Modular Vehicle Seat Assembly with Common Underlying Structure

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing process of designing and developing vehicle seats is expensive and time-consuming, requiring specific seat structures for each vehicle platform, limiting flexibility and creativity in 'top hat' and upholstery designs, especially with the advent of autonomous driving vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A modular vehicle seat system with a common underlying structure that allows for rapid assembly of specific seat configurations across all vehicle platforms, enabling customizable 'top hat' and upholstery applications without limiting the underlying structure, using modules such as seat base, bottom, and back structure modules, cushion carriers, and functional modules like tilt and comfort modules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If specific seat structures are designed and developed for each vehicle platform, then seat performance and customization are improved, but development cost and time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseat customizationVSAvoiddevelopment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is divided into modular components including a common underlying structure module, top hat module, and upholstery module. These segments can be independently designed, developed, and manufactured, then assembled into complete seat assemblies for different vehicle platforms, reducing overall development time and cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A universal common underlying structure module is designed that can serve multiple vehicle platforms and seat configurations. This module includes standardized mounting interfaces and structural components that can be reused across different applications, eliminating the need to redesign the entire seat for each platform

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If specific seat structures are designed and developed for each vehicle platform, then seat performance and customization are improved, but development cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseat customizationVSAvoiddevelopment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is divided into modular components including a common underlying structure module, top hat module, and upholstery module. These segments can be independently designed, developed, and manufactured, then assembled into complete seat assemblies for different vehicle platforms, reducing overall development time and cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A universal common underlying structure module is designed that can serve multiple vehicle platforms and seat configurations. This module includes standardized mounting interfaces and structural components that can be reused across different applications, eliminating the need to redesign the entire seat for each platform

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If different adjustment and comfort features are built into each seat configuration, then seat functionality is improved, but design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseat functionalityVSAvoiddesign complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is divided into modular components including a common underlying structure module, top hat module, and upholstery module. These segments can be independently designed, developed, and manufactured, then assembled into complete seat assemblies for different vehicle platforms, reducing overall development time and cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The modular design enables dynamic configuration where different combinations of modules can be assembled to create seats with various adjustment and comfort features. This allows the system to adapt to different functionality requirements without requiring separate designs for each configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3705346B1Modular vehicle seats

Publication Date: 2023.07.19 VOLVO CAR CORP

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AI summary

A modular vehicle seat assembly including: a seat bottom structure module adapted to be rigidly or translatably coupled to one of a seat base module and a structure of a vehicle, securely coupled to a seat bottom cushion carrier module, and rigidly or pivotably coupled to a seat back structure module; a seat back structure module adapted to be rigidly or pivotably coupled to the seat bottom structure module and securely coupled to a seat back cushion carrier module; the seat bottom cushion carrier module adapted to be securely coupled to the seat bottom structure module; and the seat back cushion carrier module adapted to be securely coupled to the seat back structure module. The modular vehicle seat assembly further including a seat base module adapted to be rigidly coupled to the structure of the vehicle and to the seat bottom structure module.