Vehicle Seat Side Support Elements Stowed Deployed Configurations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seating technologies face challenges in balancing ergonomics, durability, simplicity in manufacturing, compatibility with existing vehicles, and cost-effectiveness, particularly in mass transit vehicles where seats are frequently used.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring moveable side support elements that can transition between stowed and deployed configurations, providing ergonomic support to users by allowing them to sit in a side-leaning position, while being easily integrated into existing vehicle layouts and manufactured cost-effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If side support elements are added to provide ergonomic support, then user comfort is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side support elements are designed to be moveable rather than fixed, allowing them to transition between stowed and deployed configurations. This dynamic design enables the seat to adapt to user needs for ergonomic support while maintaining a simpler overall structure when the support is not needed, thus improving user comfort without permanently increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The side support elements are segmented as separate movable components that can be independently deployed or stowed. This segmentation allows the ergonomic support function to be added without requiring a complete redesign of the seat structure, enabling incremental complexity addition only when the support function is active.
2Ease of operation
If moveable side support elements are incorporated, then ergonomic support is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moveable side support elements are designed with simple mechanical linkages that allow deployment and stowing motions. These dynamic components use straightforward hinge connections and guide structures that can be manufactured using conventional processes, avoiding the need for complex assemblies or specialized manufacturing techniques.
3Ease of operation
If side support elements extend outwardly from seat back, then side support capability is improved, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The side support elements dynamically extend outwardly from the seat back only when needed to provide side support capability. When not in use, they are stowed within or behind the seat back, reducing the space they occupy. This dynamic spatial configuration allows the seat to provide enhanced side support when required while minimizing space requirements during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The side support elements are designed to nest within or behind the seat back structure when in the stowed configuration. This nesting arrangement allows the support elements to be stored compactly within the existing seat back volume, avoiding additional space requirements while maintaining the ability to deploy outwardly when side support is needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat including: a seat back; a seat pan; and one or more side support elements is disclosed. Each side support element is moveable with respect to the seat back between: a stowed configuration, in which the side support element is stowed flush with, or is stowed within or behind the seat back; and a deployed configuration, in which the side support element extends outwardly from the seat back, generally in the same direction that the seat back faces, so as to offer support to the side of a vehicle user sitting in the vehicle seat. A row of two or more such vehicles seats is also disclosed, in which all of the seats of the row face in the same direction, and adjacent seats within the row are connected to each other.