Removable Seat Rail Assembly With Power Sliding Coupling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat adjustment systems lack the ability to provide power-driven sliding movement while allowing for easy removal and reconfiguration of seats to accommodate varying interior space needs in multi-functional vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A long rail assembly with a power rail drive assembly that includes a fixed long rail, a gearbox attached to the vehicle seat, and a coupling interface between the gearbox and drive wheel, enabling power-driven sliding movement and removable coupling of the seat along the rail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If power-driven sliding movement is implemented for seat adjustment, then automation and convenience are improved, but device complexity increases due to integration of drive mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The drive mechanism is segmented into a separate removable gearbox assembly that can be independently attached to or detached from the rail assembly. This segmentation allows the power-driven adjustment function to be implemented without permanently integrating complex drive mechanisms into the rail structure, thereby maintaining automation while managing device complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling interface between the gearbox and rail assembly is designed to be dynamically changeable, allowing the gearbox to be easily attached and detached. This dynamic coupling capability enables the system to transition between powered and manual operation modes, providing automation when needed while simplifying the overall system configuration when the power-driven feature is not required.
2Adaptability or versatility
If seats are made removable for interior reconfiguration, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to loss of power adjustment capability
Solution Approach 1:
The gearbox assembly is extracted as a separate removable component that can be transferred between different rail assemblies. When a seat needs to be removed for interior reconfiguration, the gearbox can be detached from the old rail assembly and attached to a new one, preserving the power adjustment capability while enabling interior flexibility. This extraction approach maintains ease of operation by ensuring power-driven adjustment functionality is retained after reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized coupling interface design enables the gearbox to serve multiple functions: it can be attached to different rail assemblies, used with various seat configurations, and transferred between vehicles. This universal design ensures that the power adjustment convenience is preserved across different interior configurations, making the system both adaptable and easy to operate.
3Reliability
If a permanent coupling between gearbox and rail assembly is used, then reliability of power transmission is improved, but ease of manufacture and reconfiguration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling interface is designed with preliminary alignment features and pre-configured engagement surfaces that ensure reliable power transmission upon attachment. The interface geometry and tolerances are pre-engineered to guarantee proper meshing of gear teeth and secure connection, providing reliability equivalent to permanent coupling while maintaining the ability to easily attach and detach the components for manufacturing and reconfiguration purposes.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A long rail assembly for use in an automotive vehicle has a long rail, a power rail drive assembly, and a latch assembly. The latch assembly removably couples the vehicle seat to the power rail drive assembly. When the latch assembly is latched, the seat is capable of power sliding adjustment and can be moved along a channel axis to a desired position within the interior of the vehicle. When the latch assembly is unlatched, the entire seat can be removed from the vehicle to provide for added space and variability in the vehicle interior configuration.