Hinge Mounting with Elastic Gear Springs for Zero Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinge mountings for motor vehicle seat adjustments face challenges in maintaining zero clearance between gear wheels, leading to perceivable play, especially in reclining angle adjustments where long lever arms require sufficient clearance to prevent play at the seat back's upper edge.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating radially elastically deformable ring-shaped springs that form part of the toothed surfaces of planet wheels or sun wheels, which exert a permanent force to achieve zero clearance fit by adapting shape during adjustments and providing backlash compensation, ensuring intermeshing engagement without external assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If precise meshing of planet wheels with external gear wheels is maintained, then zero clearance is achieved, but perceivable play occurs at the upper edge of the seat back due to long lever arm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a radially elastically deformable ring-shaped spring as part of the planet wheel or sun wheel that permanently exerts a force onto the toothed surfaces. This elastic deformation parameter allows the gear wheel to adapt its shape during operation, maintaining zero clearance at the meshing point while compensating for the long lever arm effect that causes play at the seat back upper edge.
2Reliability
If clearance is increased to prevent play at seat back upper edge, then perceivable play is reduced, but zero clearance fit between external gear wheels is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The ring-shaped spring creates a localized elastic deformation at the meshing point of the gear wheels, applying force precisely where the tooth pairs engage. This local quality change ensures zero clearance fit is maintained at the critical meshing interface, while the overall gear wheel structure can accommodate the long lever arm without creating play at the seat back upper edge.
3Ease of manufacture
If rigid toothed surfaces are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but zero clearance fit cannot be maintained during adjustment movements
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using rigid toothed surfaces, the patent incorporates a radially elastically deformable ring-shaped spring that forms part of the toothed surface. This allows the gear wheel to dynamically change its radial parameter during adjustment movements, permanently exerting force to maintain zero clearance fit while adapting to different positions, thus solving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and precision maintenance.
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
The solution ensures a backlash-free rotary drive by maintaining zero clearance between tooth pairs, adapting to different positions and circumstances, and preventing unwanted radial bulging through design and support features, thus enhancing the precision and reliability of seat adjustment mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the planet wheels has a ring-shaped spring or is formed from a ring-shaped spring, that the ring-shaped spring forms at least partially the toothed surface of the planet wheel, is configured to be radially elastically deformable and designed in such a manner that the ring-shaped spring permanently exerts a force both onto the sun wheel and onto the first inner toothed surface and onto the second inner toothed surface
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge mounting for an adjustment device of a motor vehicle seat having a first external gear wheel comprising a first inner toothed surface and a second external gear wheel comprising a second inner toothed surface. At least two planet wheels mesh with both the first and second inner toothed surfaces. A driving toothed sun wheel meshes with the at least two planet wheels. At least one of the planet wheels has a ring-shaped spring forming the toothed surface of the plane wheel that is radially elastically deformable and permanently exert a force onto the sun wheel, the first inner toothed surface and the second inner toothed surface; and/or the sun wheel comprises a ring-shaped spring forming at least a portion of the toothed surface of the sun wheel and configured to be radially elastically deformable and permanently exert a force onto the planet wheels and bias these with force into abutment with the first and second inner toothed surfaces.