Powered Vehicle Seat with Force-Sensing Slide Mover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats require manual effort to overcome frictional and gravitational forces for movement, making it difficult for users to reposition them within a passenger vehicle without manual input or complex controls.
Innovation Solution
A powered vehicle seat system with a slide mover and controller that detects user forces on the seat bottom and back, using sensors and motors to facilitate sliding and pivoting movements, allowing the seat to move along a track without manual effort, using coefficients and gain adjustments for efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual effort is used to move the vehicle seat, then the structure remains simple, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to frictional and gravitational forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical manual sliding system with an electromechanical system. Sensors detect user force on the seat, and a motor-driven slide mover provides powered assistance to overcome friction and gravity, substituting manual mechanical effort with an automated electromechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat motion system automatically responds to user force without requiring manual activation of controls. When the user pushes or pulls the seat, sensors detect the force and the slide mover automatically provides the necessary powered assistance, making the system self-actuating based on user intent.
2Ease of operation
If complex controls are added to assist seat movement, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates complex manual controls by making the seat self-actuating. Force sensors mounted on the seat back detect when the user pushes or pulls, and the controller automatically activates the slide mover without requiring the user to operate buttons, switches, or other control interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses force sensors to detect user input and provides real-time feedback to the controller, which then adjusts the slide mover operation accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system allows automatic response to user force without complex controls.
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 easy repositioning of the vehicle seat within the vehicle by reducing the need for manual force, enhancing user convenience and safety by automating the movement process, allowing for smooth sliding and pivoting actions based on user input.
Implementation Method 1
a motor adapted to be coupled to the seat bottom to cause the vehicle seat to move back and forth relative to the floor and threaded rod in response to forces applied to the vehicle seat
Implementation Method 2
A pair of associated load cells are coupled to the flexures and configured to sense longitudinal load applied to the vehicle seat
Implementation Method 3
without requiring the user to manually overcome all frictional and gravitational forces resisting movement of the vehicle seat
Implementation Method 4
without requiring the user to manually overcome all frictional and gravitational forces resisting movement of the vehicle seat
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat is adapted to be moved relative to a floor of a vehicle. The seat includes a seat bottom that can be moved relative to the floor and a seat back that can be moved relative to the seat bottom.