Vehicle Seat Link Rotation Limiting via Dual Limiter Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle seat lifting apparatuses fail to effectively limit rotation of the link member during vehicle collisions, leading to potential deformation and loss of rotation control, which can result in unintended movement of the lift frame.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle seat lifting apparatus incorporates a front limiter and a rear limiter positioned in front of and behind the rotation center of the link member, respectively, to restrict its rotation, ensuring that even if one limiter fails due to deformation, the other can maintain the rotation limit, thereby preventing excessive movement of the lift frame.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single rotation limiter is provided on the link member, then the structure is simple, but the rotation limit may be lost during vehicle collisions causing unintended lift frame movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation limit reliabilityVSAvoidlimiter structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotation limiting function is segmented into two separate limiters positioned at different locations on the link member. This segmentation ensures that if one limiter fails during a collision, the other can still maintain the rotation limit, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If limiters are positioned far from the rotation center, then rotation control is more effective, but the link member is more susceptible to deformation during collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation control effectivenessVSAvoidlink member deformation resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Different portions of the link member are assigned different functional qualities: the front portion contains a limiter for rotation control, while the rear portion contains another limiter and is positioned to resist deformation during collisions. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between rotation control effectiveness and deformation resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If the link member is allowed to rotate freely for adjustment, then ease of operation is improved, but safety is compromised during vehicle collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseat position adjustabilityVSAvoidcollision-induced unintended movement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The limiters are pre-positioned on the link member to prevent harmful rotation during collisions before such collisions occur. This preliminary anti-action allows free rotation during normal operation for adjustability while automatically restricting rotation when collision forces are applied, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS11040640B2Vehicle seat lifting apparatus

Publication Date: 2021.06.22 TOYOTA BOSHOKU KK

AI summary

A vehicle seat lifting apparatus includes: a cushion base of a vehicle seat; a link member rotatably provided on the cushion base and raising and lowering at least a part of the vehicle seat; a front limiter provided on a front portion in front of a rotation center of the link member and limiting rotation of the link member; and a rear limiter provided on a rear portion behind the rotation center of the link member and limiting the rotation of the link member.