Vehicle Table Top with Sensor-Driven Multi-Axis Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle tray tables offer limited adjustability and do not align with the desired user position, as they are typically only movable between a stored and in-use position and are affected by seat adjustments rather than user input.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle table system incorporating a table top, movement stage, movement actuator, sensors, and a controller that allows the table top to move in various degrees of freedom based on user input, independent of seat position changes, using sensors to measure force and intent for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the table is coupled to the seat back and manually movable between stored and in-use positions, then the table can be provided in the vehicle with simple structure, but the adjustability is very limited and the table position does not align with desired user position
Solution Approach 1:
The table is transformed from a static, manually movable structure to a dynamic, motorized system. Multiple actuators enable the table to move in multiple degrees of freedom (vertical, horizontal, rotational), allowing it to adapt to various user positions and orientations automatically based on sensor input, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors are integrated into the table system to detect user inputs (touch, pressure, position) and provide feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables the table to automatically adjust its position and orientation to align with the desired user position, enhancing adaptability while maintaining automated control that simplifies the user interaction despite increased mechanical complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the table is manually movable between stored and in-use positions, then the structure is simple, but the table moves when the occupant changes seat position, not according to desired user position
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors detect user inputs such as touch, pressure, or gestures and provide real-time feedback to the control system. This enables the table to respond automatically to user intent, adjusting its position and orientation to match the desired location, thereby improving ease of operation and adaptability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The table system performs self-adjustment based on sensor detection without requiring manual intervention. The actuators automatically position the table according to user input, making the system self-serving and highly responsive to user intent, thus resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the table top is fixed in position, then the structure is simple and stable, but the table cannot be adjusted to different positions or orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The table structure is transformed from fixed to dynamically adjustable through multiple actuators that enable movement in vertical, horizontal, and rotational degrees of freedom. This dynamic capability allows the table to adapt to different positions and orientations while the control system manages the complexity of the movement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The table structure is divided into multiple movable segments or components, each controlled by separate actuators. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of different parts of the table, enabling complex positioning and orientation changes while managing the overall system complexity through modular control.
Data Source
AI summary
A support surface includes a table top, a movement stage, a movement actuator, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The movement stage is coupled to the table top and configured to couple to a structure. The movement stage is further configured to permit the table top to move in a degree of freedom. The movement actuator is operable to move the table top in the degree of freedom. The first sensor is for receiving a first user input. The second sensor is for receiving a second user input. The controller operates the movement actuator to move the table top according to the first user input received by the first sensor when the second user input is simultaneously received by the second sensor.