Sliding Seat Bottom with Flexing Lumbar Support

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicular seating systems face challenges in providing comfortable posture adjustment without increasing space usage and adding costly complex structural elements, particularly in multi-passenger vehicles where passengers need to change positions during long trips.

Innovation Solution

A movable seating arrangement that allows the seat bottom cushion to slide forward or rearward, incorporating a lumbar support that adjusts with the seat position, using a seat frame with a sliding seat member and a flexible lumbar support to enable both upright and reclined postures within a smaller horizontal space, compatible with existing seat designs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If articulating mechanisms are incorporated into the seat structure to allow the seat back and bottom to move relative to each other, then passenger comfort is improved through posture adjustment, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposture adjustment capabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is divided into separate functional components: a fixed seat pan, a movable seat bottom cushion, and a独立的 back support. The sliding mechanism only moves the seat bottom cushion forward and backward, while the back support remains stationary. This segmentation allows posture adjustment without requiring complex articulation mechanisms between the back and bottom structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the movement function from the traditional articulating mechanism and applies it only to the seat bottom cushion. By taking out the articulation requirement and applying simple sliding motion instead, the complexity is reduced while maintaining the ability to adjust posture through changes in seat bottom position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If the seat is designed to fully recline to provide comfort benefits, then passenger comfort is improved, but the horizontal space occupied increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereclined position comfortVSAvoidhorizontal space

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving the back support backward to achieve recline (traditional approach), the invention moves the seat bottom cushion forward. This inverted approach achieves a reclined posture by extending the seat bottom forward while keeping the back support in its original position, thereby reducing the horizontal space required while maintaining comfort benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If articulating mechanisms are added to existing seats to enable movement, then posture adjustment capability is improved, but the cost of modification increases due to complex structural requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposture adjustment capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sliding seat bottom mechanism is designed as a universal component that can be applied to various existing seat designs. The simple sliding structure with rails or guides can be integrated into different seat configurations without requiring design-specific articulation mechanisms, making it cost-effective for both new and existing seats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces expensive, complex articulating mechanisms with a simpler, more economical sliding structure. The seat bottom cushion moves on simple rails or guides rather than requiring robust articulating joints, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while providing the desired movement functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Ease of operation

If lumbar support is added to articulating seats to vary with seat bottom position, then passenger comfort is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelumbar support adjustmentVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lumbar support is merged with the movable seat bottom cushion rather than being a separate articulated component. As the seat bottom slides forward and backward, the lumbar support moves with it, automatically adjusting to maintain proper alignment with the occupant's lower back. This integration eliminates the need for separate adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The lumbar support automatically adjusts its position as the seat bottom moves. The movement of the seat bottom cushion directly drives the lumbar support to the appropriate position without requiring additional control mechanisms or power sources. The system serves itself through the inherent motion of the sliding mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9180793B2Movable seating arrangement

Publication Date: 2015.11.10 FRANKLIN PRODUCTS INC

AI summary

A movable seating arrangement includes a seat pan, a back support rigidly connected with the seat pan, and a seat member slidably mounted to the seat pan. The seat member can be moved from a retracted position proximate the back support to an extended position displaced forward of the upright position, without movement of the back support. In certain embodiments, a lumbar support is mounted to the back support, and motion of the seat member to its extended position causes a mid portion of the lumbar support to flex forward from a flattened position.