Vehicle Headrest Shell Assembly Using Visual Anchoring Lug
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing assembly process for motor vehicle seat headrests is challenging due to 'blind' interlocking of interlocking means, which complicates the manufacturing process for operators.
Innovation Solution
The headrest design includes anchoring lugs and interlocking means arranged along a longitudinal axis, allowing the shell to be assembled by visualizing the introduction of a lug into an orifice, with rotational actuation guiding the fitting between corresponding parts, facilitating a non-blind assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the interlocking means are arranged for blind interlocking along a longitudinal axis, then the structural design is simple, but the assembly difficulty increases for the manufacturing operator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces anchoring lugs that extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the interlocking means. This adds a spatial dimension to the assembly process, allowing the operator to visually align and insert the lug into the orifice before the interlocking means engage, thereby eliminating the blind assembly difficulty while maintaining the simple longitudinal interlocking structure.
2Productivity
If the shell is assembled without visual guidance, then the assembly process is faster in theory, but the manufacturing precision and operator confidence decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring lug serves a dual function: it provides visual guidance for alignment during assembly, and simultaneously acts as a self-aligning feature that guides the interlocking means into proper engagement. The lug's physical presence in the orifice automatically positions the shell correctly, eliminating the need for external alignment tools or procedures while maintaining high assembly speed and precision.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
The invention concerns a headrest (1) comprising: a frame (2) linking it to the backrest of said seat; a housing (3) and a block (4) of padding material disposed against a front face of said housing; a layer of covering material (5) covering said block, said layer comprising a peripheral strip (6) folded back against a rear peripheral area of said housing; an associated masking shell (7) at the rear to said housing, said shell being clamped against the periphery of said layer, said shell comprising at least one upper anchoring tab (8) in the form of a hook comprising a first portion (9) inserted into an opening (10) provided at the rear of said housing and a second portion (11) pointing upwards, bearing on the inner periphery of said opening in such a way as to clamp said shell, said shell further comprising at least one lower means (12) for interlocking with a reciprocal means (13), said means being arranged such that the interlocking takes place along a substantially longitudinal axis (14).