Seat Backrest Shell Alignment for Automated Headrest Rod Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle seat backrest manufacturing processes face challenges in achieving precise and efficient assembly, particularly with automated systems, due to the difficulty in positioning and fixing the rear central shell without padding, which is aesthetically and structurally complex.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle seat backrest design incorporates a rear central shell with holes for headrest attachment rods, allowing for precise positioning and snap fitting, along with modular upholstery components that include side and central modules with snap fitting reliefs, facilitating automated assembly and aesthetic integration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional manufacturing processes are used for assembling the rear central shell, then manual positioning and fixing are required, but this reduces productivity and increases assembly time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly efficiencyVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The rear central shell is pre-equipped with holes at defined positions before assembly. These holes serve as preliminary positioning features that guide the shell onto the headrest attachment rods during automated assembly, eliminating the need for manual positioning and fixing operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The holes in the rear central shell act as intermediary elements that mediate between the shell and the headrest attachment rods. They enable precise alignment and connection during automated assembly by receiving the rods, thereby facilitating high-speed automated manufacturing without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If automated assembly systems are implemented, then productivity increases, but precise positioning of the rear central shell becomes difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated assembly capabilityVSAvoidpositioning precision of rear central shell

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The holes are pre-formed at exact positions on the rear central shell before assembly. This preliminary action ensures that during automated assembly, the shell automatically aligns with the headrest attachment rods through these pre-positioned holes, achieving both high productivity and high positioning precision simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning operations with an automated system guided by the pre-positioned holes. The holes serve as mechanical guides that ensure precise positioning without requiring manual adjustment, thereby enabling automated assembly while maintaining high precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Shape

If the rear central shell is made aesthetically complex without padding, then appearance quality improves, but assembly difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaesthetic qualityVSAvoidassembly ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The holes for headrest attachment are pre-integrated into the aesthetically complex rear central shell design. This preliminary integration ensures that despite the complex aesthetic shape, the assembly process remains simple and automated, as the holes provide automatic alignment without requiring additional positioning operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11975636B2Vehicle seat backrest

Publication Date: 2024.05.07 FAURECIA SIEGES D AUTOMOBILE SA

AI summary

A backrest of a vehicle seat comprises a backrest frame, at least one headrest attachment rod, and a backrest upholstery. The backrest upholstery comprises at least one rear central shell, fixed to a rear face of the backrest frame. The rear central shell comprises at least one hole traversed by the at least one headrest attachment rod.