Headrest Damping Structure for Vehicle Seat Lateral Vibrations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seats often experience lateral vibrations due to the natural frequency matching the vehicle's excitation, leading to discomfort and a negative impact on the perceived quality of the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating at least one damping element made of elastic material, such as elastomer, between the backrest structure and the headrest structure to decouple and dampen vibrations and resonances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the headrest is rigidly attached to the backrest structure, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but lateral vibrations are amplified leading to discomfort and reduced quality impression
Solution Approach 1:
A damping element is introduced as an intermediary component between the headrest and the backrest structure. This damping element serves as a mediator that allows the headrest to be securely attached while simultaneously reducing lateral vibrations through energy dissipation, thus resolving the contradiction between structural strength and vibration reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment characteristics are changed by introducing a damping element that modifies the dynamic parameters of the connection. The damping element changes the stiffness and damping characteristics of the headrest attachment, allowing it to maintain strength while reducing vibration transmission to the headrest.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex vibration absorbers are installed in the backrest interior, then vibration reduction is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration damping function is extracted from the complex internal vibration absorbers and implemented through a simpler damping element positioned at the headrest attachment point. This extraction approach achieves vibration reduction with a simpler, more cost-effective solution that does not require complex internal structures in the backrest.
Solution Approach 2:
A simple damping element serves as an intermediary at the critical attachment point between headrest and backrest, providing effective vibration damping without the need for complex vibration absorbers installed in the backrest interior. This intermediary approach achieves vibration control with minimal added complexity.
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 damping elements effectively reduce vibrations and resonances in the seat transverse direction, enhancing seating comfort and improving the visual impression of quality during vehicle operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one damping element is provided between the backrest structure and the headrest structure. The provision of the at least one damping element between the backrest structure and the headrest structure decouples the headrest from the backrest structure in terms of vibrations and dampens the vibrations and resonances which occur in the backrest
Implementation Method 2
the at least one damping element is formed from an elastic material or comprises such an elastic material. The material is particularly preferably an elastomer, such as for example (natural or synthetic) rubber or silicone
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat has a seat bottom, a backrest which is attached to the seat bottom and has a backrest structure, and a headrest attached to the backrest. The headrest has a headrest structure provided with an upholstery cover and inserted by way of at least one support rod in an associated support rod holder of the backrest structure and being locked or lockable there. At least one damping element is provided between the backrest structure and the headrest structure.