Vehicle Seat Polyurethane Foam With Tunable Hardness Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat polyurethane foam technologies fail to customize mechanical properties according to user preference for hardness, limiting the ability to provide a tailored seating experience.
Innovation Solution
A composition for forming polyurethane foam using a mixture of polyols with different melting points, an isocyanate compound, and a blowing agent, combined with a carbon nanotube coating layer, allowing for multiple hardness levels and temperature-dependent hardness adjustment through electrical control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single type of polyurethane foam is used for vehicle seats, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but the mechanical properties and hardness cannot be customized according to user preference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the polyol component into multiple types (polyol A, polyol B, polyol C) with different molecular weights and structures. Each polyol type contributes differently to the foam's mechanical properties, allowing customization of hardness and elasticity by adjusting the proportion of each polyol in the mixture, thereby achieving multiple hardness levels without creating entirely separate foam formulations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the molecular weight, hydroxyl value, and structural characteristics of each polyol type. By varying these parameters within the polyol mixture and adjusting their ratios, the foam's mechanical properties including hardness, tensile strength, and elongation can be tuned to provide at least three distinct hardness levels suitable for different user preferences
2Ease of operation
If polyurethane foam hardness is fixed, then manufacturing process is simple and stable, but user comfort cannot be optimized for different preferences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating foam formulations with spatially differentiated properties through the use of multiple polyol types with distinct characteristics. Each polyol contributes specific local properties to the foam matrix, allowing different regions of the foam to exhibit varying degrees of softness and firmness, thereby optimizing comfort for different body zones and user preferences
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamics into the foam system by creating a multi-component polyol mixture that can dynamically adjust its mechanical response. The different polyol types respond differently to compression, temperature, and time, providing a dynamic seating experience that adapts to user interaction and environmental conditions while maintaining manufacturing stability through controlled formulation ratios
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of polyols with different melting points are used in the composition, then foam with multiple hardness levels can be achieved, but the composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits phase transitions by selecting polyol types with different melting points that undergo phase changes at different temperatures. As temperature varies, each polyol transitions between solid and liquid states at its characteristic melting point, causing the foam's overall hardness to change dynamically. This provides temperature-dependent hardness adjustment where the foam becomes softer at higher temperatures and firmer at lower temperatures, adding adaptability without requiring complex external control systems
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
The solution enables a vehicle seat foam with multiple hardness levels, enhancing user customization and comfort by allowing temperature-controlled hardness adjustment, thereby improving seating experience.
Implementation Method 1
coating a coating layer composition containing 1 to 5 wt % of carbon nanotubes on at least one surface of the polyurethane foam
Implementation Method 2
a polyol mixture containing two or more polyols having different melting points
Data Source
AI summary
A composition for forming polyurethane foam including a polyol mixture containing two or more polyols having different melting points, an isocyanate compound, and a blowing agent, wherein the two or more polyols are respectively included in the same weight ratio. A foam for a vehicle seat including a polyurethane foam manufactured from the composition for forming polyurethane foam described above. A method of manufacturing a foam for a vehicle seat including manufacturing a polyurethane foam from the composition for forming polyurethane foam described above, and coating a coating layer composition containing 1 to 5 wt % of carbon nanotubes on at least one surface of the polyurethane foam. A vehicle seat including the foam for a vehicle seat described above.