Automotive Seat Inflatable Cushion Air Supply Integration

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional automotive seats with inflatable air cushion systems face issues of vibration and noise transmission to the seat occupant due to the separate air supply unit being placed on the floor, which occupies space and is difficult to mount properly.

Innovation Solution

The air supply units are integrated into the seat back, supported by wire elements configured in a basket-like structure, and covered with an elastic cover to absorb noise and vibration, preventing their transmission to the seat occupant.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the air supply unit is disposed on the floor to avoid vibration transmission, then vibration transmission to the seat is reduced, but the floor area occupied increases and mounting becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration transmissionVSAvoidfloor area occupied

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The air supply unit is merged with the seat back structure, integrating components that were previously separated. The control unit is housed within the seat back frame, combining the air supply function with the seat structure, thereby eliminating the need for separate floor mounting while maintaining vibration isolation benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A buffer member is introduced as an intermediary element between the air supply unit and the seat back frame. This buffer member absorbs and isolates vibrations generated by the air supply unit, preventing their transmission to the seat structure while allowing the unit to be mounted within the seat back, thus resolving both the vibration transmission and floor space issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the air supply unit is disposed on the floor to avoid vibration transmission, then vibration transmission to the seat is reduced, but mounting complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration transmissionVSAvoidmounting difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The air supply unit is merged with the seat back structure, integrating components that were previously separated. The control unit is housed within the seat back frame, combining the air supply function with the seat structure, thereby eliminating the need for separate floor mounting while maintaining vibration isolation benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A buffer member is introduced as an intermediary element between the air supply unit and the seat back frame. This buffer member absorbs and isolates vibrations generated by the air supply unit, preventing their transmission to the seat structure while allowing the unit to be mounted within the seat back, thus resolving both the vibration transmission and floor space issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If the air supply unit is integrated into the seat back, then floor space is freed up and mounting is simplified, but vibration and noise transmission to the occupant increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloor area availableVSAvoidvibration and noise transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A buffer member is introduced as an intermediary element between the air supply unit and the seat back frame. This buffer member absorbs and isolates vibrations generated by the air supply unit, preventing their transmission to the seat structure while allowing the unit to be mounted within the seat back, thus resolving both the vibration transmission and floor space issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer member functions as a flexible isolation element that absorbs vibrations. This flexible component acts as a protective barrier between the vibration-generating air supply unit and the rigid seat back frame, reducing noise and vibration transmission to the occupant while enabling integrated mounting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

This solution effectively reduces noise and vibration, allowing for comfortable seating by dispersing vibrations through a grid-like wire support system and counterbalancing sympathetic vibrations, providing stable support without occupying floor space.

Implementation Method 1

covered with an elastic cover to absorb noise and vibration, preventing their transmission to the seat occupant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 2

covered with an elastic cover to absorb noise and vibration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNoise absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 3

dispersing vibrations through a grid-like wire support system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration dispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Implementation Method 4

counterbalancing sympathetic vibrations, providing stable support

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSympathetic vibration counterbalancing: Resonance

Data Source

PatentUS7216934B1Automotive seat with inflatable cushion device

Publication Date: 2007.05.15 TACHI S CO LTD

AI summary

In a seat back of automotive seat with an inflatable cushion device, an inflatable cushion element and a pair of air supply units are provided as constituent elements of the inflatable cushion device. In particular, a pair of support wire elements are provided to a seat back frame in the seat back so as to supportively receive the two air supply units, respectively. Specifically, those two support wire elements are fixedly connected with respective two upper portions respectively of two lateral frame portions of the seat back frame. Each of the two air supply units is covered with an elastic cover.