Pneumatic device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for pneumatic devices in vehicle seats is cumbersome due to the need for multiple separate components, including bladders and pressure medium lines, which require complex and labor-intensive assembly steps.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic device is created using a carrier foil composed of two flexible plastic plies, where the bladder and pressure medium lines are integrated by forming connection seams within the foil, eliminating the need for separate lines and reducing production complexity and apparatus requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate rubber hoses are used for pressure medium lines and connected to bladders through welding and multiple fastening steps, then reliable pressure medium connection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and labor intensity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure medium line and bladder are merged into a single integrated component formed from the carrier foil. The connection between pressure medium line and bladder is achieved through a common formation process using connection seams, eliminating the need for separate components and multiple assembly steps while maintaining reliable pressure medium connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier foil serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains the pressure medium lines, and forms the bladders. The connection seams serve dual purposes of joining foil plies and creating pressure medium-tight seals, reducing the need for separate fastening operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components (bladders, pressure medium lines, fastening elements) are used in the pneumatic device, then functional requirements are met, but the number of individual parts and manufacturing steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional components are merged into the carrier foil structure. The pressure medium lines and bladders are formed integrally from the foil plies through connection seams, reducing the number of individual parts from multiple separate components to a unified structure that can be manufactured in fewer steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier foil and its plies serve as flexible thin film structures that inherently provide both the pressure medium line conduits and the bladder chambers. This eliminates the need for rigid fastening elements and separate structural components, enabling streamlined manufacturing.
3Strength
If traditional separate component construction is used, then robust pressure medium lines are achieved, but the device thickness and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure medium lines are formed as integrated channels within the multi-ply carrier foil structure. The foil plies themselves provide the structural strength and pressure containment, eliminating the need for thick rigid housings or external protective structures, thus reducing overall device thickness while maintaining robustness.
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic device for varying a contour of a seat bearing surface includes a carrier foil TF composed of a first and a second foil ply which are arranged adjacent to one another. The pneumatic device has a first bladder for varying the contour of the seat bearing surface, including a bladder chamber which can be filled with pressure medium (DM). The pneumatic device furthermore has a first pressure medium line connected to the first bladder and which is formed by connection of the first and second foil plies along a line-side connection seam to create a pressure medium connection to the bladder chamber of the first bladder. One foil ply has, in the region of the first bladder, an opening in order to form a pressure medium channel to a further bladder, which can be filled with pressure medium and is connected to one of the foil plies.