Blind Coupling Mechanism for Vehicle Seat Ventilation Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ventilated automobile vehicle seats face challenges in manufacturing and assembly due to the need for an air distribution system that is difficult to integrate, particularly because the inlet/outlet of the blower or other mechanism is often fixedly coupled to the seat frame, making it hard to access and couple with the air distribution system embedded in the seat cushion.
Innovation Solution
A blind coupling mechanism with a coupling frame and hook members is used to couple the air distribution system's inlet/outlet on the seat cushion to the blower unit's inlet/outlet, allowing for fore and aft and lateral positioning through a rotating assembly process, ensuring easy integration and alignment during seat assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the blower inlet/outlet is fixedly coupled to the seat frame, then the blower positioning is stable, but the accessibility for coupling with the air distribution system is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism is divided into separate components: the blind coupling attached to the air distribution system and the corresponding receptacle on the seat frame. This segmentation allows the air distribution system to be assembled independently and then coupled to the blower, improving accessibility while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The blind coupling acts as an intermediary component between the air distribution system and the blower inlet/outlet. It provides a standardized interface that simplifies the coupling process and maintains alignment during assembly, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the air distribution system is embedded in the seat cushion, then the ventilation functionality is integrated, but the assembly alignment with the blower is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The blind coupling is pre-attached to the air distribution system before cushion assembly. This preliminary action ensures that the coupling position is fixed relative to the air distribution system, making subsequent alignment with the blower easier and more precise during final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook members are designed with specific geometric parameters (length, curvature, engagement points) that enable automatic alignment and positioning during the cushion rotation and compression process. These parameter changes facilitate precise assembly alignment while maintaining integration ease.
3Ease of operation
If the seat cushion is compressed during assembly, then the hook members can engage the lips for positioning, but the assembly process requires multiple rotation steps
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple positioning functions are merged into a single compression action. The hook members simultaneously engage both the front and rear lips during cushion compression, achieving fore-aft positioning, lateral positioning, and final securing in one motion rather than separate steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism utilizes the dynamic compression and rotation of the cushion to automatically position and engage the hook members. The system transforms the cushion's dynamic assembly motion into automatic positioning action, reducing manual intervention and assembly time.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A manifold 32 is coupled to a foam core 22 with a primary manifold opening with a blind coupling fixedly positioned adjacent the B-side of the foam core. Front and rear hook members 48, 50 extend from a coupling frame 46 of the blind coupling 44. Front and rear lips are positioned on opposite sides of a blower opening with a domed framework. The front hook members are positioned relative to the coupling frame to hook the front lip to provide fore and aft positioning of the blind coupling relative to the blower opening. The front hook members are designed to slide laterally along the front lip and to cause the coupling frame to engage the domed framework to provide lateral positioning of the blind coupling relative to the blower opening.