Pivoting Vehicle Seat Backrest With Pneumatic Limb Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Long motor vehicle journeys can be tiring due to uncomfortable sitting posture and limited freedom of movement, leading to muscle tension and joint pain, particularly affecting the feet and legs.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat with a pivotable backrest featuring a pneumatic device that forms elevations for lateral and central support, allowing for adjustable height and resistance to accommodate limbs and objects, enhancing comfort during cornering and providing a massage function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the backrest is folded down to create a support area for limbs, then comfort during cornering deteriorates because limbs fall out of the support area
Solution Approach 1:
A pneumatic device is integrated into the backrest to automatically generate lateral support forces during cornering. The pneumatic system detects cornering forces and inflates lateral support elements to prevent limbs from falling out of the support area, thereby maintaining position stability while preserving the folded-backrest configuration for comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The backrest support area is designed with dynamic adaptability, allowing it to change its support characteristics based on vehicle motion. During cornering, the system dynamically adjusts the support properties through pneumatic activation, transforming from a static folded surface to an actively stabilized support structure.
2Ease of operation
If the backrest is folded down to accommodate limbs, then limbs collide with each other during cornering
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic device activates lateral support elements during cornering that physically separate and hold limbs in designated areas of the support surface. This prevents limbs from moving freely and colliding with each other while maintaining comfortable accommodation in the folded backrest position.
Solution Approach 2:
The pneumatic support elements act as intermediary structures between the folded backrest surface and the limbs. These intermediaries provide controlled separation and positioning, preventing direct contact and collision between limbs during cornering motions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a pneumatic device is added to provide lateral support, then device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic device is designed to serve multiple functions: providing lateral support during cornering, accommodating various limb positions, and potentially integrating with existing vehicle seat adjustment systems. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering comprehensive support capabilities from a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The pneumatic system is designed to automatically activate and deactivate based on detected cornering forces, eliminating the need for manual control. The system self-regulates the support provided, reducing the operational complexity for the user while maintaining the necessary lateral support functionality.
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
The pneumatic device provides effective lateral and central support to prevent limbs from falling or colliding, ensuring a more comfortable ride by maintaining objects and limbs in place and offering variable resistance and height adjustments for different sitting positions.
Implementation Method 1
The pneumatic device is located on the rear of the backrest and is designed to form a pneumatically operated raised portion for lateral support of the support area
Implementation Method 2
The elevation caused by the pneumatic device is preferably greater than 1 cm, particularly preferably greater than 2 cm and/or less than 10 cm, particularly preferably less than 5 cm compared to a base area of the support area
Data Source
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Figure 2
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AI summary
The application relates to a vehicle seat (20) for an occupant (16) of a motor vehicle (10), a motor vehicle (10) comprising the vehicle seat (20), and methods for operating the vehicle seat (20). It is provided that the backrest (24) of the vehicle seat (20) includes a support area (26) on its rear side (24b), which, in a position pivoted with the front (24a) of the backrest (24) towards the seat cushion (22), is designed for resting objects and/or limbs. In the pivoted position, a pneumatic device (28) forms a pneumatically operated elevation (30) for lateral support of the support area (26) in order to prevent objects and/or limbs placed on the support area (26) from leaving the support area (26).