement switching devices for vehicles, such as railway vehicles and buses, face issues where the distance between seats in the cross arrangement is too large in the long arrangement, leading to insufficient seating capacity, and in the cross arrangement, leg space becomes tight due to fixed rotary shafts being immovable in the traveling direction.
Innovation Solution
A switching unit with a support base, rotating support, seat mounting frame, linear guides, rotation stopping member, and seat fixing member allows seats to be freely rotated and moved in the width direction, enabling flexible arrangement between long and cross configurations while preventing interference with the vehicle cabin walls and allowing adjustable seat spacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the rotary shaft is fixed in the width direction, then the seat arrangement is stable, but the seat spacing cannot be adjusted in the traveling direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the fixed rotary shaft into a movable one along the width direction. The rotary shaft is now guided by linear guides that allow it to move dynamically, enabling adjustment of seat spacing while maintaining rotational functionality. This dynamic adjustment mechanism resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to adapt to different seating configurations without requiring completely different mechanical structures for each arrangement type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the mechanical system into distinct functional components: the rotary shaft for rotation, linear guides for movement control, and locking mechanisms for position fixation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, enabling flexible seat arrangement adjustment while maintaining overall structural stability. The modular design resolves the contradiction by providing adjustability without excessive complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the seat mounting position is adjusted in the width direction, then interference with side walls is prevented, but control over traveling direction spacing is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces linear guides as an intermediary mechanism between the rotary shaft and the seat mounting frame. These guides mediate the movement by allowing controlled displacement in the width direction while maintaining precise positioning. The intermediary mechanism ensures that width direction adjustment does not compromise traveling direction spacing accuracy, as the guides constrain movement to specific paths and enable precise positioning at desired locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional fixed mechanical mounting with a guided movement system. Instead of relying on fixed positions determined during manufacturing, the system uses linear guides to enable adjustable positioning. This substitution allows the same mechanical structure to accommodate different seat arrangements while maintaining manufacturing precision through the guided constraint system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the rotary shaft is made movable in the width direction, then seat arrangement flexibility is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the linear guides and locking mechanisms to serve multiple functions simultaneously. The linear guides not only enable width direction movement but also provide rotational guidance and position stabilization. The locking mechanisms serve both to fix the rotary shaft position and to maintain seat mounting stability. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite adding movement capability.
4Ease of operation
If seats are arranged in cross arrangement, then sitting comfort is improved, but standing space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic switching between long arrangement and cross arrangement by allowing the rotary shaft to move and rotate. This dynamics capability allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements: cross arrangement for comfort during low-traffic periods, and long arrangement for maximum standing space during high-traffic periods. The ability to change configuration resolves the contradiction by making the space adaptable to different usage scenarios.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Provided is a switching unit, which is configured to change a direction of arrangement of seats in a vehicle cabin of a vehicle, the switching unit including: a support base (3), which is to be fixed to a vehicle cabin, and is configured to support the seats (1); a rotating support (4), which is fixed to the support base (3), and is configured to serve as a center of rotation of the seats (1); a seat mounting frame (5) configured to allow the seats (1) to be fixed thereto; linear guides (6), which are provided to the seat mounting frame (5) along a width direction of the seats (1), and is configured to guide movement of the seat mounting frame (5) with respect to the rotating support (4) ; a rotation stopping member (8), which is provided to the support base (3), and is configured to lock rotation of the seat mounting frame (5), which is caused by the rotating support (4) ; and a seat fixing member (7) configured to lock movement of the seat mounting frame (5) with respect to the rotating support (4). The switching unit enables an arrangement of the seats (1) to be freely switched to a long arrangement or a cross arrangement and enables an arrangement distance between the seats (1) in a traveling direction of the vehicle to be freely adjusted when the seats (1) are arranged in the long arrangement.