Vehicle Neck Support Slider Mechanism for Compact Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing neck supports for vehicle seats are limited in adjustability and space, often requiring specific passages and posing risks in crashes, with limited height adjustment and lack of flexibility to accommodate different user anatomies.
Innovation Solution
A neck support mechanism featuring a base, a movable shield, and pivoting elements with sliders and motors, allowing for adjustable height, lateral movement, and asymmetric positioning, which can be easily integrated into vehicle seats with a low-profile design, providing comfortable support and compensation for lateral acceleration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional neck support mechanism is used, then it provides basic neck support function, but it requires significant installation space and has limited adjustability
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is nested within the base structure, allowing it to be stored in a compact position when not in use and deployed when needed. The pivoting element enables the shield to fold against the base, creating a space-efficient design that provides full adjustability when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is made dynamically adjustable through the pivoting element and slider mechanism, allowing it to move between fixed and extended positions. This dynamic capability enables multiple adjustment positions without requiring permanent space for all possible positions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed neck support structure is used, then it is simple in design, but it cannot accommodate different user anatomies and positions
Solution Approach 1:
The neck support is segmented into the base, shield, and pivoting element components. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each component, enabling customization for different user anatomies while keeping each individual component relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustment capability allows the shield to be positioned at multiple angles and distances from the base, accommodating various neck sizes and positions. The complexity is managed through straightforward mechanical connections that maintain simplicity while enabling adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If a manually adjustable neck support is used, then it requires simple mechanisms, but it lacks precision and convenience in positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical adjustment system is replaced with an electric motor that drives the slider along the guide rail. This substitution provides precise positioning control and convenient operation through electronic actuation, while the overall mechanism remains relatively simple through the use of a single motor and linear guide.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a symmetric neck support design is used, then it is simple to manufacture, but it cannot compensate for lateral acceleration asymmetry
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting element is designed with asymmetric pivot points positioned at different distances from the centerline. This asymmetric geometry enables the shield to be positioned at different lateral offsets to compensate for lateral acceleration during cornering, while the manufacturing process remains straightforward through standard fabrication techniques.
Data Source
AI summary
A neck support for a backrest including a base for attachment to the backrest, a shield that is movable relative to the base and in use is at least sectionally movable in the direction of a user in order to support the neck of a user, and at least one pivoting element that connects the base to the shield via a slider that is shiftably mounted on the base.