Electro-Mechanical Seat Swivel Locking for Continuous Operator Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swivel seat systems for machines require operators to temporarily disengage from controls to locate and actuate mechanical release levers, leading to reduced productivity and diminished awareness of the surroundings due to the need to look away from the work area.
Innovation Solution
An electro-mechanical swivel seat assembly with a remote switch and actuator allows the operator to swivel the seat between locked positions without leaving the controls, using a latching mechanism that can be actuated via switches integrated with the operator controls, enabling rotation without diverting attention from the machine's operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical release lever is used for the swivel seat linkage, then the seat can be locked and released, but the operator must take hands off controls and look away from the work area to locate and actuate the release lever
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical release lever with an electro-mechanical actuator controlled by a remote switch. The actuator includes a motor, gear train, and latching mechanism that can be activated by the operator through a conveniently located switch, eliminating the need to manually reach for and manipulate a mechanical lever below the seating surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a remote switch as an intermediary device between the operator and the seat locking mechanism. This switch is positioned within easy reach of the operator at the control station, allowing the operator to actuate the electro-mechanical actuator without leaving the controls or diverting attention from the work area.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical release lever is used for the swivel seat linkage, then the seat can be repositioned, but the operator loses productivity and temporarily relinquishes control over the machine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical release lever operation with an electro-mechanical actuator that can be controlled remotely. This substitution allows the operator to reposition the seat quickly and conveniently without the time-consuming process of reaching down, locating, and manually manipulating a mechanical lever, thereby maintaining continuous control and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electro-mechanical actuator is pre-positioned and ready for activation at any time through the remote switch. The system maintains the seat in a locked position until the operator needs to reposition it, at which point the actuator can be immediately activated to unlock and allow rotation, enabling rapid response without interrupting the operator's workflow.
3Ease of manufacture
If the release lever is positioned below the level of the seating surface, then the mechanical linkage can be accessed, but the operator must reach down and temporarily divert attention from the controls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manually-operated mechanical release lever with an electro-mechanical actuator system. The actuator is controlled by a remote switch positioned within easy reach of the operator at the control station, eliminating the need for the operator to reach down below the seating surface and divert attention from the controls while maintaining the mechanical linkage's locking function.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote switch serves as an intermediary that transfers the control function from the mechanically-accessible but inconveniently-located release lever to a conveniently-located control element at the operator's station. This intermediary allows the operator to actuate the seat locking mechanism without leaving the controls or diverting attention from the work area.
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
Enhances operator productivity by allowing seamless repositioning of the seat without losing control or awareness of the surroundings, improving operational efficiency in machines requiring multiple operator orientations.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator mounted on the bottom plate... actuation of the remote switch when the latching member engages one of the first locking slot and the second locking slot cause the actuator to operate
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-mechanical seat swivel system may include a bottom plate mounted on a frame of a machine or vehicle, and top plate pivotally mounted on the bottom plate, and an operator seat mounted on the top plate. A pawl may be movably mounted on the bottom plate and engage latch catch brackets mounted to the top plate to lock the seat in predetermined operator seat positions. An electro-mechanical actuator may be mounted to the seat and operatively coupled to the pawl. Latch control switches disposed at operator controls may be operated to cause the electro-mechanical actuator to disengage from one of the latch catch bracket to allow the seat to be rotated to another of the predetermined operator seat positions where the pawl will engage the corresponding latch catch bracket to again lock the operator seat in place.