3D Effect Seat Complex with Deformable Strip Housings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing seat complexes with animations are costly due to manual labor and material wastage, and fail to achieve a three-dimensional effect at seams, limiting style options.
Innovation Solution
A process involving joining upper and lower yokes with longitudinal and transverse seams, creating housings for deformable strips, and folding excess material to achieve a 3D effect, allowing for automation and reduced material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual assembly methods are used to join yokes and inserts, then flexibility in creating animation designs is improved, but labor costs and production time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The seat complex is divided into modular components (yokes, inserts, deformable bands) that can be manufactured separately and assembled systematically. The yokes are segmented into upper and lower parts with defined connection zones, allowing standardized joining processes while maintaining design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The yokes are pre-formed with specific geometries including recesses and connection zones before assembly. The deformable bands are pre-positioned within the longitudinal housings, enabling automated or semi-automated assembly processes while preserving design adaptability.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional sewing methods are used to join yokes, then simplicity of the process is maintained, but material waste increases and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The upper and lower yokes are merged into a single integrated structure through direct joining at transverse zones, eliminating the need for separate insert assembly in those areas. This reduces both material waste and process complexity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The yokes are designed with variable thickness and geometry parameters, including excess material at transverse zones that is folded back during assembly. This optimized material distribution reduces waste while maintaining structural integrity and simplifying the joining process.
3Ease of manufacture
If flat seam construction is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but aesthetic quality and style options are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The seat complex transitions from a flat 2D construction to a 3D structure by folding back excess yoke material at transverse zones. This creates raised seams and volume effects that enhance aesthetic quality while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized folding and joining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable bands inserted in longitudinal housings create curved and three-dimensional patterns when the seat is assembled. These curved elements provide aesthetic variety and style options without complicating the fundamental manufacturing process.
4Shape
If excessive yoke material is present at transverse zones, then 3D effect and style options are improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The excess yoke material at transverse zones is folded back on itself to create the 3D effect, utilizing the material's own structure rather than requiring additional components or complex processing equipment. This self-service approach enhances aesthetic quality while limiting processing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is intended to produce a seat complex (CS). The method comprises the following steps: (i) securing together an upper underlay (ES) and a lower underlay (EI), which are to form part of a seat complex (CS), by making two longitudinal seams (CLB) along two respective longitudinal edges (BL), and at least one longitudinal seam (CLI), comprising, at at least one chosen point, a kink (DC) pointing toward a transverse zone, in an intermediate part (PI) situated between the two longitudinal edges (BL) so as to define at least two longitudinal housings (LL) between the lower underlay (EI) and the upper underlay (ES), (ii) installing a deformable strip (BD) in each longitudinal housing (LL), (iii) securing together the lower underlay (EI) and upper underlay (ES) by making in each transverse zone a transverse seam (CT1) that passes through a corresponding kink (DC), by folding an excess of upper underlay (ES) brought about by the presence of this kink (DC) onto itself in order, within each longitudinal housing, (LL) to define sub-parts (SP) containing parts of the corresponding deformable strip (BD), and (iv) securing together the lower underlay (EI) and upper underlay (ES) by making two transverse seams (CT2) along two respective transverse edges (BT) in order to finish making the seat complex (CS).