Easy Entry Seat Track Adjuster Lever Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat adjusters do not effectively facilitate easy entry and egress while maintaining comfort seating positions, as they often restrict movement from comfort ranges to easy entry ranges without a seamless transition.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat adjuster system comprising an end stop bracket, easy entry lever, comfort lever activator, cross member bracket, and cross member cable, allowing the easy entry lever to rotate between positions that either impede or enable movement from the comfort range to the easy entry range, utilizing a locking mechanism and track system to facilitate smooth transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the easy entry lever is positioned to allow movement from comfort range to easy entry range, then ingress and egress are facilitated, but the seat may move beyond the comfort range without proper control
Solution Approach 1:
The end stop bracket acts as an intermediary component between the easy entry lever and the seat track system. It provides a physical stop that prevents the seat from moving beyond the easy entry range while allowing full movement from comfort range to easy entry range when the lever is in the appropriate position, thus facilitating ingress/egress while maintaining position control.
Solution Approach 2:
The easy entry lever is designed to be rotatable between multiple positions (first position impeding movement, second position allowing movement). This dynamic positioning allows the system to adapt between different operational modes: normal comfort range adjustment and easy entry/egress mode, resolving the contradiction between movement freedom and position control.
2Reliability
If the easy entry lever prevents movement from comfort range to easy entry range, then seat position is controlled, but ingress and egress are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable easy entry lever provides dynamic control over seat movement. When rotated to the first position, it engages with the end stop bracket to prevent movement beyond comfort range, ensuring position control. When rotated to the second position, it disengages to allow movement into easy entry range, facilitating ingress and egress. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction.
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to control seat movement, then seat position stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the rotatable easy entry lever. When the lever is rotated, it automatically engages or disengages with the end stop bracket and lockset without requiring separate actuators or complex control systems. The cross member cable provides mechanical advantage to enable easy rotation, making the system self-service and minimizing added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components: the easy entry lever serves both as a position indicator and a locking mechanism actuator; the end stop bracket provides both movement limitation and locking engagement; the cross member cable integrates force transmission and lever rotation. This merging reduces overall system complexity while maintaining position stability.
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
Enables seamless movement between comfort and easy entry ranges, enhancing ingress and egress by allowing the seat to adjust longitudinally without restricting the comfort range, thus improving user accessibility and usability.
Implementation Method 1
a cross member cable that may connect the comfort lever activator to the cross member such that rotation of the cross member may cause the comfort lever activator to rotate and to connect with and/or engage the lockset
Implementation Method 2
the easy entry lever may be configured to rotate between a first position in which the easy entry lever may connect with and/or engage the end stop bracket and may prevent movement of a seat from a comfort range into an easy entry range
Data Source
AI summary
A seat adjuster may include an end stop bracket and an easy entry lever. An easy entry lever may be configured to rotate between a first position in which the easy entry lever engages the end stop bracket and prevents movement of a seat from a comfort range into an easy entry range, and a second position in which the easy entry lever does not prevent movement of the seat from the comfort range into the easy entry range. A cross member may be connected via one or more cables to one or more comfort lever activators.