Vehicle Seat Lock Mechanism for Anti-Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats face issues such as interference between the seat back and vehicle body when the seat cushion is moved, deformation of the seat cushion under seat belt loads, interference between seat belts and slide rail mechanisms, and increased parts count, which affect smooth operation and durability.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring a lock mechanism that constrains the seat back from tilting rearward, a cable routing system that prevents deformation, and a cover member between the seat belt and slide rail mechanism to prevent interference, allowing for smooth operation and reduced parts count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seat cushion is horizontally movable relative to the vehicle body, then the seat can be adjusted to different positions, but the seat back may interfere with the vehicle body when tilted rearward
Solution Approach 1:
A lock member is provided that proactively prevents the seat back from tilting rearward when the seat cushion is in certain positions. The lock member engages with a locking protrusion on the seat back frame at specific locations along the cushion's travel path, blocking the tilting motion before interference with the vehicle body can occur. This preliminary restriction eliminates the harmful interference while preserving the cushion's horizontal adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock member is designed to be movable between locked and unlocked positions, allowing dynamic control of the seat back tilting function. When the seat cushion moves to positions where interference is not possible, the lock member can be disengaged to allow normal tilting operation. This dynamic mechanism adapts the restriction based on the cushion's position, maintaining versatility while preventing harmful effects.
2Reliability
If a clip is used to hold the cable sheath, then the sheath is protected from damage, but the sheath becomes difficult to move and may deform when the seat frame moves
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of clamping the sheath at a single point (zero-dimensional contact), the guide provides a through-hole that allows the sheath to pass through and move freely in the horizontal direction (one-dimensional movement). The guide's opening dimensions are larger than the sheath, creating clearance that enables smooth movement while the guide's structure maintains vertical positioning and prevents lateral displacement or deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide acts as an intermediary component between the cable sheath and the seat frame. Rather than directly clamping the sheath to the frame (which would restrict movement), the guide provides a controlled passage that mediates the sheath's movement, allowing horizontal displacement while preventing deformation through the guide's structural constraints.
3Ease of operation
If the seat belt is pulled out from the upper end of the shoulder, then the seat belt can be used, but a large load may cause deformation of the seat cushion
Solution Approach 1:
The belt guide is extracted from its traditional position at the upper end of the shoulder and relocated to the seat cushion surface. This extraction changes the load path so that forces are applied directly to the cushion where the structure can better resist deformation, rather than being transmitted through the shoulder mechanism to the cushion.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat cushion structure is designed with enhanced rigidity and load-bearing capacity at the belt guide location to beforehand prepare for the large loads that will be applied during collision or restraint events. The cushion's internal structure and material properties are optimized to absorb and distribute these forces, preventing deformation before it can occur.
4Device complexity
If the seat belt and slide rail mechanism are in close proximity, then the parts count is reduced, but they may interfere with each other during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The space between the seat belt and slide rail mechanism is segmented by introducing a cover member that physically separates their paths of motion. The cover creates distinct zones that allow both components to operate independently without interference, while the overall integration maintains a compact design with reduced parts count.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat is provided in which a seat back is constrained from tilting down when a seat cushion is moved to a position in which the seat back cannot be tilted down. The vehicle seat includes a base frame, a seat cushion frame (3) horizontally movable relative to the base frame between a first position and a second position different from the first position, a seat back frame (4) rotatable relative to the seat cushion frame (3), a lock member (5) configured to constrain the seat back frame (4) from tilting rearward, and an unlock mechanism (6) configured to release a lock applied by the lock member (5) when the seat cushion frame (3) is moved from the first position to the second position.