Head Restraint Sliding Latch Assembly for Foldable Seats
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head restraints can obstruct a driver's view and interfere with seat folding, requiring removal or additional storage space in vehicles with foldable seats, and are often more difficult and expensive to assemble due to their foldable nature.
Innovation Solution
An articulating head restraint assembly with a sliding latch system that includes a housing, armature, latch receiving members, and latch members with complementary tapered projections, allowing for modular design and easy adaptation to various seat styles, preventing rotation and providing a stable, adjustable mechanism for securing the headrest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a foldable head restraint is used, then the head restraint can be stowed when the seatback is folded forward, but the assembly becomes more difficult and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The head restraint assembly is divided into separate components: a head restraint support that can pivot independently from the seatback, a housing that contains the latching mechanism, and an armature that connects the components. This segmentation allows the head restraint to be stowed separately from the seatback folding action, eliminating the complexity of fully integrated foldable designs while maintaining the stowage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
An armature serves as an intermediary component between the head restraint support and the housing. The armature includes a latch receiving member that interfaces with the latch member, creating a simplified mechanical connection that enables stowage without requiring complex integrated folding mechanisms. This intermediary structure reduces assembly difficulty while preserving adaptability.
2Ease of operation
If a sliding latch system is used, then the head restraint can be easily secured upright, but the mechanism requires precise alignment of tapered components
Solution Approach 1:
The latch member and latch receiving member feature complementary tapered surfaces that allow dynamic adjustment during engagement. The tapered geometry enables the components to self-align as they come together, accommodating minor manufacturing variations while ensuring proper engagement. This dynamic alignment process maintains ease of operation without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered surfaces of the latch member and latch receiving member are designed with specific angle parameters that optimize both engagement ease and alignment tolerance. By carefully selecting the taper angles, the design achieves a balance where the components guide each other into proper alignment during the latching action, reducing the precision requirements compared to perpendicular or parallel mating surfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A head restraint assembly comprising a housing, an armature extending though opposite sides of the housing, at least one latch receiving member provided on the armature and coupled thereto for non-rotatable movement with respect to the armature, and a latch member extending though opposite sides of the housing. The latch member includes a projection that engages the at least one latch receiving member when the latch member is moved into a latched position.