Sliding Vehicle Table Assembly for Compact Storage and Fast Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recreational vehicles lack efficient and space-saving solutions for storable table assemblies that can be easily deployed and secured in use positions without compromising structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A table assembly for vehicles featuring a mount integrated into the vehicle's base structure, with a sliding mechanism allowing the table to transition between a storage position within the vehicle and a use position outside, supported by tethered or pivotable supports, and optionally including a table extension and a door for covering the opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a table assembly is stored within the vehicle interior, then space utilization is improved, but accessibility and deployment speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The table assembly transitions from a static stored position to a dynamic deployed position through a sliding mechanism. The table is designed to move along rails or tracks integrated into the mount structure, allowing rapid transformation between compact storage and functional use positions. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by enabling quick deployment without permanent fixed installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The table assembly is segmented into movable and fixed components. The table surface and supports are separable from the mount structure, allowing the table to be independently deployed along the sliding mechanism. This segmentation enables the table to occupy minimal space during storage while allowing full deployment when needed.
2Ease of operation
If a sliding mechanism is used for table deployment, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding mechanism incorporates intermediary elements such as rails, tracks, or guides that mediate between the table assembly and the mount structure. These intermediaries provide a predefined path for movement, simplifying the deployment operation to a single sliding action while distributing the mechanical complexity across standardized components rather than a complex linkage system.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding mechanism is designed to be self-guiding through integrated rails or tracks that automatically constrain the table's movement path. The geometry of the sliding components themselves provides the guiding function, eliminating the need for separate complex control mechanisms or multiple adjustment devices.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the table is made detachable for portability, then adaptability is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mount structure includes pre-integrated sliding rails or tracks that are permanently installed in the vehicle base structure. The table assembly is designed with corresponding sliding components that engage these pre-prepared guides. This preliminary preparation of the mounting infrastructure allows the table to be easily attached and detached while maintaining structural integrity during each deployment cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the table and mount transitions from static to dynamic. The sliding mechanism provides a controlled movable connection that maintains structural integrity during deployment through guided motion, while still allowing the table to be detached and repositioned. The dynamic connection preserves strength through proper mechanical engagement while enabling portability.
4Reliability
If supports are added to hold the table in use position, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is merged with the sliding mechanism itself. The rails or tracks that guide the table's movement also serve as the support structure that holds the table in the deployed position. This integration eliminates the need for separate support components, providing table stability through the inherent rigidity of the sliding guide structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding mechanism performs multiple functions: it guides the table's movement during deployment, supports the table in the deployed position, and provides the mounting interface between the table and vehicle structure. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliability through a unified support system.
Data Source
AI summary
Table assemblies for vehicles include a mount, a table, and a sliding mechanism coupled between the table and the mount, such that the table is movable between a storage position within an interior of the mount and a use position through an opening in an exterior of the vehicle.