Lumbar Support Hinge Mechanism for Vehicle Seat Neck Injury Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lumbar support devices for vehicle seats increase waist supporting force by increasing the diameter and bending height of horizontal wires, but this can lead to inadequate support of the waist portion, causing the head to separate from the headrest during rearward collisions, thereby increasing the risk of neck injury.
Innovation Solution
A lumbar support device with a support frame, hinge plate, upper and lower end plates, and a rotary supporting shaft with an anti-rotation bending end portion, which provides a constant waist supporting force and adjusts to reduce the distance between the head and headrest during collisions, preventing excessive neck bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the diameter and bending height of horizontal wires are increased to increase waist supporting force, then the waist supporting force is improved, but the headrest support effectiveness deteriorates due to increased head-to-headrest distance
Solution Approach 1:
The lumbar support device transitions from a static wire structure to a dynamic hinge mechanism that can rotate and adjust. The hinge plate with rotary supporting shaft allows the support structure to move and adapt during rearward collision, dynamically reducing the head-to-headrest distance when needed while maintaining waist support during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is divided into segmented components: support frame, hinge plate, upper end plate, lower end plate, and rotary supporting shaft. This segmentation allows independent movement and adjustment of different portions, enabling the upper end plate to rotate relative to the lower end plate to reduce head-to-headrest distance during collision while maintaining waist support.
2Force
If the diameter and bending height of horizontal wires are increased to increase supporting force against back portion above waist, then the back support force is improved, but the headrest support effectiveness deteriorates due to insufficient back burial
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism provides dynamic adjustment capability where the hinge plate can rotate to pull the upper end plate forward during rearward collision. This dynamic action ensures the back portion above the waist is properly buried in the seatback and reduces the head-to-headrest distance, preventing neck injury while maintaining back support force.
3Force
If conventional lumbar support structure is used to maintain waist support, then the waist supporting force is maintained, but the device complexity remains high with multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into integrated components. The hinge plate serves as both a structural support element and a rotational joint. The rotary supporting shaft with anti-rotation bending end portion combines support and rotation control functions. This merging reduces the number of separate parts compared to conventional designs while maintaining waist supporting force.
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 device maintains a constant waist supporting force, reduces the risk of neck injury by minimizing the distance between the head and headrest during rearward collisions, and reduces the number of parts compared to conventional designs, thereby saving costs.
Implementation Method 1
a rotary supporting shaft having both side ends fixed to a seatback frame, and having an anti-rotation bending end portion supported by the rear surface of the hinge plate, and the rotary supporting shaft is inserted into a hinge holder formed on the rear surface of the hinge plate for rotating the hinge plate
Implementation Method 2
an anti-rotation bending end portion supported by the rear surface of the hinge plate, and the rotary supporting shaft is inserted into a hinge holder formed on the rear surface of the hinge plate for rotating the hinge plate
Data Source
AI summary
A lumbar support apparatus for a vehicle seat, may include a support frame; a hinge plate mounted on a middle portion of the support frame; an upper end plate mounted on an upper end portion of the support frame; a lower end plate mounted on a lower end portion of the support frame; and a rotary supporting shaft having both side end portions fixed to a seatback frame, and having an anti-rotation bending end portion supported by the rear surface of the hinge plate, wherein the rotary supporting shaft is inserted into a hinge holder formed on the rear surface of the hinge plate for rotating the hinge plate.