Floating Seat Assembly With Occupant-Triggered Self-Locking Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat arrangements lack the ability to provide improved comfort and safety, particularly in terms of adjustable seating that can be easily customized by occupants without manual operation, and fail to effectively integrate automatic and motor-driven adjustments with occupant movement.
Innovation Solution
A seat arrangement featuring a self-locking mechanism that allows adjustment via occupant movement, incorporating a force sensor and motor-driven system to automatically adjust the seat based on force input, enabling automatic positioning and locking in desired configurations, including tilting, rotating, and pivoting, with control via a control unit and input activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a self-locking mechanism is used to lock the base element and seat, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring force input to cancel locking
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment unit is designed to automatically cancel the self-locking mechanism when force is applied by the occupant during movement. The system serves itself by detecting the applied force and automatically disengaging the lock, eliminating the need for separate unlocking operations or controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical locking mechanisms with a force-sensitive system that uses sensors to detect occupant movement and automatically controls the locking state. This substitution of mechanical systems with sensor-based control improves ease of operation while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If manual adjustment operations are used, then ease of operation is maintained, but adaptability deteriorates due to inability to automatically follow occupant movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect occupant movement and provide feedback to the control unit. The control unit processes this information and automatically adjusts the seat position to follow the occupant's movement, creating a closed-loop feedback system that enables adaptive positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat adjustment system automatically adjusts itself based on detected occupant movement without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by sensing movement and autonomously positioning the seat, combining simplicity with adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If motor-driven adjustment is used, then adaptability is improved through automated positioning, but device complexity increases due to additional motors and controls
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it can lock the seat in position, automatically adjust based on sensor input, and follow occupant movement. By making the adjustment unit universal and multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate mechanisms while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the locking mechanism, adjustment mechanism, and sensor-based control into a single integrated adjustment unit. This merging of functions reduces device complexity compared to having separate systems for locking, adjusting, and controlling seat position.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors and control units are added for automatic adjustment, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is designed to handle multiple sensing inputs and control multiple adjustment functions through a single integrated system. This multi-functional approach allows automatic adjustment capability while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate control units and sensor systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a seat (1, 100), in particular a floating seat, comprising: - at least one seat shell (2) with a seat surface region (2.2) and a backrest region (2.1), - a base element (3) on which the seat shell (2) is arranged in an adjustable manner, and - an adjustment mechanism (4, 40) for adjusting the seat shell (2) relative to the base element (3) and/or a seat base (9), wherein the adjustment mechanism (4, 40) has at least one adjustment unit (4.1, 4.2) for adjusting the seat shell (2) and at least one drive unit (5.1, 5.2) which is designed to lock the base element (3) and the seat shell (3) in place in a self-locking manner, and the lock can be released by a force introduced into the adjustment unit (4.1, 4.2) by an occupant sitting in the seat shell (2) via said seat shell (2) as well as by a force introduced into the adjustment unit (4.1, 4.2) by the drive unit (5.1, 5.2).