Vehicle Seat Attachment Automatic Unlocking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle seat attachment systems fail to securely and releasably lock the seat in normal, folded, and wound positions, and lack an automatic unlocking mechanism for easy conversion between these states without operator intervention.

Innovation Solution

A seat attachment system featuring a rotatable seat receiving element connected to a seat base with two receptacles that engage a body-fixed part, utilizing a crash safety lever and winding safety lever for secure locking and torque transmission, allowing the seat to be automatically secured and unlocked by folding the receiving element, enabling secure folding and removal without manual operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the seat is locked in normal position using conventional attachment systems, then the seat is secured to the body, but the seat cannot be easily converted to folded or wound positions without manual unlocking operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of position conversionVSAvoidsecure locking
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The seat attachment system performs automatic unlocking through self-service mechanisms. When the seat is folded or wound, the receptacles automatically disengage from the body-fixed part without requiring manual operation. The system uses the mechanical movement of folding/winding to trigger the unlocking action, making the system serve itself during position conversion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The locking mechanism transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic state during folding/winding operations. The receptacles are designed to maintain engagement during normal use but automatically disengage when the seat undergoes folding or winding motion, allowing the system to adapt its locking behavior based on the operational state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the seat receiving element is made rotatable to enable folding and winding, then the seat can be converted between positions, but the locking reliability during rotation may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition conversion capabilityVSAvoidlocking security during rotation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The seat attachment system is segmented into distinct functional components: the rotatable seat receiving element, the non-rotatable seat base with receptacles, and the body-fixed part. This segmentation allows the receiving element to rotate independently for position conversion while the receptacles remain stationary to maintain reliable locking engagement with the body-fixed part.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The receptacles act as an intermediary between the rotatable seat receiving element and the body-fixed part. During rotation, the receptacles maintain a stable connection point that transmits forces and torques while allowing the receiving element to change position, thus mediating between the need for rotation and the need for secure locking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Extent of automation

If conventional attachment systems are used, then the seat can be locked in normal position, but the system lacks automatic unlocking function for easy removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic unlocking functionVSAvoidattachment system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-positioning the receptacles on the seat base such that they are ready to automatically disengage from the body-fixed part when the seat is folded or wound. The geometric arrangement of the receptacles and the body-fixed part is designed in advance to enable automatic unlocking without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If the receptacles are designed to engage the body-fixed part securely, then crash-proof locking is achieved, but the receptacles cannot easily disengage for position conversion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrash-proof lockingVSAvoidease of disengagement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The engagement between receptacles and body-fixed part is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The receptacles maintain secure engagement during normal use and crash conditions but are designed to automatically disengage when the seat undergoes folding or winding motion, allowing the same connection to serve both secure locking and easy position conversion requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2939870B1Seat attachment for a vehicle seat
Publication Date: 2019.03.27 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP2939870B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2939870B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2939870B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a vehicle seat (F) with at least one body-side seat mounting (100) which securely locks the vehicle seat (F) in its normal position (I) to a body (200) in a crash-proof manner and which unlocks the vehicle seat (F) for removal into a removal position (III) relative to the body (200), and which, while maintaining the body-side locking, allows the vehicle seat (F) to be folded into a folded position and/or, in the case of a prior folding of a backrest onto a seat part (12), into a coiled position (II) in which the body-fixed seat mounting (100) absorbs a torque and supports the vehicle seat (F) relative to the body (200).