Composite Vehicle Seat Shell With Split Reinforcement Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seats lack sufficient mechanical strength, particularly in areas subjected to stress during accidents, due to potential disorganization of resistant fibers during the molding process of composite parts.
Innovation Solution
The use of composite inserts formed in two L-shaped sections, with a core and flanges extending over the entire height, joined by a plastic shell, fusion, or metal flanges, to ensure optimal fiber orientation and mechanical stress distribution, and manufacturing through hot pressing and assembly in a hot mold to prevent fiber disorganization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If composite inserts are formed in a single piece by molding in a hot mold, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the resistant fibers become disorganized during shaping, reducing mechanical strength
Solution Approach 1:
The composite insert is divided into two separate L-shaped composite parts instead of being formed as a single piece. Each part is manufactured independently by hot pressing, allowing better control over fiber orientation in each section. The two parts are then joined together to form the complete U-shaped insert, preventing fiber disorganization while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different manufacturing approaches to different parts of the insert. The two L-shaped composite parts are specifically designed with their flanges oriented perpendicular to the pressing direction during hot pressing, ensuring optimal fiber alignment in the high-stress lateral flange areas. This local optimization of fiber orientation significantly improves mechanical strength in critical zones.
2Reliability
If the lateral flanges of composite inserts are optimized for mechanical strength, then safety during accidents is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is segmented into two L-shaped parts that can be manufactured using standard hot pressing equipment. The segmentation allows for optimized fiber orientation in the flanges without requiring complex single-piece molding tools. The joining of two simple parts is more manufacturable than attempting to mold a complex single-piece insert with optimized fiber distribution.
3Strength
If resistant fibers are oriented optimally in high-stress areas, then mechanical strength is enhanced, but fiber disorganization occurs during the molding process
Solution Approach 1:
The L-shaped composite parts are specifically designed so that their flanges extend perpendicular to the pressing direction during hot pressing. This geometric configuration ensures that resistant fibers in the lateral flanges maintain optimal orientation parallel to the flange length, which is the direction of maximum mechanical stress. The local geometric design protects fiber orientation integrity in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite parts are pre-formed with optimized fiber orientation through the hot pressing process before final assembly. By establishing the correct fiber alignment during the manufacturing of individual L-shaped parts, the invention prevents subsequent fiber disorganization that would occur if attempting to form the complete U-shaped insert in a single molding operation.
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
Enhances the mechanical strength of vehicle seats by maintaining the integrity of resistant fibers, particularly in high-stress areas, thereby improving safety during accidents.
Implementation Method 1
each composite part is manufactured by shaping a blank comprising a superposition of composite sheets, by pressing the blank in a hot mold
Implementation Method 2
the two composite parts are assembled by causing the material to flow composite parts through the recesses of the metal flange, by pressing in a hot mould
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2a
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising a seat portion and a backrest connected to the seat portion by a hinge mechanism (6). A seat element selected from among the backrest and the seat portion comprises a shell (8), which is made of a plastic material and the side edges of which are overmolded onto composite reinforcement inserts (12). Each of the inserts comprises a core (14) perpendicular to the medium plane of the seat element, and two side flanges (15) parallel to the medium plane of the seat element. The insert is formed by assembling two composite parts (12a, 12b) having an L-shaped cross-section and forming a portion of the core and one of the side flanges of the insert.