Vehicle Seat Back Panel Integrated Toe Kick Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat back panels lack an integrated toe kick feature that effectively protects users from contacting underlying equipment, requiring labor-intensive manual attachment methods.
Innovation Solution
A back panel design incorporating an upper layer, a lower layer, an adhesive layer, and a toe kick, where the lower and adhesive layers extend beyond the upper layer to securely fix the toe kick, integrated during manufacturing through welding, eliminating the need for separate attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the toe kick is attached manually using sewing, velcro or other attachment methods, then the toe kick can be secured to the back panel, but the manufacturing process becomes labor intensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The toe kick is integrated directly into the back panel structure during the manufacturing process, merging two separate components (toe kick and back panel) into a single unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate attachment operations such as sewing or velcro application, thereby reducing labor intensity while maintaining secure attachment through structural integration
2Reliability
If the lower layer and adhesive layer extend beyond the bottom of the upper layer to the first end portion of the toe kick, then the toe kick is firmly fixed to the back panel, but the material consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lower layer and adhesive layer are designed to extend beyond the upper layer in advance, creating a pre-positioned bonding area that naturally captures the toe kick during assembly. This preliminary extension of materials ensures firm fixation without requiring excessive material, as the extended portions are precisely positioned to make contact only where needed with the toe kick
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
The integrated toe kick provides user protection from equipment while simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating manual attachment, ensuring a secure and efficient assembly of the back panel.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive layer arranged between the upper layer and the lower layer and fixing the upper layer to the lower layer
Implementation Method 2
welding the stack to form a one piece back panel comprising a lower layer, an adhesive layer, an upper layer and a toe kick
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a back panel (1) for a vehicle seat. The back panel (1) comprises an upper layer (3), a lower layer (5) supporting the upper layer (3), an adhesive layer (7) arranged between the upper layer (3) and the lower layer (5) and fixing the upper layer (3) to the lower layer (5), and a toe kick (9) having a first end portion (11) abutting a bottom (13) of the upper layer (3). The lower layer (5) and the adhesive layer (7) extend beyond the bottom (13) of the upper layer (3) to the first end portion (11) of the toe kick (9), and the first end portion (11) of the toe kick (9) is fixed to the lower layer (5) by the adhesive layer (7).