Seat Locator Bracket for Accessible Fluid Reservoir Controls

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seat assemblies face challenges in properly positioning fluid reservoirs to ensure access to their controls after installation, as they are difficult to secure on the seat assembly while maintaining accessibility.

Innovation Solution

A locator bracket with a connector member and receiving members is used to removably attach fluid reservoirs to the seat assembly, ensuring the pressure gauge and shaft are correctly positioned within dedicated cavities and indents, allowing for secure attachment and access to controls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If fluid reservoirs are installed on the seat assembly without a locator bracket, then installation is simpler, but the controls become inaccessible after the cover is placed

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locator bracket is pre-installed on the seat assembly frame before the fluid reservoirs are attached. This preliminary positioning action ensures that when the reservoirs are installed, their controls are automatically aligned with the access openings in the cover, solving the accessibility problem without requiring complex adjustment procedures during final installation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The locator bracket serves as an intermediary component between the seat assembly frame and the fluid reservoirs. It provides reference surfaces and positioning features that guide the reservoirs into the correct position, making the installation process simpler while ensuring control accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If fluid reservoirs are positioned to ensure control accessibility, then user access is improved, but positioning becomes difficult during installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The locator bracket provides localized positioning features at specific locations on the seat assembly frame. These features include reference surfaces and alignment elements that precisely position the fluid reservoirs at the correct locations, ensuring control accessibility while simplifying the installation process through localized guidance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If a locator bracket is added to position fluid reservoirs, then control accessibility is ensured, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locator bracket is designed to perform multiple functions: it positions the fluid reservoirs, provides mounting attachment points, ensures control alignment with access openings, and serves as a structural support element. By combining these functions into a single component, the overall device complexity is minimized while achieving the desired control accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12552297B2Locator brackets for fluid reservoirs, and seat assemblies and vehicle including the same

Publication Date: 2026.02.17

AI summary

A locator bracket for attaching one or more fluid reservoirs to a seat assembly is disclosed. The locator bracket includes a connector member, a first receiving member provided at a first end of the connector bracket, and one or more clip holes formed in the connector bracket. The first receiving member includes a pressure gauge wall defining a pressure gauge receiving cavity, and a shaft wall extending from the pressure gauge wall and defining a shaft receiving indent. A pressure gauge of the one or more fluid reservoirs is received within the pressure gauge wall, and a shaft of the one or more fluid reservoirs is received within the shaft wall.