Vehicle Seat Link Mechanism for Rear-Collision Tilt Restraint

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle seats face issues with rearward tilting during collisions, requiring additional stop elements that increase weight and complexity, and existing solutions do not effectively manage seat deformation in both the front-rear and width directions.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle seat with a link mechanism incorporating attachment brackets with protrusions that integrate upward from the upper surface, contacting a crossbar to regulate tilt angles and distribute load, eliminating the need for additional stop elements and reducing weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a stop element is added to the upper seat rail to prevent rearward tilting during collision, then the seat's anti-collision performance is improved, but the seat weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-collision performanceVSAvoidseat weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the collision prevention function into the existing link mechanism by adding a protrusion to the attachment bracket and a corresponding recess to the crossbar. This merges the anti-collision function with the height adjustment mechanism, eliminating the need for separate stop elements and reducing overall weight while maintaining safety performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a stop element is added to the upper seat rail to prevent rearward tilting during collision, then the seat's anti-collision performance is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-collision performanceVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the collision prevention function with the existing link mechanism components. The protrusion on the attachment bracket and recess on the crossbar integrate seamlessly into the height adjustment mechanism, avoiding additional complex structures while providing reliable anti-collision protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If the protrusion contacts the crossbar during rear collision, then the rearward tilting is prevented, but the protrusion must endure high load requiring sufficient strength

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision prevention capabilityVSAvoidprotrusion strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent distributes the collision load across multiple dimensions by providing a pair of protrusions spaced apart in the width direction. This dimensional distribution spreads the impact force across two contact points and involves the crossbar's structural integrity, reducing the strength requirement for individual protrusions while maintaining effective collision prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4335693B1Vehicle seat
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 DELTA KOGYO CO LTD
  • EP4335693B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4335693B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4335693B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a vehicle seat that can be prevented from rearward tilting thereof at a rear collision and prevented from an increase in the weight of the seat. The vehicle seat includes a link mechanism (6) configured to adjust a height of a seat cushion (2). The link mechanism (6) includes: an attachment bracket (11) to be attached to a floor of a vehicle compartment; a plurality of link arms (12, 13) linking a cushion frame (7) and the attachment bracket (11) to each other in such a manner that the cushion frame (7) is shiftable between a first position and a second position located downward and vehicular rearward of the first position in parallel to the attachment bracket (11); and a protrusion (17) integrally formed with the attachment bracket (11) and protruding upward from an upper surface (11d) of the attachment bracket (11), and having a contact surface (18) that comes into contact with a bumping section (15) constituting a part of the cushion frame (7) thereon when a vehicle is involved in the rear collision.