Seat Air Supply Panel Structure for Screwless Component Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing air supply apparatuses for vehicle seats face challenges in simplifying the mounting process of functional components like airbags and pumps, which are often complex and require fastening members.
Innovation Solution
The air supply apparatus features a support panel made of resin material with specific structural elements such as restriction walls, coupling walls, and guide walls that securely hold functional components like a valve unit without the need for screws or bolts, ensuring easy and stable mounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fastening members like screws or bolts are used to mount functional components on the support panel, then the mounting stability is improved, but the device complexity and ease of manufacture deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The support panel integrates multiple structural elements (base, restriction walls, coupling walls, guide walls, and pressing portions) into a single unified resin component. This merging eliminates the need for separate fastening members like screws or bolts, while maintaining secure mounting of functional components through the integrated wall structures that sandwich and position components firmly.
Solution Approach 2:
The support panel's own structural elements (restriction walls, coupling walls, guide walls, and pressing portions) perform the mounting function directly without requiring external fastening members. The resin material itself provides both the structural support and the securing mechanism through its molded wall features that engage with functional components.
2Reliability
If multiple separate components are used to secure functional components, then the mounting reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate securing components (restriction walls, coupling walls, guide walls, pressing portions) are merged into a single molded resin support panel. This integration maintains the functional securing capabilities while dramatically simplifying manufacturing, as the entire mounting structure is produced in one molding operation rather than requiring assembly of multiple separate parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The resin support panel serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support through the base, secures functional components through restriction walls and pressing portions, positions components through guide walls, and connects structural elements through coupling walls. This multi-functionality in a single component improves manufacturing efficiency while maintaining mounting reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the support panel structure is simplified, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the stability and gap minimization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The support panel combines multiple structural functions into a single integrated resin component with optimized wall structures. The restriction walls, coupling walls, guide walls, and pressing portions work together as a unified system that provides structural stability and minimizes gaps, while the entire structure is manufactured in one operation, maintaining ease of production.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of resin material allows for optimized wall thickness, flexibility, and molding capabilities that create a structurally stable support panel. The resin can be molded to create precise geometric features (walls and portions) that provide stability and gap minimization while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through injection molding or similar processes.
Data Source
AI summary
An air supply apparatus supplies air to an airbag of a seat includes a support panel and a functional component. A first direction is a thickness of the base, a second direction is orthogonal to the first direction, and a direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction is a third direction. A first restriction wall and a second restriction wall extend from the base in the first direction, spaced at an interval in the second direction, and sandwich the functional component in the second direction. A coupling wall extends from the base in the first direction and couples the first restriction wall to the second restriction wall in the second direction. Two guide walls are spaced in the third direction and sandwich the functional component in the third direction. Pressing portions sandwich the functional component together with the coupling wall in the first direction.