Vehicle Seat Lumbar Adjuster Assembly for Shared 2-Way and 4-Way Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lumbar adjusters for vehicle seats either provide excessive adjustment options, such as four-way adjustment, or insufficient options, such as two-way adjustment, with little overlap in design, leading to inefficiencies in production and component utilization.
Innovation Solution
A lumbar adjuster design that harmonizes four-way and two-way adjustment mechanisms by using a common set of components, featuring a wire frame, slider, carrier, support lever, and arbor, allowing for conversion between adjustment configurations through the arbor's fixation of the carrier relative to the wire frame's transverse portion, utilizing a gear train and lever mechanism to alter the seat's contour.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a lumbar adjuster provides four-way adjustment options, then adjustment versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single lumbar adjuster mechanism that can function in both four-way and two-way configurations using the same core components (wire frame, slider, carrier, support lever, and arbor). The arbor can be positioned in different locations to enable either four-way adjustment (with both slider and carrier moving) or two-way adjustment (with only slider moving), allowing one device to serve multiple adjustment needs without requiring separate complex mechanisms for each type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different lumbar adjuster designs (four-way and two-way) are produced separately, then adjustment versatility is maintained, but manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables a single universal lumbar adjuster design to produce both four-way and two-way adjustment configurations, allowing manufacturers to produce one base design and then configure it for different adjustment types by simply repositioning the arbor component. This eliminates the need to maintain separate production lines and component inventories for four-way and two-way adjusters, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency and economies of scale.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the adjuster configuration changeable through arbor repositioning. The same physical components can be arranged to provide either four-way or two-way adjustment, allowing the device to dynamically adapt its functionality based on configuration rather than requiring fixed, separate designs for each adjustment type.
3Ease of manufacture
If a lumbar adjuster uses a common component set for both four-way and two-way adjustment, then manufacturing cost decreases, but adjustment precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality through a common component set (wire frame, slider, carrier, support lever, arbor) that maintains adjustment precision for both four-way and two-way configurations. The key is that the same high-precision components are used in both modes, and the arbor repositioning does not compromise the precision of the slider-carrier-lever mechanism itself, allowing cost reduction through commonality without sacrificing adjustment 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
Enables the production of both four-way and two-way lumbar adjusters using shared components, optimizing economies of scale and assembly processes while providing flexible adjustment options for seat contour modification.
Implementation Method 1
The adjustment mechanism may include a lever arm and a gear train that may be operatively connected to and operable to articulate the lever arm to move a portion of the lumbar mat towards and away from the backrest cushion.
Data Source
AI summary
A lumbar adjuster for use in a vehicle seat and including a wire frame, a lumbar mat, an adjustment mechanism, and an arbor. The wire frame configured to be fixed to a backrest and including a first lateral portion, a second lateral portion and a transverse portion extending therebetween. The lumbar mat configured to face towards a backrest cushion when the lumbar adjuster is assembled to the vehicle seat. The adjustment mechanism connected to and configured to move along the first and second lateral portions and including a lever arm and a gear train operatively connected to and operable to articulate the lever arm to move a portion of the lumbar mat towards and away from the backrest cushion. The arbor connected to the transverse portion of the wire frame and the adjustment mechanism to fix the adjustment mechanism relative to the transverse portion.