Vehicle Seat Roller Guide Wear Detection via Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seat roller guides face challenges in detecting wear of running rollers due to inaccessibility and material abrasion, leading to potential noise, misalignment, and damage.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat roller guide design with laterally open guide rails and running rollers featuring distinct areas of varying electrical conductivity, allowing for non-destructive wear detection through resistance measurement between the guide rail, axle member, and roller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the running roller is built in inaccessibly within the guide rail, then the roller guide structure is compact and integrated, but visual inspection of wear is difficult without dismantling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/visual inspection methods with electrical resistance measurement. By measuring the electrical resistance between the guide rail and axle member, wear of the running roller can be detected without dismantling the compact structure. The electrical measurement system substitutes for physical inspection, maintaining structural integration while enabling easy wear detection.
2Productivity
If the running roller rolls continuously in the guide rail, then the vehicle seat operates smoothly, but material abrasion causes wear and potential failure over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by continuously or periodically measuring the electrical resistance between the guide rail and axle member. As wear progresses and the running roller diameter decreases, the resistance changes provide feedback about the roller's condition. This allows for predictive maintenance, replacing rollers before complete failure occurs, thus maintaining reliability while preserving operational smoothness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary detection of wear through electrical resistance measurement before actual failure occurs. By monitoring resistance changes that indicate wear progression, maintenance can be performed proactively rather than reactively, preventing noise, misalignment, and complete failure while maintaining smooth operation during the roller's service life.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the running roller wears down due to material abrasion, then operational time is extended, but misalignment and noise occur reducing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical resistance measurement provides continuous feedback about the running roller's wear state. As the roller wears and its outer diameter decreases, causing misalignment within the guide rail, the resistance changes detect this degradation. This feedback enables timely replacement before significant misalignment and noise occur, maintaining manufacturing precision throughout the operational lifecycle.
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
Enables simple and non-destructive detection of roller wear, preventing damage by alerting for replacement when wear is detected, thus maintaining operational efficiency and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical conductivity of the first area is lower than an electrical conductivity of the second area
Implementation Method 2
allowing for non-destructive wear detection through resistance measurement between the guide rail, axle member, and roller
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a roller guide which has at least one guide rail which is at least partially sideways open and at least one running roller rolling in the guide rail, connected to parts of the vehicle seat via an axle member, wherein a running surface of the running roller is rollable along a roller-underside inner wall of the guide rail arranged parallel or at an angle to a middle axle of the running roller, wherein the running roller comprises at least a first area and a second area, wherein the first area forms at least a part of the running surface and the second area is arranged in a radial direction of the running roller at least partially between the axle member and the first area and in contact with both. According to the invention, an electrical conductivity of the first area is lower than an electrical conductivity of the second area.