Vehicle Seat Kinematic with Motorized Return and Manual Folding
Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seats lack efficient mechanisms for adjusting between upright normal and functional positions, with existing solutions requiring high effort for manual return adjustments and incurring high hardware and weight costs for motorized systems.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat with a foldable kinematic system, a motor, and an activating system that allows manual folding into a functional position and motorized return to the upright position using a connecting rod, enabling easy and secure adjustments with minimal hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a motorized adjustment system is used for returning the seat to the upright position, then user effort is reduced and comfort is improved, but device complexity and hardware costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment system is segmented into two distinct functions: manual folding forward (using simple kinematic linkages) and motorized return (using an electric motor with activating system). This segmentation allows each subsystem to be optimized independently, reducing overall complexity while maintaining comfort benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between manual and motorized adjustment modes based on operational direction. The activating system engages the motor only during return-to-upright operations, while folding-forward remains manually operated. This dynamic operation reduces energy consumption and mechanical complexity compared to a fully motorized system.
2Device complexity
If a fully manual adjustment system is used, then device complexity is reduced, but user effort and difficulty increase for return adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting rod acts as an intermediary mechanical element that transmits force from the activating system to the seat kinematic during motorized return. This intermediary component enables efficient force transmission with minimal hardware, avoiding the need for complex direct-drive motor mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat kinematic is designed to be self-servicing during manual folding operations, using its own structural linkages and gravity to achieve the folded-forward position without external power assistance. This self-service capability reduces hardware complexity while maintaining operational ease for the primary folding function.
3Productivity
If manual folding is used, then adjustment speed is rapid and no power supply is needed, but the return adjustment requires high user strength and is difficult to reach
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing motorized assistance for both folding directions, the system inverts the approach by making the return-to-upright adjustment motorized while keeping folding-forward manual. This inversion leverages the fact that returning to upright is the more ergonomally challenging operation, thereby resolving the contradiction by applying power assistance where it is most needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat including a foldable seat kinematic which has a backrest part and a seat part, the seat kinematic being adjustable between a normal position and a folded-forward functional position, the seat kinematic being manually foldable from the normal position into the functional position, a motor, an activating system which is adapted to be driven by the motor between a deactivated position and an activated position, a connecting rod provided between the activating system and the seat kinematic. The seat kinematic is movable from the functional position into the normal position by the activating system and the connecting rod when the motor is actuated so as to drive the activating system from the deactivated position to the activated position, the activating system being configured to not interfere with the seat kinematic when the activating system is in the deactivated position.