Vehicle Seat Fastening via Mobile Beam and Cam Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Passenger transport vehicle seats experience rapid wear and are difficult to disassemble due to their intensive use and vulnerability to vandalism, requiring the entire seat to be removed for maintenance or replacement, even when only a single component is damaged.

Innovation Solution

A seat design featuring a longitudinal neck and mobile beam system that allows for easy disassembly and assembly, using a cam mechanism to translate the beam between locking and disassembled positions, enabling separate replacement or maintenance of seat portions without removing the entire seat.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional fixed fastening means (rivets or long bolts) are used to secure the seat to the load bearing structure, then the seat has high stability and strength, but the disassembly process becomes long and difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening strengthVSAvoiddisassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing static fixed fastening means with a mobile beam system that can transition between locked and disassembled positions. The beam moves along the neck to provide dynamic fastening that maintains strength during operation but allows easy disassembly when needed, directly resolving the contradiction between fastening strength and disassembly ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of repair

If the entire seat is removed for maintenance or replacement, then all components can be serviced, but the manipulation complexity and time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoiddisassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the seat into modular components (seat portion, backrest, base means) that can be independently accessed and serviced. The mobile beam system enables selective disassembly of individual components without removing the entire seat, reducing manipulation complexity and maintenance time while maintaining full serviceability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of repair

If heavy and bulky entire seats are removed for component replacement, then damaged parts can be replaced, but the manipulation becomes delicate and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent replaceabilityVSAvoidmanipulation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables replacement of individual components (seat portion, backrest) without removing the entire heavy seat assembly. The mobile beam system allows selective access to damaged parts, making manipulation easier and reducing the complexity of repair operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile beam system provides dynamic control over component accessibility, allowing operators to easily access and replace individual components without dealing with the entire heavy seat assembly, significantly improving manipulation ease during maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Stability of the object's composition

If rivets or long bolts are used to fix the seat, then the seat structure is stable, but the disassembly requires actuation of multiple fixing means making it difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidfastening system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces multiple static fastening means with a single mobile beam system that provides both structural stability during operation and simplified disassembly. The beam's movement along the neck consolidates multiple fixing functions into one component, reducing device complexity while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

Facilitates easier upkeep and maintenance by allowing individual components to be replaced or removed without disassembling the entire seat, reducing manipulation complexity and time, and enabling on-vehicle assembly and disassembly with fewer operations.

Implementation Method 1

said driving means comprise at least one cam mounted rotationally mobile relative to said neck around a longitudinal axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCam mechanism: Cam

Data Source

PatentEP2578448B1Passenger transport vehicle seat and vehicle comprising such a seat
Publication Date: 2014.07.09 IVECO FRANCE SAS
  • EP2578448B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2578448B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2578448B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A passenger transport vehicle seat (2, 2') comprises a support element (4, 6) intended to receive, by bearing, at least one portion of a user's body, and a support structure (8) for the support element (4, 6), said support element (4, 6) comprising a fastening portion (16, 20) for fixing to the support structure (8). The support structure (8) comprises a longitudinal neck (38) for receiving said fixing portion (16, 20), a longitudinal beam (26), mobile in a transverse direction relative to the neck (38) between a locking position in which the fixing portion (16, 20) is locked in a vise between the neck (38) and the beam (26) and a disassembled position in which the fixing portion (16, 20) is mobile relative to the neck (38) and the beam (26), and means (28, 28') for translating the beam (26) relative to the neck (38) between the locking position and the disassembled position.