Headrest Foam Injection Path for Uniform Pad Layer Molding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional headrest manufacturing methods face challenges in evenly foaming polyurethane foam when mechanisms with various functions are incorporated, leading to underfill and gas accumulation issues due to the prevention of foam expansion.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a skin member with an injection-passage-forming member that allows foaming raw material to spread vertically along the headrest, using a head part supporting plate that swings due to flow pressure to ensure even foaming and prevent underfill, incorporating functional parts like shock absorbing and acoustic mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mechanisms for reducing pad layer thickness, adjusting headrest position, or providing sound are incorporated in the skin member, then the headrest gains additional functions, but the foaming of polyurethane foam raw material is prevented, leading to uneven foaming and underfill
Solution Approach 1:
The injection-passage-forming member divides the skin member into multiple injection zones, allowing polyurethane foam raw material to be injected at different locations and controlled to foam in specific regions, preventing interference from incorporated mechanisms while ensuring uniform foaming throughout the pad layer
Solution Approach 2:
The injection-passage-forming member acts as an intermediary structure that facilitates the injection and foaming process. It provides a controlled pathway for the polyurethane foam raw material to reach all areas of the skin member, ensuring even distribution and uniform foaming despite the presence of functional mechanisms
2Ease of manufacture
If polyurethane foam raw material is injected in a predetermined position of a skin member, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the entire range becomes a pad layer by foaming, making it difficult to form pad layer in required positions only
Solution Approach 1:
The injection-passage-forming member segments the injection process into multiple controlled zones within the skin member. By providing multiple injection passages at different locations, it enables precise control over where the polyurethane foam raw material is injected and where the pad layer forms, while maintaining the simplicity of the injection process
Solution Approach 2:
The injection-passage-forming member enables local quality control by allowing different regions of the skin member to receive polyurethane foam raw material through specifically positioned injection passages. This ensures that the pad layer forms only in the required positions with the desired thickness, while other areas remain unaffected
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
This method enables the formation of a uniformly thick pad layer with reduced weight, maintaining the original functions of the headrest while preventing gas accumulation and ensuring effective cushioning and shock absorption.
Implementation Method 1
injecting the foaming raw material through the foaming raw material injection passage, spreading the foaming raw material to the outer side of the headrest that is closer to the skin member from a center of the headrest including a gap between the skin member and the injection-passage-forming member, via the foaming raw material injection passage, foaming the foaming raw material, and performing integral foam molding of the pad layer with the skin member
Implementation Method 2
when the foaming raw material spreads in a gap between the head part supporting plate and the skin member, the head part supporting plate swings due to a flow pressure of the foaming raw material and flow of the foaming raw material in the gap is prompted
Data Source
AI summary
A headrest in which a pad layer is integrally formed, including a portion with a narrow gap, between a mechanism having various types of incorporated functions and a skin member. A shock absorbing member that is an injection-passage-forming member having a foaming raw material injection passage formed so as to run substantially along a direction that is the vertical direction of the headrest in orientation of when a seat is attached, is set in the inside of a skin member, and a foaming raw material for forming the pad layer is injected through the foaming raw material injection passage. The configuration preferably causes the foaming raw material to spread by the foaming start time, as the foaming raw material spreads to the outer side of the headrest, that is, to the inner surface of the skin member, where the pad layer is required to be formed.