Cab Seat Guide Rail Positioning for Foot Space Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seat devices in construction vehicles have guide rails arranged below the seat, causing safety hazards for drivers as they must climb over or step on them, leading to increased risk of accidents and maintenance issues due to exposure and damage from repeated use.

Innovation Solution

The guide rails are positioned next to the step surface, allowing the seat support to move freely, eliminating obstructions and enabling full foot space accessibility, with adjustable means like linear bearings and roller guides for longitudinal adjustment, and a lockable seat rotating unit for 360-degree rotation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If guide rails are arranged below the seat on the floor area or tread surface, then the seat support can be adjusted transversely to the direction of travel, but the driver must climb over or step on the guide rails, creating safety hazards and increasing the risk of accidents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat adjustmentVSAvoidsafety hazard
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rails are repositioned from the horizontal floor plane to a vertical arrangement alongside the tread surface. This dimensional change allows the seat support to adjust transversely without requiring the driver to step over obstacles, as the guide rails now run parallel to the driver's entry path rather than perpendicular to it.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide rails serve as an intermediary structure that enables seat adjustment while being positioned out of the driver's direct path. By placing the guide rails alongside the tread surface rather than beneath it, the system mediates between the need for seat adjustability and the need for safe driver access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If guide rails are arranged below the seat, then the seat support can be fully adjustable in the longitudinal direction, but the guide rails are exposed and susceptible to damage from repeated driver contact, increasing maintenance needs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat adjustabilityVSAvoidguide rail durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rails are extracted from the vulnerable position beneath the seat and repositioned to the side of the tread surface. This removes them from the area where drivers repeatedly step, eliminating the source of mechanical stress and potential damage while preserving their function for seat adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide rails are relocated from the horizontal plane under the seat to a vertical arrangement alongside the tread surface. This positional change in another dimension protects them from repeated contact damage while maintaining their adjustability function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP1961607B1Seat device for installation in a driver's cab
Publication Date: 2010.01.13 BOMAG GMBH
  • EP1961607B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1961607B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP1961607B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The seating device (1) comprises a driver seat (4) and an adjustment device (5). Guide rails (6,7) are arranged next to tread (2) used by a driver (17) such that a seat carrier (8) is displaced in a floating manner freely relative to the tread over the tread. Width of the seat carrier is selected such that the seat carrier runs between both the legs of the driver. The driver places his feet on the tread unhampered by the seat carrier.