Armrest Restrictor Design for Reliable Seat Back Systems
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Summary
Problems
Existing seat systems with movable armrests and seatbacks face challenges in maintaining the armrest's position relative to the seatback during transitions between upright and folded positions, often requiring increased passenger effort or complex mechanisms like interference fits or mechanical latches.
Innovation solutions
A seat assembly with a pivotable armrest and an armrest restrictor that includes a restrictor body with a block and biasing element, allowing the armrest to remain in position with the seatback during movement by engaging a stop path, and automatically releasing to enable armrest movement when the seatback is upright.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If an interference fit is provided between the armrest and seat back, then the armrest is retained in position relative to the seat back, but the amount of force the passenger must apply to move the armrest increases
Why choose this principle:
The armrest restrictor dynamically changes its retention characteristics based on seat back position. When the seat back is in the upright position, the restrictor allows free armrest movement. When the seat back is folded, the restrictor engages to prevent armrest movement, thus adapting the retention mechanism to different operational states without increasing passenger effort during normal use.
Principle concept:
If an interference fit is provided between the armrest and seat back, then the armrest is retained in position relative to the seat back, but the amount of force the passenger must apply to move the armrest increases
Why choose this principle:
The restrictor body rotates between a first position (when seat back is upright) and a second position (when seat back is folded), changing the geometric parameters of the block relative to the stop path. This parameter change enables the system to provide retention only when needed, without continuously increasing the force required for armrest movement.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A seat assembly with a pivotable armrest and an armrest restrictor that includes a restrictor body with a block and biasing element, allowing the armrest to remain in position with the seatback during movement by engaging a stop path, and automatically releasing to enable armrest movement when the seatback is upright.
Abstract
A seat assembly includes a seat back that is mounted on a base for relative movement between a first seat position and a second seat position. An armrest is mounted on the seat back for relative movement between a stowed position and a use position. An armrest restrictor prevents movement of the armrest relative to the seat back when the seat back is moved from the first seat position toward the second seat position and allows movement of the armrest relative to the seat back when the seat back is in the first seat position.