Vehicle Seat Reclining Device Bush and Retainer Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reclining devices for vehicle seats face issues with heat damage to bearings due to welding, contamination, reduced coupling force, and structural weakness, leading to performance degradation and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a bush between the gear plate and bearing to absorb welding heat, reducing contact area, and using a cap to maintain a hermetic seal and enhance structural support, along with a disk-shaped retainer to improve coupling force and endurance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the gear plate and cushion bracket are coupled by welding to increase coupling force, then the coupling force is improved, but the bearing coated surface is damaged by welding heat
Solution Approach 1:
A bush is introduced as an intermediary component between the gear plate and the bearing. The bush absorbs welding heat through its material properties and geometry, preventing the heat from reaching the bearing coated surface. This allows the gear plate and cushion bracket to be welded for strong coupling while protecting the bearing from thermal damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful welding heat is extracted from the path to the bearing by positioning the bush between the welding zone and the bearing. The bush acts as a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates the thermal energy, separating the welding process from the bearing to prevent damage.
2Ease of manufacture
If the gear plate structure is simplified to reduce manufacturing cost, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the structural strength is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The gear plate is constructed using composite materials or a composite structure combining different materials with complementary properties. This allows the gear plate to achieve high strength and structural integrity while maintaining manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness, resolving the contradiction between simplified manufacturing and structural strength.
3Weight of moving object
If the retainer structure is simplified to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the coupling force between mobile flange and gear plate is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed with local quality variations, concentrating material and structural complexity only in the critical coupling regions where high coupling force is needed, while other non-critical areas are minimized to reduce weight. This selective reinforcement maintains coupling performance while achieving weight reduction.
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 solution reduces heat damage to bearings, prevents contamination, increases coupling force, and enhances the structural integrity and endurance of the reclining device, while reducing fabrication costs and weight.
Implementation Method 1
a bush disposed between a plate protrusion of the gear plate and the bearing, and configured to absorb part of heat generated from welding of the gear plate to the cushion bracket
Data Source
AI summary
a reclining device for a vehicle seat is provided by the present disclosure. The reclining device includes a bush having a serration is disposed between a plate protrusion of gear plate and a bearing. A cap inhibiting an input device and a spring from being disassembled is coupled to the gear plate by a weld. A disk-shaped retainer is coupled to a mobile flange by another weld.