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 and a resin seat back frame that is only partially overmolded, featuring openings to allow visual inspection of the reinforcement through the seat back frame, reducing pressure and enabling verification of proper positioning and damage assessment post-molding.

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 seat back frame is overmolded onto only a portion of the pultrusion reinforcement, rather than completely enclosing it. This allows the reinforcement to remain partially exposed for visual inspection while still achieving sufficient structural strength through the overmolded portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If a large amount of pressure is applied during the overmold process, then the bonding between the resin frame and reinforcement member is improved, but the reinforcement member may be damaged or misaligned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding between frame and reinforcementVSAvoiddamage to reinforcement member

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By applying overmolding pressure to only a portion of the reinforcement member rather than the entire length, the patent reduces the total force applied to the reinforcement, thereby minimizing the risk of damage or misalignment while still achieving adequate bonding in the overmolded region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Shape

If the reinforcement member is completely covered by the overmold portion, then the aesthetic appearance and structural continuity are improved, but it becomes impossible to determine whether the reinforcement is damaged or misaligned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural continuity of seat back frameVSAvoidinformation about reinforcement condition

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent deliberately leaves portions of the pultrusion reinforcement exposed and not covered by the resin overmold, creating a balance where structural continuity is maintained in the covered regions while critical portions remain visible for quality inspection and damage detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12168405B2Seat back frame assemblies and seat assemblies including pultrusion reinforcements

Publication Date: 2024.12.17 BASF SE

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.