Utility vehicle with lockable slide part
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial vehicle seats with transversely swingable cross carriage parts experience unwanted play due to the technical necessity of sliding rail elements and guiding rail elements, leading to a sense of wobbling, and existing locking solutions are large, complex, and require significant maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A locking mechanism with two spaced-apart locking units featuring swiveling locking elements actuated by a displacementable actuating element with curved portions, allowing for synchronous deflection and engagement/disengagement with bolts for a double locking effect, reducing play and complexity while integrating into the seat substructure in a compact form.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sliding rail elements and guiding rail elements are used for the cross carriage part, then the cross carriage part can move transversely, but play and wobbling occur due to technical necessity of the sliding mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into two separate locking units (61, 62) spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal extension of the commercial vehicle. Each locking unit has its own locking element (65, 66) that can swivel independently about a vertical swivel axis. This segmentation allows the system to eliminate play by providing multiple discrete locking points rather than relying on a continuous sliding mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a sliding mechanism that inherently creates play, the invention inverts the approach by using a locking mechanism that actively eliminates play. The locking elements swivel to engage with bolts, creating a rigid fixed position rather than a sliding connection. This inversion transforms the problem from accepting play as necessary to actively eliminating it through a different mechanical principle.
2Reliability
If traditional locking means with lever arms and wire linkages are used, then the cross carriage part can be fixed, but the structure becomes large and complex with many articulated joints
Solution Approach 1:
The two locking units are actuated by a single actuating element (69) that is displaceable in the width direction of the vehicle seat. This actuating element synchronously deflects both locking elements through curved portions (80, 81) that convert linear displacement into synchronous swiveling motion. By merging the actuation of two locking units into one element, the design eliminates the need for separate lever arms, wire linkages, and multiple articulated joints while maintaining reliable locking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating element serves as an intermediary that translates a single linear displacement motion into synchronous swiveling motion of two locking elements. The curved portions of the actuating element act as mechanical mediators that guide the locking elements through their swiveling arc without requiring complex linkages or articulated joints between the locking units and the actuator.
3Ease of operation
If multiple articulated joints are used in the locking means, then the locking action can be transmitted, but play occurs in the entire locking means and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the unnecessary articulated joints and intermediate linkages from traditional locking mechanisms. By using locking elements that swivel directly about vertical axes and engage directly with bolts, the design removes the intermediary articulated components that generate play. The locking action is transmitted through direct swiveling motion rather than through multiple articulated joints.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting locking action through multiple articulated joints that inherently create play, the invention inverts the approach by using direct swiveling motion of locking elements about fixed vertical axes. This eliminates the transmission chain of articulated joints and creates a more reliable connection with minimal play, while still achieving effective locking action transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A commercial vehicle seat with a seat part, a backrest part and a seat substructure to be arranged on a body part of a commercial vehicle is provided. The seat substructure comprises a lateral swinging means with a cross carriage part, which can be swung transversely to the longitudinal extension of the commercial vehicle and by which at least the seat part is mounted, and comprises a locking means for fixing the cross carriage part on the base support part, wherein the locking means has two locking units which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal extension of the commercial vehicle and which have a respective locking element which is mounted such that it can swivel about a vertical swivel axis and can be deflected synchronously by an actuating element which is arranged at least in part therebetween.