Seat-Side Control Layout With Lever Guard Against Accidental Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles with drive units and seats face issues of increased operation member complexity and risk of inadvertent operation due to their layout, particularly when users get on and off the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle design includes an operation device with members disposed below a lever, where the lever serves as a handrail and operation panel, and incorporates a lift unit to adjust the seat height, ensuring operation members are protected and accessible without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If operation members are disposed on the left and right side portions of the seat to be easily operated by the user, then ease of operation is improved, but the user may inadvertently touch the operation members when getting on and off the vehicle, worsening reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by positioning operation members in the vertical dimension (below the lever) rather than only in the horizontal plane. The lever extends upward and forward from the operation panel, and operation members are disposed below the lever, creating a vertical layering that separates the handrail function from the operation function, thereby preventing inadvertent contact while maintaining accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The lever serves as an intermediary element between the user and the operation members. It provides a handrail function for support during boarding and alighting, while its physical presence above the operation members prevents direct contact with those members, thus mediating between the need for ease of operation and the need to prevent erroneous operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple operation members and devices are added to the vehicle, then functionality is improved, but the number of operation members increases and the layout becomes complex, worsening device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated operation device structure. The lever serves both as a handrail for support and as a structural element that positions the operation panel. The operation panel itself integrates multiple operation members (power supply switch, seat adjustment switches, traveling direction switches) into a single consolidated unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; a drive unit provided on the vehicle body frame and movable on a floor surface; a seat disposed above the vehicle body frame to support buttocks of a user; a lift unit provided between the vehicle body frame and the seat to raise and lower the seat between a low position and a high position; and an operation device provided on at least one of a left side portion and a right side portion of the seat. The operation device includes an operation panel having an operation surface that faces upward, a lever extending upward and forward from a rear portion of the operation panel, and multiple operation members provided on the operation surface. At least one of the multiple operation members is disposed in a position overlapping with the lever as seen from above.