Injection-Molded Hook Strap for Car Seat Cushion Stiffness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional hook straps used in car seat cushion manufacturing are insufficiently stiff and require two hands to place on straight plateaus of the foaming mold, slowing down the manufacturing process and increasing production costs.

Innovation Solution

An injection-molded hook strap type seat covering fixing structure with a plurality of hooks, a peripheral wall, reinforcing configurations, barrier sponges, a backing layer, and a magnetic material layer, designed to provide stiffness and strength, allowing single-handed placement on the mold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional hook straps are used in seat cushion manufacturing, then the hook strap can be made with simple material and structure, but the stiffness is insufficient requiring two hands to place on the mold which slows down production

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesingle-handed placement capabilityVSAvoidhook strap structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hook strap is constructed as a composite structure integrating multiple functional layers: a foam substrate providing base structure, a magnetic material layer for fastening, and a protective layer with sidewalls for structural support. This composite approach enables the hook strap to achieve sufficient stiffness for single-handed placement while maintaining material efficiency through functional integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The hook strap is divided into distinct functional segments: the substrate layer for structural support, the magnetic material layer for fastening function, and the protective layer with sidewalls for structural reinforcement. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while contributing to the overall stiffness required for single-handed handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If traditional hook straps with protective sidewalls are used, then foam material penetration is prevented, but the manufacturing process requires separate attachment steps increasing production time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing speedVSAvoidmanufacturing process simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer with sidewalls is integrated directly onto the hook strap structure, merging the protective function with the hook strap itself. This eliminates the need for separate protective components and reduces the number of assembly steps required during manufacturing, thereby increasing production speed while maintaining the protective function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integration of the protective layer as part of the composite hook strap structure allows for simultaneous achievement of foam material protection and streamlined manufacturing. The composite construction enables the protective function to be built-in rather than added separately, reducing manufacturing complexity and improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Loss of time

If hook straps are placed on straight plateaus of the mold, then proper positioning is achieved, but traditional soft hook straps require two hands slowing down the operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for placing hook strapsVSAvoidhook strap stiffness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The composite construction with foam substrate, magnetic layer, and protective sidewalls provides the necessary stiffness to the hook strap, enabling it to maintain its shape and be positioned on the mold's straight plateaus using only one hand. This reduces the time loss associated with two-handed operations while maintaining proper positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer incorporates curved sidewalls that provide structural reinforcement and rigidity to the hook strap. This curvature design enhances the stiffness of the hook strap, enabling single-handed manipulation and placement on the mold surface without compromising the positioning accuracy on straight plateaus.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 structure enables faster and more efficient seat cushion manufacturing, increasing yield rates and reducing costs by providing a stiff and strong hook strap that can be easily positioned on the mold with one hand.

Implementation Method 1

a magnetic material layer affixed to a second surface, opposing the first surface, of the hook strap

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic attraction: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentEP3608166B1Injection-molded hook strip type seat covering fixing structure for a seat cushion of a car
Publication Date: 2020.10.21 TAIWAN PAIHO LTD
  • EP3608166B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3608166B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3608166B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

One aspect of the present invention provides a hook strap type seat covering fixing structure (100) for a seat cushion of a car. The hook strap type seat covering fixing structure includes an elongated hook strap (110) which has a plurality of hooks (112) formed on a first surface thereof, a peripheral wall (111) formed on the first surface and surrounding the plurality hooks, and reinforcing configurations (114) formed along lateral longitudinal sides of the hook strap outside the peripheral wall; two barrier sponges (120) each attached on top of the reinforcing configurations formed along lateral longitudinal sides of the hook strap; a backing layer (130) affixed to a second surface, opposing the first surface, of the hook strap; and a magnetic material layer (140) disposed between the second surface of the hook strap and the backing layer.