Seat back frame assemblies and seat assemblies including pultrusion reinforcements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Previous seat back frame overmold processes apply excessive pressure to reinforcement members, potentially damaging them and making it difficult to inspect for misalignment, as the overmold portion covers the reinforcement during the process.

Innovation Solution

A seat back assembly with a pultrusion reinforcement made of continuous glass fiber reinforced resin, where the seat back frame is only partially overmolded to allow visual inspection through a series of openings, including apertures and slots, ensuring the reinforcement is undamaged and properly positioned.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the seat back frame is fully overmolded into the pultrusion reinforcement, then the strength and structural integrity of the seat back frame is improved, but the reinforcement member becomes hidden and cannot be visually inspected for damage or misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of seat back frameVSAvoidvisual inspection of reinforcement

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial overmolding where the resin frame is overmolded onto only a portion of the pultrusion reinforcement, specifically covering the front surface while leaving the rear surface and portions of side surfaces exposed. This partial action allows the reinforcement to remain visible for inspection while still achieving sufficient structural strength through the overmolded portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional overmold processes are used, then the seat back frame can be formed, but excessive pressure is applied to the reinforcement member causing damage or misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformation of seat back frameVSAvoidintegrity of reinforcement member

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by creating different overmolding characteristics in different regions. The front surface of the pultrusion reinforcement receives full overmolding coverage for structural strength, while the rear surface and portions of side surfaces have reduced or no overmolding, minimizing pressure application in these critical inspection areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If the reinforcement member is fully covered by the overmold portion, then the structural integrity is maximized, but it becomes impossible to determine whether the reinforcement member is damaged or misaligned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrity of seat back frameVSAvoidvisibility of reinforcement status

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the overmolding coverage into distinct regions: a first overmolded portion covering the front surface of the pultrusion reinforcement, and a second portion that is at least partially exposed. This segmentation allows different functional requirements to be met simultaneously - structural integrity where needed and inspection visibility where critical.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4209388A1Seat back frame assemblies and seat assemblies including pultrusion reinforcements

Publication Date: 2023.07.12 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

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AI summary

A seat back assembly including a pultrusion reinforcement and a seat back frame formed of a resin material, the seat back frame is only partially overmolded onto the pultrusion reinforcement such that the pultrusion reinforcement is configured to be visually inspected through a plurality of openings formed in the seat back frame.