Horizontal Weight Sensor Damper for Tolerance Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
The horizontal mounting type of weight detection sensors in vehicle seats experiences assembling tolerance issues, leading to errors in passenger weight detection due to rotation and increased contact noise, which affects airbag inflation accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A passenger distinguishing apparatus with a weight detection sensor assembled in a horizontal direction of the vehicle seat, utilizing a first and second damper to absorb assembling tolerance, and sleeves to prevent shaking, allowing for accurate weight detection without separate brackets and reducing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If a weight detection sensor is assembled in a horizontal direction of a vehicle seat, then weight and cost are reduced, but assembling tolerance causes rotation and detection error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by introducing a damper component between the weight detection sensor and the seat frame before final assembly. This damper pre-absorbs assembling tolerance in the horizontal direction, preventing rotation and detection errors that would otherwise occur due to tolerance accumulation during assembly. The damper acts as a preliminary compensating element that cushions against manufacturing variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper serves as an intermediary component between the weight detection sensor and the seat frame. It mediates the connection by absorbing horizontal assembling tolerance while maintaining the sensor's functional position. This intermediary element transfers and compensates for tolerance variations, allowing the sensor to remain accurate despite manufacturing variations in the assembly process.
2Ease of manufacture
If a weight detection sensor is assembled in a horizontal direction of a vehicle seat, then cost is reduced, but contact noise increases due to rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The damper provides beforehand cushioning that prevents rotation of the horizontally assembled weight detection sensor. By absorbing horizontal tolerance variations before they can cause sensor rotation, the damper eliminates the source of contact noise while maintaining the simple horizontal assembly structure. This resolves the contradiction by cushioning against the harmful rotational movement in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of assembling tolerance into a beneficial function. The damper transforms what would be a source of rotation and noise into a controlled tolerance-absorbing mechanism. By designing the assembly to intentionally include this tolerance-absorbing element, the harmful tolerance variation becomes a controlled feature that protects against noise while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Productivity
If assembling tolerance is not absorbed, then production is faster, but detection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The damper provides beforehand cushioning that absorbs assembling tolerance in the horizontal direction, preventing sensor rotation and maintaining detection accuracy. This allows the assembly process to proceed quickly without requiring post-assembly adjustment or rework, as the damper automatically compensates for tolerance variations during normal assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper provides self-service by automatically absorbing assembling tolerance without requiring external adjustment or intervention. The tolerance compensation happens automatically as part of the normal assembly process, eliminating the need for additional quality control steps or manual adjustment procedures that would slow down production while maintaining detection accuracy.
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 solution effectively minimizes detection errors and contact noise, improving production efficiency while reducing weight and cost by absorbing assembling tolerance with minimal parts, ensuring accurate passenger weight classification for airbag inflation.
Implementation Method 1
a first damper for absorbing assembling tolerance of the weight detection sensor is disposed between the first bracket and the weight detection sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger distinguishing apparatus is provided. The passenger distinguishing apparatus includes: a weight detection sensor that is assembled in a vehicle seat to detect a passenger's weight; and a first bracket and a second bracket that assemble the weight detection sensor in the seat, wherein the weight detection sensor has a length direction in a horizontal direction of the seat, and a first damper for absorbing assembling tolerance of the weight detection sensor is disposed between the first bracket and the weight detection sensor. Therefore, assembling tolerance can be absorbed with minimum parts, production can be improved, contact noise can be reduced, and a weight and cost can be reduced.