Vehicle Seat Device with Slow Deformation Foam and Rearward-Tilt Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seat devices often fail to maintain proper seating alignment, leading to increased fatigue in occupants, especially when sitting for extended periods, as the waist can become displaced forward from the correct seating location, causing discomfort and further displacement during deceleration.
Innovation Solution
The seat device incorporates a slow deformation foam and rearward-tilt elastic plates within the seat cushion, where the slow deformation foam is designed to compress gradually under continuous load, and the rearward-tilt plates tilt rearward to support the occupant's buttocks and waist, maintaining alignment and preventing forward displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional seat cushions are used, then the structure is simple, but the occupant's seating alignment cannot be maintained, causing the waist to displace forward and increasing fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The seat cushion is divided into multiple functional layers: a slow deformation portion made of viscoelastic material and a rearward-tilt member positioned within it. This segmentation allows each layer to perform a specific function - the slow deformation portion provides gradual support while the rearward-tilt member actively prevents forward displacement, together maintaining seating alignment without requiring a completely complex structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the time-dependent deformation parameter of viscoelastic material. The slow deformation portion exhibits different stiffness characteristics based on the duration of applied load, providing initial firm support that gradually softens over time. This parameter change enables the cushion to maintain alignment reliability while adapting to the occupant's body, resolving the contradiction between reliability and structural complexity
2Reliability
If the seat cushion provides firm support, then seating alignment is maintained, but comfort during extended sitting is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rearward-tilt member is designed to dynamically adjust its position in response to occupant movement and loading conditions. When the occupant sits, the member tilts rearward to maintain proper alignment; when the occupant shifts position, the member adapts accordingly. This dynamic behavior maintains alignment reliability while accommodating natural sitting movements, thereby improving comfort during extended sitting periods
Solution Approach 2:
The viscoelastic material's time-dependent mechanical properties enable the cushion to transition from a firm initial support to a softer long-term support. The slow deformation portion maintains alignment during the initial seating phase while gradually increasing comfort as the material deforms under continuous load, resolving the contradiction between alignment maintenance and sitting comfort
3Ease of operation
If the slow deformation portion deforms quickly, then comfort is improved, but the rearward-tilt member cannot maintain proper alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The separation of functions between the slow deformation portion and the rearward-tilt member resolves this contradiction. The slow deformation portion handles comfort by providing gradual softening under load, while the rearward-tilt member handles alignment maintenance through its geometric configuration and positioning. This functional segmentation allows each component to optimize its performance without compromising the other
Solution Approach 2:
The rearward-tilt member acts as an intermediary element that translates the gradual deformation of the viscoelastic material into effective alignment maintenance. As the slow deformation portion gradually softens under load, the rearward-tilt member maintains the proper seating angle, mediating between the comfort-providing deformation and the alignment-requiring structure
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 configuration effectively reduces fatigue by maintaining proper seating alignment, dispersing load to prevent forward displacement and promoting comfortable sitting, even when the occupant is not seated correctly, thereby reducing discomfort and fatigue during long periods of sitting.
Implementation Method 1
a slow deformation portion (12) disposed in at least a portion of the seat cushion (5) and configured in such a manner that deformation of the slow deformation portion (12) proceeds as a result of a load to be applied continuously to the slow deformation portion (12)
Implementation Method 2
a rearward-tilt member (13) disposed in a load direction in an inner portion of the slow deformation portion (12). When the slow deformation portion (12) is deformed by the load, the rearward-tilt member (13) is tilted rearward from a position thereof before the load is applied
Data Source
AI summary
A seat device for a vehicle includes a seat cushion, a slow deformation portion, and a rearward-tilt member. An occupant in the vehicle is to be seated on the seat cushion. The slow deformation portion is disposed in at least a portion of the seat cushion and is configured in such a manner that deformation of the deformation portion proceeds as a result of a load to be applied continuously to the slow deformation portion. The rearward-tilt member is disposed in a load direction in an inner portion of the slow deformation portion. When the slow deformation portion is deformed by the load, the rearward-tilt member is tilted rearward from its position before the load is applied.