Retractable Vehicle Seat Cover Assembly for Hidden Upholstery Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seat covers fail to provide effective protection and ease of use, especially when transporting items that can stain or damage the upholstery, and existing designs are not user-friendly for quick deployment and concealment.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat cover assembly with a spring-biased spindle and engagement rod that allows the seat cover to be easily wrapped around the spindle for storage and deployed for use, featuring removably secure side edges and a design that conceals the protection mechanism from passengers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a seat cover assembly is provided with a spindle mechanism for easy deployment and storage, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat cover is wrapped around and stored on a spindle mechanism, with the cover nesting around the spindle when not in use. This allows the large seat cover to be compactly stored in a small space beneath the seat, enabling easy deployment and storage while managing the complexity of the assembly mechanism.
2Reliability
If the seat cover assembly includes engagement features to securely hold the cover, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat cover assembly is divided into multiple functional segments: the seat cover itself, the spindle mechanism for storage, engagement features for securing, and a spring-biased mechanism for automatic retraction. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-biased spindle mechanism automatically retracts the seat cover to the stored position after deployment, eliminating the need for manual retraction. The engagement features automatically secure the cover in both deployed and stored positions, providing self-service functionality that improves reliability while minimizing the need for additional complex control mechanisms.
3Shape
If the seat cover is designed to be concealed when stored, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the ease of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seat cover and spindle mechanism are stored in a concealed location beneath the seat cushion, nesting the mechanical components within the existing seat structure. This hides the assembly mechanism from view when the cover is not in use, maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle interior while allowing the mechanism to be accessed when needed.
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 solution provides effective protection for vehicle seats and seatbacks from stains and damage, while being easy to deploy and conceal, enhancing user convenience and maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the vehicle interior.
Implementation Method 1
A spring-biased spindle is coupled with an attachment end of the seat cover assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat and a seatback pivotally coupled with the seat. A seatcover assembly is disposed below the seat. The seatcover assembly is operable between a stored position and a deployed position. A spring-biased spindle is coupled with an attachment end of the seatcover assembly. A seatcover is configured to be wrapped around the spindle in the stored position and withdrawn from the spring-biased spindle in the deployed position. An engagement rod is coupled with an intermediate portion of the seatcover and is configured to securely engage a biteline disposed between the seat and the seatback. A plurality of engagement features removably secure side edges of the seatcover with the seat.