Stowable table assembly for a vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of vehicle furniture in electric and autonomous vehicles requires more flexible and space-efficient solutions, as traditional seating arrangements and furniture placement are no longer restrictive, necessitating a stowable table assembly that can conveniently store and reconfigure based on passenger needs.
Innovation Solution
A stowable table assembly featuring an elongate carrier that rotates and translates between stowed and upright positions, with a table top that slides and rotates to align or extend from the carrier, utilizing guides and followers for movement, and includes folding table flaps and a movable trap door to minimize cabin space intrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the table assembly is made stowable to save space, then the cabin space utilization is improved, but the complexity of the device increases due to multiple moving parts and mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The table top is nested within the carrier structure, allowing it to be stored inside the carrier when not in use. The carrier itself is stored within the cavity beneath the floor. This nesting arrangement maximizes space utilization while keeping the mechanism relatively simple by eliminating the need for separate storage structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The table assembly incorporates dynamic elements including the carrier that rotates and translates between stowed and upright positions, and the table top that rotates relative to the carrier. These dynamic mechanisms enable the table to transform between compact storage and functional deployment states, balancing space efficiency with operational complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the carrier rotates and translates to deploy the table, then the ease of operation is improved, but the stability of the structure may worsen during the transition
Solution Approach 1:
The deployment mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the carrier handling rotation and translation, the table top handling rotation relative to the carrier, and guide structures managing the motion paths. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural stability during transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide structures act as intermediaries between the moving carrier/table top and the fixed cavity walls. These guides constrain and control the motion paths, ensuring stable and predictable transitions while enabling easy operation. The guides mediate the interaction between moving and stationary elements during deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
A stowable table assembly, for a vehicle, includes a cavity providable beneath a floor of the vehicle, an elongate carrier coupled to the cavity, and a table top coupled to the carrier. A first end of the table top is configured to translate and rotate relative to the carrier between an aligned position, in which the table top is aligned with the carrier, and an extended position, in which the table top is at an angle relative to the carrier. The stowable table assembly is in a deployed configuration when the carrier is in the upright position and the table top is in the extended position. The stowable table assembly is in a stowed configuration when the table top is in the aligned position and the carrier is in the stowed position.