Modular back panel sub-assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern motor vehicle seating assemblies face challenges in accommodating diverse driver and passenger sizes and shapes, requiring hundreds of discrete parts and complex assembly processes, which can be costly and limit design flexibility and styling options.
Innovation Solution
A modular decorative seat back rear panel module is introduced, comprising a first seat back rear perimeter panel and a second seat back rear central panel, with a molded substrate and trim covering, and a one-piece composite inner carrier substrate with vertically aligned molded-in attachment fasteners, allowing for interchangeable components and reduced assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hundreds of discrete parts are used to accommodate diverse driver and passenger sizes and shapes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat back rear panel is divided into multiple interchangeable panel modules (first panel, second panel, third panel) that can be selectively assembled. Each panel is a discrete component with standardized attachment mechanisms, allowing different panel configurations to accommodate various body types while maintaining a manageable assembly process through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanisms (attachment features and attachment receptacles) are designed as universal interfaces that work across all panel modules. This standardized connection system allows the same attachment hardware to accommodate diverse panel configurations, reducing the need for multiple specialized parts while maintaining adaptability to different driver and passenger sizes and shapes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hundreds of discrete parts are assembled using Kanban or JIT processes, then adaptability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The panel assembly is segmented into a limited number of standardized modules (first panel, second panel, third panel) with uniform attachment interfaces. This segmentation reduces the total number of discrete parts compared to fully customized assemblies, enabling faster JIT assembly while maintaining the ability to accommodate different sizes and shapes through selective module combination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses standardized parameters for panel dimensions, attachment locations, and connection mechanisms. By defining fixed parameters for the interchangeable panels and their attachment features, the assembly process becomes more predictable and efficient, improving productivity through reduced assembly variability while still allowing adaptation through parameter selection.
3Ease of manufacture
If modular design with interchangeable panels is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple panel modules (first panel, second panel, third panel) are merged into a unified seat back rear panel assembly through standardized attachment mechanisms. The attachment features and receptacles are integrated into the molded structures of each panel, combining structural support and attachment functionality into single components, which simplifies the overall assembly process despite the modular nature of the design.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel modules utilize composite construction with molded substrates and trim coverings integrated as single pieces. The attachment features are molded directly into the panel structures, creating composite components that combine multiple functions (structural support, aesthetic finish, attachment mechanism) into unified parts, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture.
4Manufacturing precision
If molded substrates with trim coverings are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trim covering and molded substrate are merged into a single integrated panel module. The attachment features are molded directly into the substrate structure, combining the substrate, trim, and attachment mechanism into one composite component. This merging improves manufacturing precision by eliminating alignment issues between separate layers while the modular panel design manages the complexity through standardized interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle seating assembly for a motor vehicle has upwardly extending seat back assembly comprising a seat back frame, a decorative seat back rear panel module, and a seat back cushion and suspension module attached to the seat back frame. The decorative seat back rear panel module has a first seat back rear perimeter panel and a second seat back rear central panel operably connected with the first seat back rear perimeter panel that define a rear exterior surface area of the decorative seat back rear panel module.