Vehicle Seat Mobile-Device Holder with Rotating Plate Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile-device holders for vehicles are cumbersome to use, inadequately secure devices, and are aesthetically unpleasing, often causing devices to fall during vehicle movement when not in use.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat with a mobile-device holder featuring a rotatable cover, a housing with adjustable arms, and a rotating plate that secures devices of various sizes, allowing for secure retention and easy adjustment between stowed and deployed positions, using a combination of hinges, springs, and slots for secure attachment and easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional brackets are used to hold mobile devices, then devices can be held in place for viewing, but the brackets are cumbersome to manipulate and difficult to attach
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic arms that can move between extended and retracted positions through a rotating plate mechanism. The arms extend to grip the mobile device during attachment, then retract to secure it firmly, providing both ease of operation and reliable retention without requiring complex manual manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded arms automatically engage and secure the mobile device when placed in the holder. The biasing member provides automatic tension to maintain gripping force, eliminating the need for continuous manual adjustment or complex attachment procedures while ensuring reliable device retention.
2Ease of operation
If conventional brackets are used to secure mobile devices, then devices can be held for viewing, but the devices are often inadequately secured and can fall out during vehicle movement
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic arms that can extend and retract provide adaptive securing. When the mobile device is placed, the arms extend to grip it firmly, and the spring mechanism maintains constant gripping force to prevent the device from falling out during vehicle movement, while still allowing easy placement and removal when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member pre-loads the arms with spring force that creates preliminary gripping pressure on the mobile device. This pre-applied force counteracts the forces that would cause the device to fall out during vehicle movement, providing proactive security rather than reactive retention.
3Reliability
If conventional brackets are used to hold mobile devices, then devices can be retained, but the brackets are aesthetically unpleasing and become a nuisance when the mobile device is not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device holder is nested within the seatback recess, and the arms can be retracted into the housing when not in use. This nesting arrangement conceals the mechanical components, providing a clean aesthetic appearance while maintaining full device retention functionality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractable arms that can extend to grip devices and retract to a compact position provide aesthetic appeal when not in use. The dynamic configuration allows the holder to transition from a functional device-retaining state to a streamlined, visually pleasing state that does not obstruct the seatback appearance.
4Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable arms are added to accommodate devices of various sizes, then the holder becomes more versatile, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating plate mechanism with spring-loaded arms provides automatic adaptation to different device sizes. The arms extend and retract dynamically based on the device dimensions, and the spring force automatically adjusts to maintain proper gripping pressure, achieving versatility without requiring complex manual adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded arms self-adjust to accommodate devices of various sizes by automatically extending to grip the device and maintaining appropriate tension. This self-adjusting mechanism provides versatility for different device dimensions without requiring complex control systems or multiple configuration options.
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
The solution provides a secure, adjustable, and aesthetically pleasing mobile-device holder that effectively retains devices of different sizes, minimizing movement during vehicle use and allowing easy attachment and detachment, enhancing user experience.
Implementation Method 1
The cover may be connected to the seatback at a hinge and may be rotatable relative to the seatback between a stowed position in which the cover closes the recess and a deployed position in which the cover opens the recess.
Implementation Method 2
a biasing member rotationally biasing the plate relative to the housing in the first direction
Implementation Method 3
Each of the grooves may slidably receive a corresponding one of the protrusions such that rotation of the plate relative to the housing in a first direction causes corresponding linear movement of the arms toward each other
Implementation Method 4
the housing includes a first housing member, a second housing member, and a plurality of springs disposed within the cavity between the first and second housing members. The springs may bias the first housing member in the second linear direction.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat may include a seatback, a cover, a housing, arms and a plate. The cover is connected to the seatback at a hinge and is rotatable relative to the seatback between first and second positions to open and close a recess formed in a rearward-facing surface of the seatback. The housing is movably attached to the cover. The arms are movably connected to the housing. Each arm may include a body, a gripping flange extending from an end of the body, and a protrusion extending from the body. The plate is rotatably mounted to the housing and includes a plurality of grooves. Each groove slidably receives a corresponding one of the protrusions such that rotation of the plate in a first direction causes movement of the arms toward each other and rotation of the plate in a second direction causes movement of the arms away from each other.