Vehicle Seat Bracket Fixing Structure Preventing Wall Deflection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat slide devices face issues with support rigidity due to potential deflection of vertical walls under fastening force, leading to tilting and reduced durability, and may generate contact noise and compromise smooth movement.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat slide device with a bracket fixing structure featuring a cutout portion in the upper rail, where the nut member is positioned between vertical walls, and a support for the bolt from below, ensuring the vertical walls are securely fastened and reducing the likelihood of tilting and noise, while maintaining smooth movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If two vertical walls are interposed between the bolt and the nut based on fastening force, then the bracket can be fixed to the upper rail, but the vertical walls may be deflected due to the fastening force causing the bracket to tilt and support rigidity to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bracket into two separate brackets (first bracket and second bracket) that are fixed to the upper rail independently. Each bracket has its own vertical walls and fastening mechanism, eliminating the interference between vertical walls that caused deflection in the single-bracket design. This segmentation allows each bracket to maintain proper alignment without being compromised by adjacent structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a support member as an intermediary element between the lower rail and the first bracket. This support member provides additional structural reinforcement that prevents the first bracket from tilting under fastening forces, thereby maintaining the vertical alignment and support rigidity of the overall seat assembly.
2Reliability
If the bracket is fixed using a bolt and nut member configuration, then the bracket can be securely fastened, but contact noise may be generated between the upper rail and the nut member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a buffer member as an intermediary element positioned between the upper rail and the nut member. This buffer member absorbs and dampens the contact forces that generate noise, while still allowing the bolt-nut mechanism to maintain secure fastening. The buffer member acts as a noise-isolating intermediary that preserves fastening reliability without transmitting harmful contact vibrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a buffer member made of elastomeric material that combines the properties of flexibility and damping. This composite approach allows the fastening system to maintain rigid mechanical connection for reliability while the elastomeric buffer provides noise isolation, effectively combining hard fastening elements with soft damping material to eliminate contact noise.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A vehicle seat slide device includes: an upper rail (12) including a bracket support (60) having side walls (55) and an upper wall (56) connecting upper ends of the side walls; a lower rail (11) supporting the upper rail so as to be relatively movable; and a bracket (20) fixed to the bracket support. A cutout portion (70) open upward is formed in the bracket support, a nut member (74) which can be screwed to a bolt (71) inserted into the bracket support via a terminal of the bracket support is disposed in the cutout portion, the bracket includes first and second vertical walls (61, 62) having an insertion hole (72) into which the bolt is inserted, and which oppose each other, the first vertical wall is fixed to the terminal, and the second vertical wall is arranged inside the cutout portion at a position where the nut member is interposed between the first and second vertical walls.