Vehicle Seat Recliner Wedge Mechanism Reducing Loss Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle seat recliners have a complex structure due to excess parts, suffer from reduced operational responsiveness due to clearance between the socket and wedges, and are heavy due to zinc die-casting sockets, leading to inefficiencies in seat angle adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A recliner design featuring an external gear with internal gear engagement, a bush, spring-loaded wedges, and a plastic socket with latching protrusions, reducing the number of parts and weight while enhancing rotational alignment and responsiveness by minimizing the loss angle between the socket and wedges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cam sleeve is used to support the inner peripheral surfaces of wedges, then the wedges are properly supported, but the number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cam sleeve function with the external gear by forming the inner peripheral surfaces of the wedges to directly contact the outer peripheral surface of the external gear. This eliminates the separate cam sleeve component while maintaining the wedge support and positioning function, thereby reducing the number of parts without compromising reliability
2Ease of operation
If a gap is provided between two wedges, then the wedges can move independently, but the operational responsiveness is reduced due to clearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the clearance parameter by providing a groove in the socket that guides the wedges. This groove restricts the wedges to move only along the rotational direction of the socket, eliminating radial clearance and reducing the loss angle. The wedges maintain independent movement capability while achieving faster operational responsiveness
3Strength
If the socket is manufactured by die casting zinc, then the socket has sufficient strength, but the weight of the recliner increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the socket from zinc die-casting to plastic material. This material substitution significantly reduces the weight of the socket and the overall recliner mechanism while maintaining sufficient strength through the plastic material's inherent properties and the optimized structural design
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
The design simplifies the structure, improves operational responsiveness by reducing the loss angle, and significantly reduces the recliner's weight through the use of a plastic socket, resulting in a more efficient and lightweight recliner mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a spring configured to push the pair of wedges in a direction in which the pair of wedges move apart from each other
Implementation Method 2
the wedges have a plurality of first latching protrusions formed thereon, and the socket has a plurality of second latching protrusions latched to the first latching protrusions to rotate the wedges when the socket rotates
Implementation Method 3
an external gear having gear teeth formed on an inner peripheral surface thereof, an internal gear having gear teeth formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, the internal gear being engaged with the external gear
Implementation Method 4
The relative rotation between the internal and external gears is suppressed (by wedging action) by a pair of wedges provided therebetween
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a recliner for a vehicle seat, wherein a plurality of second latching protrusions (51a) is formed on a socket (50) and a plurality of first latching protrusions (41b and 42b), which is latched to the second latching protrusions (51a) when the socket rotates, is formed on two wedges (41 and 42). When the recliner is operated, a loss angle is reduced by simultaneous rotation of the wedges (41 and 42) so that the responsiveness of the recliner is improved.