Longitudinal Headrest Latching for Rattle-Free Seat Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headrest designs for motor vehicle seats experience rattling and clearance issues between the carrier element and the supporting member, especially during different driving states, due to the need for handles that project from both sides of the cushion part.
Innovation Solution
The headrest features a carrier element with a latching strip and a supporting member that includes spring-loaded strips and U-shaped brackets, which provide a clearance-free and rattle-free connection by ensuring the supporting member and carrier element move relative to each other without clearance, using spring-loaded strips to push the upper base into contact with the oblong hole and U-shaped brackets that abut without clearance, allowing for displacement without rattling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If handles are provided on both sides of the cushion part to enable displacement, then the cushion part can be moved relative to the carrier element, but passages through the cushion material and cover are required which complicates the structure
Solution Approach 1:
The handle function is extracted and integrated into the locking means mechanism. The locking means serves dual purposes: it secures the cushion part to the carrier element and enables displacement when actuated. This eliminates the need for separate handles and passages through the cushion material, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the supporting member and carrier element are connected to prevent relative movement, then the connection is stable, but rattling and clearance issues occur during different driving states
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the supporting member and carrier element is made dynamic through spring-loaded strips that maintain continuous contact while allowing controlled movement. The spring mechanism adapts to different driving states, ensuring the connection remains stable without rattling or clearance issues, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and reliability.
3Reliability
If spring-loaded strips are used to push the upper base into contact with the oblong hole edge, then clearance-free operation is achieved, but additional components are required
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded strips are integrated into the existing structure of the supporting member, serving multiple functions: maintaining clearance-free operation, enabling controlled displacement, and contributing to the overall stability of the connection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device 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
This solution ensures a rattle-free and clearance-free operation along the entire travel path of the headrest, preventing rattling and maintaining a secure connection between the carrier element and the supporting member, even during varying driving states.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded strip which extends along an edge of the oblong hole, abuts against the upper base and pushes the upper base into contact with the opposite edge of the oblong hole
Implementation Method 2
at least one inclined region, the supporting member featuring at least one U-shaped bracket which extends beyond the inclined region and abuts without clearance against the inclined region
Data Source
AI summary
The headrest has a carrier element, which has joining means for fixing to a backrest of a motor vehicle seat and an upper base, and having a cushion part which has a supporting member and is displaceable with respect to the carrier element in a direction of displacement. The carrier element features a latching strip having several latching elements, and the supporting member has a locking means which in a locking position engages with one of the latching elements and in a release position is disengaged from the latching elements. The supporting member further forms at least one oblong hole surrounding the upper base. The supporting member also has a spring-loaded strip which extends along a lower edge of the oblong hole and abuts against the upper base and pushes the same into contact with the upper edge of the oblong hole.