Vehicle Seat Back Cushion Hardness Layout for Cornering Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat cushions face inadequate support performance during vehicle cornering or collisions due to insufficient pressure distribution from low hardness inner side portions.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle seat design incorporates a cushion with a main portion and side portions, where the first portion is more compressible than the second portion, maintaining seating comfort while enhancing support performance by allowing the headrest to displace and abut the occupant's head during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the inner side portions are made of low hardness urethane foam to provide seating comfort, then the occupant's torso and shoulders are loosely supported reducing pressure feeling, but the support performance becomes insufficient when pressure is applied to side portions during cornering or collision
Solution Approach 1:
The cushion is divided into regions with different hardness characteristics: the inner side portions and main portion use low hardness foam for comfort, while the outer side portions use high hardness foam for support. This local differentiation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The side portions are segmented into inner side portions and outer side portions with different material properties. The inner side portions are further divided into upper and lower portions. This segmentation allows the cushion to provide both comfort and support performance simultaneously by assigning different functional characteristics to different segments.
2Ease of manufacture
If the inner side portions are formed continuous in the vertical direction to simplify structure, then manufacturing is easier, but the support performance becomes insufficient when load shifts during cornering or collision
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous inner side portion is divided into an upper inner side portion and a lower inner side portion. This segmentation allows the lower portion to provide firm support during load transfer while the upper portion maintains comfort, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and support performance.
3Reliability
If the outer side portions are made of high hardness urethane foam to maintain support performance, then the occupant is firmly supported, but the seating comfort is reduced compared to low hardness portions
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the cushion are assigned different hardness levels: high hardness for outer side portions to provide firm support, and low hardness for inner side portions and main portion to provide comfort. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by ensuring each region performs its intended function.
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
This design effectively improves cushion support performance while maintaining seating comfort, reducing head movement during collisions by allowing the headrest to quickly abut the occupant's head, thus enhancing safety.
Implementation Method 1
The first portion and the main portion are configured to elastically compress easier than the second portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat includes a seat cushion, and a seat back that is connected to the seat cushion in a manner so as to be able to be raised and reclined. The seat back has a cushion that supports an occupant. The cushion includes a main portion that opposes a torso of the occupant, and a side portion that is arranged on an outside of the main portion in a seat with direction and that protrudes toward a seating side of the seat back. The side portion includes a first portion that is arranged on an upper portion of the side portion and opposes a shoulder of the occupant when the seat hack is in an upright position, and a second portion that forms the side portion other than the first portion. The first portion and the main portion are configured to elastically compress easier than the second portion.