X-Pert Engineering

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X-Pert Engineering
Presents
Seat Assister 3000
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Project
Problem

• Elderly or disabled persons having difficulty
  entering and/or exiting vehicles.

Goal

• Improve ability to enter and exit vehicle using
  a low cost device.

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History

• Original seat was a adaptation from the horse
  drawn carriage (springs, no padding).
• As time progressed safety and comfort became
  increasingly important.
• The seat became contoured to the body to keep a
  person safe on rough country roads.
• By 1929 the seat had a track and runner design
  which hasnt been greatly changed today.
• Each new car has slight changes however the
  slider design remains quite the same.

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Schedule
5
Competition
Rotating Car Seat by Mobility Conversions Ltd.

• Designed for the elderly and disabled
• Car seat can swing back, pivot and slide out
• Installation requires an entire new seat.
• Costs approximately 2000.

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Competition
Braun Mobility Seat

• Involves the use of two levers
• one to activate sliding mechanism on seat
• one to activate rotational mechanism on seat
• Has met all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
  Standards
• Whole seat has to be replaced in car
• Waiting on company confirmation for installation
  costs

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Competition
ELAP Rotating Car Seat

• Original manufacture of the rotating car seat
• Slider built right into seat, therefore seat has
  to be replaced in car
• Operation similar to previous two models
• Waiting on company confirmation for installation
  costs

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Competition
WHY IS X-PERT BETTER?

• More Economical
• One lever system for easy and smooth horizontal
  transition
• Can be adapted to current car seats
• K.I.S.S. Theory
• Keep It Simple Silly!
• Want to make seat transition smooth and simple

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Market Research

• 12-14 of the population are disabled, 5-10 have
  walking or mobility difficulties.
• By the year 2025, 23 of the Canadian population
  will be of age 65 or older.
• 7.8 of all drivers in Canada are 65yrs or older,
  and of this age group, falls are the leading
  cause of injury and the main cause of accidental
  death.
• There is a large market for a product which would
  lower the risk of unnecessary falls in elder or
  disabled persons.

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Survey

• A survey is being performed in our area to
  determine the market pull for our design idea.
• The results have not yet been concluded, but will
  be reported in further presentations
• The respondents were asked if they have
  difficulty exiting their cars, and if they would
  purchase a device which would aid them

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Safety

• Any adjustments made to a motor vehicle must
  comply to safety regulations outlined by
  Transport Canada in the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
• Our initial design idea will not alter the
  restraining system of the seat.
• Thus, compliance to seat restraint regulations
  will be unaffected.

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• With the addition of our device, our
  calculations must take into account the
  regulations regarding Anchorage of Seats.
• The position, when motion of the vehicle is
  intended, it is in must be able to withstand a
  force 20 times the weight of the seat applied
  separately forward and rearward (and sideways in
  our case) in the longitudinal direction through
  the centre of gravity of the seat. It must also
  be able to withstand application of a force that
  produces a moment of 3,300 pound-inches about the
  seating reference point for the designated
  seating position.
• Moveable devices must be self-locking, and have
  a readily accessible control to release the lock.
• The device shall not change positions when the
  outlined force is applied.

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Initial Design Ideas

• Slide, rotate, and electronically lift a person
  out of the seat.
• Too expensive, lack of knowledge of electronic
  components required.

• Slide, and lift through spring loading.
• Spring may cause injury how to reload spring?

1 2 3

• Adding a handle to existing car seat.
• Simple, but not sufficient by itself.

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Possible Design Idea

• Fit under existing bottom of car seat, above
  existing main frame.
• Easy manual horizontal glide out of car.
• Locks into place at both extremes.
• Driving position, and exiting/entering position.

• Easily accessible and operated unlocking device.

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Design Action Plan

• Allowable space (from size of seat we obtain)
• Materials available to use?
• Calculations regarding compliance with
  regulations
• Bending moment and shear stress of materials used.

• PROBLEMS??
• How to attach/insert to seat?
• Clearance height?
• Vehicle models it can be used for, and possible
  modifications for others.
• UNKOWN PROBLEMS.