Seat Swivel Limiter With Position-Dependent Rotation Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable vehicle seats with swivel mechanisms lack a reliable method to limit swivel angles effectively, compromising safety by allowing passengers to swivel too far from vehicle controls while failing to accommodate individual preferences for viewing behind the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A seat assembly with a swivel mechanism and a seat swivel limiter that includes a swivel stop connected to the seat and a plate on the base structure, allowing adjustable swivel limits based on the seat's fore and aft position, ensuring controls remain accessible while allowing sufficient rotation for monitoring behind the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seat is allowed to swivel freely without limits, then the passenger can view the area behind the vehicle more effectively, but the passenger may swivel too far and lose access to vehicle controls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a swivel limiter that pre-establishes a maximum swivel angle before the passenger can swivel too far. The limiter includes a swivel stop and a plate that contact each other to prevent the seat from rotating beyond a predetermined angle, thereby proactively preventing loss of control access while still allowing sufficient viewing capability.
2Ease of operation
If a fixed swivel limit is imposed, then control accessibility is ensured, but the seat cannot accommodate different passenger preferences for viewing angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the swivel limit adjustable rather than fixed. The swivel limiter includes an adjustment mechanism that allows the maximum swivel angle to be changed according to different passenger preferences and operational requirements, enabling the system to adapt dynamically between ensuring control accessibility and accommodating viewing needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by allowing the swivel angle parameter to be modified. The adjustment mechanism enables changing the maximum swivel angle parameter to different values, thereby accommodating different passenger preferences while maintaining the ability to ensure control accessibility when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the swivel limiter is designed with complex adjustment mechanisms, then customizable swivel angles are achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the swivel limiter into distinct functional components: a swivel stop, a plate, and an adjustment mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the overall system easier to understand, maintain, and adjust while achieving customizable swivel angles.
Data Source
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AI summary
A seat assembly having a seat structure supported on a base structure and having a swivel mechanism for permitting pivoting of the seat structure, includes a seat swivel limiter that limits the swivel angle of the seat depending on the fore-aft position of the seat structure. The limiter includes a swivel stop connected to the seat structure to pivot with the seat structure and a plate connected to the base structure and arranged to be contacted by the swivel stop after the seat structure pivots through a predetermined swivel limit angle to thereby prevent further swiveling of the seat structure. In a further aspect, the swivel stop and the plate are configured to provide different swivel limit angles depending on the fore-aft location of the seat.