Automobile Seat Turntable Tablet for Accessible Work Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle seat designs with folding backrests that form a tablet surface are either too bulky or lack ergonomics, providing a small and inaccessible work surface for users seated next to the folded seat.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle seat with a folding backrest featuring a turntable mounted on its rear face, which pivots to create a lateral shelf surface, enhancing accessibility and usability for users seated adjacent to the folded seat, and optionally includes a storage compartment accessible via the turntable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the backrest is folded onto the seat to form a tablet, then a work surface is created, but the surface area is small and inaccessible to users seated next to the seat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tablet surface movable through a turntable mechanism that can rotate around a vertical axis. This allows the tablet to dynamically adjust its position and orientation, enabling users seated next to the folded seat to access the work surface easily while maintaining a compact folded configuration when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes another dimension by rotating the tablet around a vertical axis perpendicular to the seat backrest. This rotational movement in the horizontal plane allows the tablet to extend laterally toward adjacent users, effectively increasing accessibility without requiring additional vertical or depth space that would compromise the compact folded form.
2Ease of operation
If a fixed tablet support is placed between two seats, then a work surface is provided, but the device becomes very bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by integrating the tablet support function directly into the seat backrest structure. The seat backrest serves dual purposes: providing back support when upright and forming a tablet support when folded, eliminating the need for a separate fixed support structure between seats and significantly reducing device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nesting by placing the turntable mechanism within the folded backrest structure. The tablet surface is nested within the backrest when folded, and the turntable allows it to extend outward when needed, creating a compact nested configuration that minimizes volume while maintaining accessibility.
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 larger, ergonomically positioned work surface that is easily accessible to users seated next to the folded seat, facilitating the use of devices like laptops and improving overall usability in a vehicle.
Implementation Method 1
the element forming a tablet comprises a turntable, pivotally mounted on the rear face of the backrest, around a first axis, substantially perpendicular to the rear face, so as to be able to be brought into a position in which a portion of the turntable protrudes laterally from the rear face of the backrest
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The invention relates to an automobile seat that comprises a seating portion (2), a back (1) that can be folded onto the seating portion (2) and having a rear face at least partially covered by a member defining a tablet (6) and that can be brought into a substantially horizontal position. According to the invention, the member defining the tablet (6) includes a rotary tray (8) mounted on the rear face of the back so as to pivot about a first axis (X) substantially perpendicular to the rear face (6) so that it can be moved into a position in which a portion of the rotary tray (8) laterally protrudes from the rear face of said back (1).