Vehicle Seat Backrest Bracket for Leg Space Preservation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle seats in rail vehicles face challenges in providing adjustable backrest inclination without disturbing the leg space of passengers behind, and existing solutions are often complex and costly.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle seat design featuring a bracket-like element pivotally mounted on the base frame, allowing the backrest cushion to pivot forward, maintaining unchanged base frame inclination and thus not impairing rear passenger space, with driver elements facilitating the pivoting movement for adjustable backrest inclination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the backrest is tilted rearward to provide comfortable backrest inclination adjustment, then seating comfort is improved, but the leg space of the person sitting behind is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackrest inclination adjustmentVSAvoidleg space for person behind
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The backrest is divided into two independent parts: the base frame (which remains fixed) and the backrest cushion surface portion (which can be tilted independently). This segmentation allows the cushion to be adjusted for comfort while the base frame maintains the original position, preserving leg space for the person behind.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tilting function is extracted from the base frame and assigned to the backrest cushion surface portion only. The bracket-like element is used to tilt the cushion away from the base frame, separating the adjustment function from the structural frame that determines leg space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If a complex mechanism with lever arms and plates is used to achieve lumbar support and backrest adjustment, then backrest inclination adjustment is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackrest inclination adjustmentVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a complex overall mechanism, the patent applies a simple bracket-like element locally at the lower half of the backrest cushion. This localized approach provides the necessary adjustment function without requiring complex mechanisms throughout the entire backrest structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The bracket-like element is a simple, cost-effective component that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. It replaces expensive, complex mechanisms with a straightforward structural solution that achieves the same functional result.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 comfortable backrest adjustment with increased support for the spine, maintaining leg space for passengers behind and reducing overall costs through a simplified mechanism.

Implementation Method 1

a bracket-like element (8) which extends upwards in the middle area, is pivotally mounted in its end areas (8a, 8b) on the base frame (1) in its lower area about a substantially horizontally aligned pivot axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPivoting movement: Hinge

Implementation Method 2

If the bracket-like element is curved, for example, i.e. in an upward curve with a maximum in the central area, or for example trapezoidal with a maximum area also in the central area of the bracket-like element, pivoting the bracket-like element can not only result in a deformation of the backrest cushion surface portion in the forward direction, but also a deformation of the backrest cushion surface portion can be achieved in its lower region in the width direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP2548763B1Vehicle seat with backrest deformation
Publication Date: 2015.08.12 GRAMMER AG
  • EP2548763B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2548763B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2548763B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The vehicle seat has a seat portion (2) that is provided with a seat cushion surface portion (4). The backrest cushion surface portions (5,5a) of a backrest (3) are formed on a base frame (1). The lower portion (1a) of the base frame is attached with a bow-like element (8) with two end regions (8a,8b) and a central portion (8c). A seat unit (9) is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the base frame. The backrest cushion surface portion in the lower region (6b) is lifted by the pivoting movement in the forward direction of seat portion.