Profile Body Channels for Uniform Cooling in Seat Upholstery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening systems for attaching cover materials to upholstered foam parts, such as vehicle seats, face difficulties in maintaining precise thermal control during the extrusion and embedding processes due to varying cooling rates, which affects the strength of the connection between the profile body and the sewing tab, especially when using thermal intrusion methods.
Innovation Solution
The profile body is designed with channels on both sides that reduce its cross-sectional area and promote uniform cooling rates, featuring symmetrical channels, main anchoring surfaces with concave curvature, and projecting anchoring ribs, allowing for precise thermal intrusion and embedding of the sewing tab, and optionally serving as guides for flowable media or electrical conductors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the profile body is extruded as a solid one-piece monoextrudate, then the structural integrity is improved, but the cooling rate uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The solid profile body is segmented by introducing channels that divide the cross-section into multiple regions. These channels create separate cooling paths that allow uniform heat dissipation throughout the profile, solving the cooling rate uniformity problem while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed channel design.
Solution Approach 2:
The profile body incorporates channels that create a porous or hollow structure within the otherwise solid profile. This porous design enables improved thermal management by allowing cooling media to flow through the profile, achieving uniform cooling rates without compromising the overall structural strength.
2Strength
If thermal intrusion methods are used to embed the sewing tab, then the connection strength is improved, but the thermal control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The profile cross-section is segmented into multiple cooling zones by the channels, allowing independent thermal control of different regions. This segmentation enables precise temperature management during thermal intrusion embedding, facilitating uniform cooling and improved connection strength while reducing thermal control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel geometry parameters (cross-sectional area, positioning, dimensions) are optimized to control thermal parameters during the embedding process. By adjusting these geometric parameters, the cooling rates in different profile regions can be precisely controlled, enabling successful thermal intrusion embedding with manageable thermal control requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If the profile thickness is reduced in the receiving slot area, then the embedding precision is improved, but the structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The profile is segmented by channels that strategically reduce material thickness only in specific regions (where channels are located) while maintaining full thickness in critical load-bearing areas. This selective thinning enables precise embedding in the receiving slot area without compromising overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The profile exhibits local quality variations through the channel design, where the thickness is selectively reduced in the receiving slot area to facilitate precise embedding, while other regions maintain adequate thickness for structural integrity. This localized modification allows embedding precision improvement without global strength deterioration.
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
This design ensures a high-strength, uniformly cooled connection between the profile body and the sewing tab, enhancing the extrusion and embedding processes while accommodating integrated cooling or electrical systems within the seat upholstery.
Implementation Method 1
the channels 15 are formed in each of the profile side parts 9... so that the desired, uniform cooling rates result in the course of extrusion and embedding of the sewn-on tab
Implementation Method 2
the channels 15 each have a flat channel side surface 29 and a convexly curved channel side surface 31... providing a line for flowable media in at least one channel
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a fixing system for fixing covering material to a foam upholstery part of a seat, in particular vehicle or aircraft seat, comprising at least one anchor part that is designed as a profiled body (1) and encapsulated in foam in the upholstery part and a connecting part that can be connected to the covering material, acts in particular as a sewing ply (3) and is fixed to the anchor part along a connection region (7) which runs centrally between profiled side parts (13) in the longitudinal direction of anchor part profile. The profiled side parts lie opposite one another and extend on both sides of the connection region (7). Said system is characterised in that at least one respective channel (15) is formed in both profiled side parts (13), said channel running longitudinally, reducing the cross-sectional surface of the profile and being open on the exterior of the profile.