Cushion Pan Integration Bracket for Vehicle Seat Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle seating assemblies lack effective mechanisms to stabilize the cushion pan, leading to lateral movement and noise issues during vehicle travel, which affect occupant comfort.

Innovation Solution

A seat frame with a cross-member and a cushion pan assembly rotatably coupled to it, featuring integration brackets with cushion pan mounting and seat frame mounting portions, including hooks and flanges that minimize lateral movement and vibrations by pivotably coupling the cushion pan assembly between a design position and a fully upward position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cushion pan is rigidly fixed to the seat frame, then lateral movement and noise are reduced, but the ability to adjust position and accommodate vibrations is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseat stabilityVSAvoidposition adjustment capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The integration bracket employs a pivotable coupling mechanism that allows the cushion pan assembly to rotate dynamically between a design position and a fully upward position. This dynamic connection enables the system to adapt to different operational states while maintaining stability during normal use through the constrained rotational movement about a defined axis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the cushion pan assembly is allowed to move freely for adjustment, then position flexibility is improved, but lateral movement and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition adjustment capabilityVSAvoidlateral movement and noise

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The integration bracket features a specifically designed pivotable coupling with defined rotational freedom about a vertical axis, while maintaining constrained movement in lateral directions. This localized differentiation of movement characteristics allows free rotation for position adjustment while preventing harmful lateral movement and noise through the structured coupling geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate components are used to allow rotation, then position adjustment is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation capabilityVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The integration bracket combines multiple functions into a single unified component structure that integrates both the cushion pan mounting portion and the seat frame mounting portion with pivotable coupling. This merged design achieves the required rotational capability while minimizing the number of separate parts, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining position adjustment functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11135954B1Cushion pan integration bracket

Publication Date: 2021.10.05 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A seat for a vehicle seating assembly includes a seat frame including a cross-member extending across a front portion of the seat frame and a cushion pan assembly rotatably coupled to the seat frame and including a cushion pan and a pair of opposing integration brackets each having a cushion pan mounting portion coupled to the cushion pan and a seat frame mounting portion pivotably coupled to the seat frame. The cushion pan assembly is rotatable about an axis defined by a pivotable coupling between the integration bracket and the seat frame and between a design position and a fully upward position.