Rotatable End Stop Lever for Vehicle Seat Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat adjusters do not effectively facilitate easy entry and egress by limiting the range of seat movement, restricting the ability to transition from a comfort position to an easy entry position without mechanical intervention.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat adjuster system comprising a cross member, an adjustable end stop lever, and a lockset mechanism that allows the seat to move from a comfort range to an easy entry range by rotating the end stop lever, enabling independent rotation of the cross member and engaging/disengaging the lockset to restrict or permit movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an end stop bracket is used to prevent seat movement beyond comfort range, then seat position stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to access easy entry position
Solution Approach 1:
The end stop lever is designed to be rotatable between a first position (blocking easy entry range) and a second position (allowing easy entry range). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to switch between providing stable comfort range limitation and enabling easy entry access, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of seat movement restriction by rotating the end stop lever between two positions. In the first position, the lever engages the end stop bracket to restrict movement to comfort range only. In the second position, the lever disengages to permit movement into easy entry range. This parameter change allows the same mechanism to serve both stability and accessibility needs.
2Ease of operation
If the seat is allowed to move into easy entry range, then ease of operation is improved, but seat position control deteriorates due to loss of mechanical obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The end stop lever provides dynamic control by being rotatable between engagement and disengagement positions. When in the second position, it allows easy entry range access while maintaining the capability to restore position control by rotating back to the first position, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and position control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the user to manually rotate the end stop lever to enable easy entry range access, and the lever automatically engages the end stop bracket when returned to the first position, providing self-service position control without requiring additional mechanical obstruction or complex control systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed end stop bracket is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability deteriorates due to inability to adjust between comfort and easy entry ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The end stop lever is designed as a simple rotatable component that can be manufactured with basic machining operations. Its ability to rotate between two positions provides adaptability for both comfort range limitation and easy entry range access, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and adaptability without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The end stop lever serves multiple functions: it acts as a position limiter when in the first position and as an enabler for easy entry range when in the second position. This multi-functionality allows a single simple component to provide both comfort range protection and easy entry access, eliminating the need for separate adjustable mechanisms.
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 seamless transition from a comfort position to an easy entry position, enhancing ingress and egress by allowing the seat to move into the easy entry range without mechanical obstruction, improving user accessibility and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
the adjustable end stop lever is configured to rotate between a first position in which the adjustable end stop lever engages the end stop bracket and prevents movement of a seat from a comfort range into an easy entry range, and a second position in which the adjustable end stop does not prevent movement of the seat from the comfort range into the easy entry range
Implementation Method 2
the cross member is capable of rotating independently of the adjustable end stop lever
Data Source
AI summary
A seat adjuster may include an end stop bracket and an adjustable end stop lever. An adjustable end stop lever may be configured to rotate between a first position in which the adjustable end stop lever engages the end stop bracket and prevents movement of a seat from a comfort range into an easy entry range, and a second position in which the adjustable end stop does not prevent movement of the seat from the comfort range into the easy entry range.