Vehicle Seat Lower-Leg Support With Convertible Table Function
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lower-leg supports for vehicle seats lack flexibility and functionality, limiting their usability and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A lower-leg support system with rotatable and lockable support elements that can be converted between a calf support and a table, secured to the vehicle seat via displacement elements and drives, allowing for adjustable length and position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a lower-leg support is designed with basic support functionality only, then the structure remains simple, but flexibility and functionality are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The support element is designed to perform multiple functions: it can be positioned in a use position to support the lower leg, and in a table position to serve as a table or shelf. The rotatable connection and locking device enable the same structural element to fulfill different functional roles, thereby improving versatility without adding separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The support element is made dynamically adjustable through rotatable connections and a locking device, allowing it to transition between different positions (use position and table position) and orientations. This dynamic capability enables the structure to adapt to various usage scenarios, enhancing flexibility while maintaining a relatively simple base structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional components are added to provide table function, then functionality improves, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support element serves dual purposes: supporting the lower leg in the use position and functioning as a table or shelf in the table position. By making the existing support structure multi-functional rather than adding separate components, the invention provides enhanced functionality while avoiding the weight penalty of additional parts
Solution Approach 2:
The table function is merged with the lower-leg support function within the same structural element. The support element itself becomes both the calf rest and the table surface, combining two previously separate functions into one integrated component, thereby eliminating the need for additional weight
3Stability of the object's composition
If the support element is locked in use position, then stability is improved, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing the support element to be positioned and locked in different configurations. The locking device provides stability when needed, while the ability to unlock and reposition maintains flexibility. This dynamic lockable design resolves the contradiction by providing both stability and adaptability as needed
Solution Approach 2:
The locking device enables periodic transitions between locked (stable) and unlocked (flexible) states. The support element can be locked into position for stable support, then unlocked for repositioning or conversion to table function, creating a rhythmic pattern of stability and flexibility that serves different operational requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A lower leg support for a vehicle seat includes first and second securing elements which secure the lower-leg support to the vehicle seat. A first displacement element is rotatably connected to the first securing element and a second displacement element is rigidly connected to the second securing element. A first support element is rotatably held on the first displacement element and faces away from the first securing element in a use position and a second support element is rotatable on the second displacement element and faces away from the second securing element in the use position. The first and second support elements are displaceable from the use position into a non-use position by the first and second displacement elements and, in the use position, the first support element, when unlocked from the second support element, is transferrable into a table position by rotation of the first displacement element.