Rear Seat Back Support for Battery Pack Service Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In conventional vehicles, the fixed rear seat assembly obstructs access to the high-voltage battery pack located beneath it, making maintenance or replacement operations difficult and inefficient as the seat must be temporarily removed to access the battery pack.
Innovation Solution
A rear seat assembly with a back support panel that pivots between upright and folded positions, allowing disengagement from the seat bottom and vehicle body to create a service compartment access, enabling technicians to access components such as the battery pack without removing the entire seat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rear seat is fixedly attached to the vehicle body, then the structural stability and safety are improved, but the accessibility to the battery pack for maintenance operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The back support is divided into multiple panels (first support panel, second support panel, third support panel) that can be independently folded or removed. This segmentation allows the seat to transition from a fixed structure to a configurable structure, enabling access to the battery pack while maintaining structural integrity during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The back support panels are designed to be movable between upright and folded positions through hinges and fastening mechanisms. This dynamic capability allows the seat to adapt between two states: a stable upright position for passenger comfort and a folded position for maintenance access, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and operational accessibility.
2Reliability
If the rear seat is fixedly attached to the vehicle body, then the seating comfort and structural integrity are improved, but the efficiency of battery pack maintenance operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The back support panels can be quickly folded forward and secured in place, transforming the seat into a service door that provides direct access to the battery pack. This dynamic transformation eliminates the need to completely remove the seat, significantly improving maintenance efficiency while preserving seating comfort during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The back support structure serves dual functions: providing seating comfort during normal vehicle operation and providing access to the battery pack during maintenance operations. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the same structure serve both comfort and maintenance needs.
3Ease of operation
If the entire rear seat is removed to access the battery pack, then the accessibility to the battery pack is improved, but the device complexity and time required for maintenance operations worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Only the back support panels need to be folded and secured, while the seat bottom and other components remain in place. This segmented approach reduces the complexity of the access procedure from complete seat removal to a simpler panel folding operation, maintaining accessibility while reducing procedural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of removing the entire seat (excessive action), the invention uses partial action by only folding the back support panels forward and securing them. This partial transformation is sufficient to provide access to the battery pack, reducing the complexity and time required for maintenance operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A seat assembly for a vehicle having a vehicle body includes a seat bench adapted to be arranged inside the vehicle body and defines a passenger compartment and a service compartment inside the vehicle body. The seat bench includes a seat bottom to facilitate a seating of a one or more passengers, and a back support. The back support has a first support panel adapted to move between an upright position and a folded position relative to the seat bottom, and a second support panel arranged proximate to the seat bottom and removably coupled to the first support panel and the seat bottom. The first support panel is moved to the folded position from the upright position upon a disengagement of the second support panel from the first support panel and the seat bottom to provide an access of the service compartment.