Vehicle Seat Fitting System with Coupled Toothing and Control Lever
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat fitting systems are complex and costly, requiring multiple components and significant material, installation space, and manufacturing costs, while lacking simplicity and efficiency in pivoting and locking mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A simplified fitting system using levers and couplers instead of washers, with fine-blanked toothing limited to the backrest, allowing for free pivoting and decoupling through an idle travel, and a control member interacting with a locking receptacle to maintain engagement during pivoting, enabling efficient inclination adjustment and unlocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional washing-based fitting systems are used, then reliable locking and pivoting functions are achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential locking and pivoting functions from the complex traditional washing-based system, retaining only the necessary components (control lever, coupler, toothing elements) while eliminating redundant parts, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a control lever for actuation, a coupler for motion transmission, toothing elements for locking, and spring elements for biasing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable locking and pivoting
2Reliability
If traditional washing-based fitting systems are used, then reliable locking and pivoting functions are achieved, but material consumption and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unnecessary material from the traditional washing-based system, using only essential components with optimized geometries. The control lever, coupler, and toothing elements are designed to use minimal material while maintaining structural integrity and locking reliability, thereby reducing material consumption and manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters and material distribution of the fitting components, using fine-blanked toothing with optimized tooth profiles and dimensions. This allows reliable locking functionality with reduced material volume, lowering both material consumption and manufacturing costs
3Reliability
If traditional washing-based fitting systems are used, then reliable locking and pivoting functions are achieved, but installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where the control lever, coupler, and toothing elements are compactly integrated within a small spatial envelope. The control lever pivots within the fitting assembly, the coupler articulates in a confined space, and the toothing elements engage in a compact configuration, minimizing the overall installation space while maintaining reliable locking and pivoting functions
4Ease of manufacture
If fine-blanked toothing limited to one coupling is used, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies fine-blanked toothing only to the critical backrest coupling where precision is most needed for safe locking, while using simpler toothing or engagement mechanisms at the seat portion coupling. This selective application reduces overall manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining necessary precision at critical locations
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fitting system for a vehicle seat having at least one fitting (10), by means of which a backrest (4) can be pivoted in a freely pivoting process relative to a seat part (3), and having a memory device (50) which has a flag disk (51), rotatably mounted around an axis (A), which is coupled to the backrest (4) during the freely pivoting process and to the seat part (3) in the starting position, and on which a first toothing (61) is designed, curved around the axis (A), wherein a second toothing (62) is allocated to the backrest (4), wherein the first toothing (61) and the second toothing (62) are engaged with each other during the freely pivoting process, wherein a control lever (53), which can be controlled relative to the seat part (3), and a coupler (54), which is hinged on the control lever (53) and which is coupled to an unlocking lever (56) for the fitting (10) are provided, wherein the control lever (53) and/or the coupler (54) move the first toothing (61) and the second toothing (62) into engagement with each other, wherein the flag disk (51) is coupled to the seat part (3) in the starting position by means of a lock receptacle (58) and a control element (59) which is movable relative to the lock receptacle (58) and the lock receptacle (58) is a section of a control contour (57) by means of which the control element (59) arranged on the control lever (53) holds the control lever (53) directed out during the freely pivoting process.