Vehicle Seat Latch Assembly Dynamics and Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seating assemblies lack the ability to be easily repositioned and moved within a vehicle, limiting space for passengers and cargo, particularly in scenarios like airports and train stations where convenient loading and unloading is necessary.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seating assembly that can be rotated between a sitting and a standing position using a latch assembly and connecting bar system, allowing for manual or powered actuation, with features like bushings and attachment devices for secure movement along a track assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seating assembly is fixed in a sitting position, then structural stability is maintained, but space flexibility and repositioning capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The latch assembly is designed to transition between locked and unlocked positions dynamically, allowing the seating assembly to be repositioned from sitting to standing position. The rotatable latch arm engages with the striker at different positions to maintain stability when needed while allowing movement when required, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and space flexibility.
2Reliability
If the latch assembly uses a complex locking mechanism, then reliability of position holding is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latch assembly utilizes gravity and spring force to maintain the latch arm in engaged positions with the striker. The spring provides continuous force to keep the latch arm pressed against the striker, ensuring reliable position holding without requiring complex mechanical locking mechanisms. This resolves the contradiction by achieving reliability through simple, physics-based forces rather than complex mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If the latch assembly is designed for easy rotation, then ease of operation is improved, but locking reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded mechanism applies continuous force to keep the latch arm engaged with the striker before any rotation attempt. This preliminary engagement ensures that the latch is securely locked before operation is initiated. The spring force must be overcome to rotate the latch, providing both easy operation through a single rotational motion and reliable locking through the pre-applied spring force.
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
Enables convenient repositioning and increased space for passenger and cargo ingress/egress by allowing the seating assembly to be moved from a sitting to a standing position, providing additional space within the vehicle.
Implementation Method 1
a bushing disposed between the latch assembly and the side bracket
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seating assembly is provided that includes a seat rotatable about an axis of rotation disposed at a front of the seat between a sitting position and a standing position, a latch assembly rotatably coupled to the rear of the seat and releasably coupled to a track assembly disposed below the seat, wherein if the seat is in a sitting position, the latch assembly is in a locked position relative to the track assembly, and wherein if the seat is in a standing position, the latch assembly is in an unlocked position relative to the track assembly, and a connecting bar extending through the latch assembly, wherein the latch assembly is rotatable around the connecting bar as the seat moves between the sitting position and the standing position.