Vehicular Seat Back Table Rack Gear Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seat back tables in vehicles experience noise generation and operational inefficiencies due to the rotational mechanism, where the table member is spaced apart from the rear surface of the seat back, affecting smooth unfolding and folding.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular seat back table apparatus with a guide member and rack gear system, including a pinion and rotating hinge shaft member, along with an elastic bias and damping unit, to ensure uniform speed and smooth operation, and a guide roller unit for precise movement, minimizing noise and improving operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a multi link typed seat back table is used, then the table can be unfolded from the seat back, but the table member is rotated while spaced apart from the rear surface of the seat back, generating noise and reducing operational smoothness
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member with a rack gear portion is introduced as an intermediary between the table member and the seat back. The rack gear portion engages with a pinion to control the rotation of the table member, ensuring it rotates while maintaining contact with the rear surface of the seat back. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the spacing and irregular rotation problems, reducing noise and improving operational smoothness.
2Productivity
If a conventional sliding table structure is used, then the table can be folded and unfolded, but the rotation mechanism causes the table member to be spaced apart from the seat back, affecting operational continuity
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides a rack gear portion for controlled rotation, acts as a guide for the pinion movement, and maintains the table member's contact with the seat back surface. This merging of functions simplifies the overall mechanism while improving operational continuity and reducing the complexity of separate rotation and guidance systems.
3Reliability
If the table member rotates while spaced apart from the seat back, then the folding mechanism can operate, but noise is generated and operational smoothness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member with rack gear portion creates a constrained rotation path that keeps the table member in constant contact with the seat back surface throughout the folding and unfolding operations. This equipotential contact condition eliminates gaps and irregular movements that cause noise and vibration, ensuring reliable and smooth operation throughout the entire range of motion.
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 apparatus reduces noise and enhances operability by maintaining a uniform speed during unfolding and folding, ensuring smooth and reliable operation with improved continuity and secure length of the unfolded table.
Implementation Method 1
a guide member installed at each of both sides of a table installation space of a backrest and including a rack gear portion, a driving shaft at which a pinion, which is rotatably installed at a guide frame and engaged with the rack gear portion of the guide member
Implementation Method 2
an elastic bias portion configured to support the guide frame to move upwardly along the guide member
Implementation Method 3
a damping unit installed at the guide frame and the guide member and configured to provide a damping force when the guide frame, which moves along the guide member, is lifted or lowered
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a vehicular seat back table apparatus including: a guide member installed at each of both sides of a table installation space of a backrest and including a rack gear portion; a driving shaft at which a pinion rotatably, which is installed at a guide frame and engaged with the rack gear portion of the guide member, is installed; a driving unit rotated by a rotation varying unit connected to the driving shaft, installed at a side surface of a table, and including a rotating hinge shaft member configured to provide a rotational force to rotate the table when the pinion is moved along the rack gear portion; and an elastic bias portion configured to support the guide frame to move upwardly along the guide member.