Fold-Flat Vehicle Seat Back With Removable Access Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable vehicle seats face challenges in accessing and connecting electronic, electrical, and pneumatic components after the seat foam and trim are installed, which complicates assembly and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring a frame with an aperture in the seat back that allows access through the rear, equipped with a removable load-bearing aperture cover and a hinge for pivoting between deployed and stowed positions, enabling flexible access and internal component mounting while maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the seat back is made solid without apertures to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but access to internal components becomes difficult requiring disassembly of seat foam and trim
Solution Approach 1:
The seat back is segmented into multiple functional layers: a frame structure providing structural integrity, seat foam for comfort, trim for aesthetics, and a removable aperture cover for access. This segmentation allows each layer to fulfill its specific function while collectively solving the contradiction between structural strength and component accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture cover is extracted as a separate removable component from the seat back structure. This allows the cover to be removed independently to access internal components without disassembling the seat foam or trim, maintaining both structural integrity and ease of access.
2Ease of operation
If the aperture cover is made removable to enable access to internal components, then ease of operation is improved, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture cover is pre-designed with attachment features that allow it to be securely fastened to the frame before use. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the cover is in place, it maintains the structural integrity of the seat back, and only needs to be removed when access is required.
3Ease of manufacture
If the seat back is designed as a single solid piece to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability for different configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The seat back is divided into modular components (frame, foam, trim, aperture cover) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity for each component while enabling adaptability through different assembly configurations and the removable aperture cover.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture cover serves multiple functions: it maintains structural integrity when closed, provides access to internal components when removed, and can be positioned in different locations on the frame. This multi-functionality increases adaptability without complicating the manufacturing of individual components.
4Ease of operation
If the aperture is positioned to provide easy access to internal components, then ease of operation is improved, but structural strength of the seat back is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture function is extracted from the main seat back structure and implemented through a separate removable cover. This allows the aperture to be positioned for optimal access without creating a permanent weak point in the seat back structure, as the cover can be securely attached when not in use.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat (10) comprising: a seat base (12) coupled to a seat back (14) at a hinge (16), the seat back (14) being configured to pivot about the hinge (16) relative to the seat base (12) between a deployed position and a stowed position; wherein, in the stowed position, the seat back (14) forms at least a part of a load bearing floor (30) of a vehicle loadspace (32); wherein the seat back (14) comprises: a frame (18) having an aperture (20) for access through the seat back (14) between a rear (22) of the seat back (14) and a front (24) of the seat back (14); and a removable load bearing aperture cover (26) for covering the aperture (20).