Collapsible Automotive Seat Frame for Flat-Fold Cargo Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats lack the ability to efficiently adjust to maximize cargo space while ensuring easy passenger ingress and egress, often requiring manual effort and being hindered by the weight and bulk of the seat structure.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible seat frame system with adjustable components, including tilt beams and motors, allows for automated reconfiguration between seating and flat folding positions, utilizing a kinematic lattice to minimize seat height and enable parallel alignment with the cargo floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual seat adjustment is used, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to weight and bulk of seat structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an automated tilt motor system. The motorized tilt mechanism automatically reconfigures the seat between seating and flat folding positions, eliminating the need for manual effort to move the heavy seat structure while managing the complexity through integrated motor control.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat frame employs a dynamic collapsible structure with tilt beams that can automatically change position. The kinematic lattice design allows the seat to transition between different configurations (seating position and flat folding position) through motorized actuation, enabling adaptive reconfiguration without manual intervention.
2Strength
If seat structure is made robust to support weight, then strength is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to increased weight
Solution Approach 1:
The robust seat frame structure is equipped with a tilt motor that provides the necessary force to move the heavy structure. The motorized system handles the weight management, allowing the frame to be structurally strong without compromising operability, as the motor compensates for the weight through automated actuation.
3Volume of stationary object
If seat is designed for cargo space expansion, then volume is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual folding effort
Solution Approach 1:
The seat incorporates a motorized tilt mechanism that automatically folds the seat back into a flat position to maximize cargo space. This eliminates the manual effort previously required to fold the seat, allowing the cargo area to be fully utilized while maintaining ease of operation through automated control.
4Ease of operation
If automated tilt mechanism is added, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated tilt mechanism is divided into modular components including the tilt motor, tilt beam, and positioning system. This segmentation allows the complex function to be achieved through coordinated simple parts, managing overall system complexity while providing automated operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A configurable seat system with a collapsible seat cushion frame is described. The seat system can incorporate a kinematic structure at the seat cushion frame, such that the kinematic structure can be adjusted to cause the seat cushion to have a variable thickness/height. The adjustable seat enables convenient egress/ingress of a region of a passenger compartment and also convenient extension of a cargo bay area. One or more motors can be utilized to adjust respective position of respective components included in the seat system. Operation of the motors can be enabled in response to selection of a button, e.g., flat fold configuration, entry/exit configuration, and such. Hence, an occupant of the vehicle only has to press a button to adjust the seat position with the one or more motors in conjunction with respective linkages/seat structure regardless of the mass of the seat system.