Vehicle Seat Adjusting Device Plastic Steel Thread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat adjustment devices often produce interfering noises due to insufficient greasing between steel-steel pairings, and they lack sufficient strength.
Innovation Solution
A spindle nut with a metal base body and a plastic internal thread, or a spindle with a metal base and a plastic external thread, is used to reduce noise and enhance strength by providing a friction partner for the steel components, allowing for a pure plastic-steel contact during adjustment and absorbing crash loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a steel-on-steel pairing is used in the adjustment device, then the strength is sufficient, but disruptive noises occur due to insufficient lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite material system consisting of a plastic spindle nut with integrated steel reinforcing cups. The plastic material provides self-lubricating properties that eliminate disruptive noises during adjustment, while the steel reinforcing cups provide the necessary strength and rigidity. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties within a single component.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a plastic spindle nut is used to reduce noise, then the lubrication is sufficient, but the strength is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic spindle nut is reinforced with steel cups that are rotationally fixed to the plastic body. The steel cups provide the necessary strength and load-bearing capacity, while the plastic material maintains its noise-reducing lubrication properties. This composite construction allows the component to simultaneously achieve both strength and noise reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The spindle nut is divided into functionally distinct segments: the plastic base material provides self-lubrication and noise reduction, while the integrated steel reinforcing cups provide structural strength. This segmentation of functions within a single component allows simultaneous optimization of both noise reduction and strength without requiring separate components.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the internal thread is made entirely of plastic, then the noise is reduced, but the load-bearing capacity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The internal thread structure combines plastic and steel materials. The plastic portion of the internal thread provides self-lubrication and noise reduction, while the steel reinforcing cups provide enhanced load-bearing capacity. This composite thread structure resolves the contradiction by allowing each material to contribute its superior properties to the overall thread performance.
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 significantly reduces disturbing noises during adjustment and increases the strength of the adjustment device by using a metal base with a plastic component to mitigate noise issues and enhance load-bearing capacity.
Implementation Method 1
noise during adjustment of the adjusting device, which is often caused by insufficient lubrication between steel-to-steel pairings
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an adjusting device (3) for a vehicle seat (1) comprising at least one first adjusting element (5), at least one second adjusting element (7) that moves relative to the first adjusting element (5), a spindle (11) associated with the first adjusting element (5) and having an outer thread (13) for cooperating with an inner thread (64) of a spindle nut (60) associated with the second adjusting element (7), wherein a base body (62) of the spindle nut (60) is made of metal, in particular steel, and at least sections of the inner thread (64) of the spindle nut (60) is made of a plastic or is covered with a plastic layer. The invention also relates to a vehicle seat (1) having an adjusting device (3) of this type.