Backrest Suspension Assembly for Spring-Assisted Seat Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear seat systems in vehicles face challenges in managing trunk space while maintaining passenger capacity, complexity, weight, and cost, with a need for simplified and cost-effective mechanisms to adjust backrests for enhanced storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
A suspension device for backrests featuring a spring element with movable end portions, a bearing element, and a counterbearing element, allowing for preassembly and easy integration into seat arrangements, providing dual suspension and spring-assisted movements with pretensioning capabilities to facilitate adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pivoting mechanisms, hinge mechanisms, locking mechanisms, sliding mechanisms and connecting mechanisms are used between the seat part and the backrest part, then the backrest can be folded in multiple orientations to improve storage compartment capacity, but the device complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (pivoting, locking, sliding) into a single integrated suspension device that uses a spring element with movable end portions. This single device replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate mechanisms, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the ability to achieve multiple backrest orientations for storage capacity improvement
2Device complexity
If a suspension device with spring element and movable end portions is used to assist backrest adjustment movement, then the device complexity is reduced and assembly is simplified, but the mechanism must provide both acceleration and damping functions simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element with movable end portions is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides acceleration during backrest adjustment through its elastic restoring force, and it provides damping to control the movement speed and prevent oscillations. This multi-functional design allows a single simplified mechanism to replace what would traditionally require separate acceleration and damping devices, thereby reducing part count while maintaining comprehensive movement control
3Ease of manufacture
If the spring element is preassembled with bearing element and counterbearing element, then assembly ease is improved and installation steps are reduced, but the pretensioning mechanism requires additional design considerations
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element is preassembled with the bearing element and counterbearing element in a pre-assembled unit before final installation. This preliminary assembly allows the pretensioning mechanism to be configured and tested beforehand, simplifying the final installation process. The pre-assembly ensures proper alignment and pretensioning setup, reducing installation steps and errors while the modular unit can be manufactured and quality-checked separately
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution offers a simple, cost-effective, and efficient mechanism for backrest adjustment, reducing parts complexity, enabling easy assembly, and providing both acceleration and damping functions during movement, enhancing trunk space utilization.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring element with a basic body and two end portions
Implementation Method 2
at least two pretensioning forces can be generated to assist an adjustment movement of the backrest
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension device for a backrest for assisting an adjustment movement may have at least one spring element with a basic body and two end portions protruding from the basic body. The device also having a bearing element with a guide opening, and a counterbearing element with a receptacle. A first end portion is arranged in the receptacle and is mounted movably in a first direction relative to the counterbearing element. A second end portion may be arranged in the guide opening and may be mounted movably in a second direction relative to the bearing element. A backrest and a seat arrangement having the suspension device are also provided.