Vehicle Seat Height Device Positioning via Stepped Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat height devices face challenges with positional deviation during assembly due to dimensional and assembly tolerances, and lack of improved operation feeling for the occupant when using the operation lever.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring a seat adjustment device with a rotatable operation lever and positioning member, where the operation lever is engaged with a positioning member via an engagement hole and protrusion, and includes stepped portions to reduce sliding resistance and enhance the operation feeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operation lever and brake unit are arranged at distant positions to improve operability and degree of freedom, then the operability improves, but the positional deviation of the height device increases
Solution Approach 1:
A positioning member with an engagement hole is introduced as an intermediary component between the operation lever and the height device. The engagement hole receives the engagement protrusion of the operation lever, providing a precise positioning reference that reduces positional deviation while allowing the operation lever to be arranged at an optimal position for operability.
2Device complexity
If the operation lever is engaged with the height device directly, then the structure is simple, but the operation feeling is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning member acts as a mediator between the operation lever and the height device. It provides a precisely fitted engagement hole that reduces sliding resistance and improves operation feeling, while adding minimal structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement hole is designed with specific dimensional parameters that optimize the fit with the engagement protrusion. By carefully controlling the size and shape parameters of the engagement hole, the sliding resistance is reduced and the operation feeling is improved without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In a vehicle seat, a positional deviation of a height device for moving a seat main body up and down is suppressed. The vehicle seat includes a cushion frame serving as a frame of a seating portion; the height device for moving the cushion frame up and down; and a side cover that covers the cushion frame and the height device from outside in a seat width direction. An operation lever is positioned in a state of being engaged with a positioning member contained in an outer side surface of the side cover, and an engagement protrusion of the operation lever moves in an engagement hole of the positioning member and abuts on a first stepped portion and a second stepped portion provided around the engagement hole when the operation lever rotates.