Fold-and-dive seat headrest sliding mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fold-and-dive seats in vehicles face interference issues between the headrest and front seat back during folding, dust contamination of the headrest, and obstructed rear sight due to the headrest's upright position.
Innovation Solution
A fold-and-dive seat assembly with a sliding unit and slide driving member that moves the headrest rearward during folding, preventing interference with the front seat back, maintaining a gap to avoid dust contamination, and positioning the headrest to secure the rear sight by forming it in a helmet shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the head rest is folded at a right angle when the seat back is folded, then the head rest structure is simple, but the folded seat interferes with the front seat
Solution Approach 1:
The head rest is made dynamically movable relative to the seat back through a sliding mechanism. Instead of being fixed at a right angle, the head rest can slide forward and backward along the seat back, allowing it to move to a rearward position during folding to avoid interference with the front seat.
Solution Approach 2:
The head rest assembly is segmented into movable and fixed parts. The sliding unit separates the head rest from the seat back structure, enabling independent movement of the head rest relative to the seat back during folding operations.
2Volume of moving object
If the head rest is positioned close to the floor panel after folding, then the structure is compact, but the head rest is contaminated by dust
Solution Approach 1:
The head rest position is made dynamic rather than fixed. After folding, the head rest can be slid to a rearward position that maintains an appropriate distance from the floor panel, preventing dust contamination while still achieving a compact folded structure.
3Ease of operation
If the head rest stands upright from the upper end of the seat back, then the head rest provides proper support, but the driver cannot secure a rear sight
Solution Approach 1:
The head rest position is made adjustable through the sliding mechanism. When not in use, the head rest can be slid to a rearward position that does not obstruct the driver's rear sight, while still maintaining its upright configuration to provide proper head support when needed.
4Ease of operation
If the head rest is moved rearward during folding, then interference with front seat is prevented, but the sliding mechanism increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
A sliding unit is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the head rest and the seat back. This sliding unit includes sliding links and a slide driving member that enables the head rest to move rearward during folding, resolving the interference issue while maintaining a manageable level of complexity through a well-defined mechanical linkage.
Data Source
AI summary
A fold-and-dive seat assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The fold-and-dive seat assembly includes a seat cushion dived downward toward a floor panel by means of a dive link, a seat back connected to the seat cushion by a connection link, and rotatably connected to the floor panel to be folded toward the seat cushion, a head rest provided on an upper end of the seat back, a sliding unit, connected to the head rest and the seat back, for moving the head rest in a back and forth direction in a sliding manner, and a slid driving member for operating the sliding unit in link with the dive link, upon folding and diving, to slide the head rest in a rearward direction.