Staggered Vehicle Seating for Narrow Profile and Blast Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seating configurations in vehicles, particularly in military vehicles, result in a wide profile that limits mobility, increases the risk of injury during blasts or rollovers, and complicates ingress and egress, as passengers' legs are interlocked, making it difficult to navigate narrow spaces and store gear effectively.
Innovation Solution
A staggered seating arrangement with reclined or adjustable seats that are positioned to minimize leg interlock, allowing for a narrower vehicle profile, increased blast performance, and improved ease of access, combined with energy-absorbing materials and securement mechanisms for gear storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional across-from-each-other seating is used, then passenger seating is achieved, but vehicle profile width increases and leg interlocking occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by implementing a staggered seating arrangement where seats in opposite rows are offset from each other rather than directly across. This asymmetric positioning eliminates leg interlocking while maintaining comfortable passenger seating, thereby reducing the vehicle profile width without compromising ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional across-from-each-other seating layout to a three-dimensional staggered arrangement. By utilizing the vertical and depth dimensions more effectively, seats are positioned at different longitudinal locations in opposite rows, eliminating the need for wide lateral spacing and reducing overall vehicle width
2Speed
If conventional seating arrangement is used, then passenger seating is provided, but mobility through narrow pathways is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric staggered seating configuration reduces the lateral space required for passenger seating, thereby decreasing overall vehicle width. This enables the vehicle to navigate narrow pathways and urban environments more effectively, improving mobility speed without sacrificing seating capacity
3Reliability
If conventional seating arrangement is used, then passengers are seated, but blast performance and injury risk are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The staggered asymmetric seating arrangement positions passengers at offset longitudinal locations in opposite rows, creating spatial separation that reduces the risk of mutual injury during blasts or rollovers. This configuration enhances passenger safety by minimizing the concentration of occupants in any single lateral zone
Solution Approach 2:
By utilizing three-dimensional staggered positioning rather than two-dimensional across-from-each-other arrangement, the patent creates additional spatial buffering between passengers. This dimensional approach reduces exposure to blast forces and improves overall survivability in combat environments
4Quantity of substance
If conventional seating arrangement is used, then passenger seating is achieved, but gear storage space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The staggered seating arrangement frees up lateral space and creates additional volume in the vehicle interior by eliminating the need for wide aisles required for across-from-each-other seating. This additional space is utilized for enhanced gear storage capacity while maintaining ease of access through the staggered configuration
Data Source
AI summary
An improved seating system is provided for vehicles, including military vehicles. Center-facing seats are staggered to provide for a narrow vehicle profile, improved ingress and egress, and increased blast survivability. Seats may be reclined or reclinable, and seats may have seat pans upwardly movable away from a center aisle between rows of seats to increase an effective width of the aisle for improved ingress and egress.