Vehicular Seat Slide Lock Release Layout for Collision Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicular seats with slide mechanisms face challenges in securing space below the seat cushion and near the floor, and ensuring safety during collisions, as the operating member's loop configuration is not easily adaptable for space optimization and collision safety.
Innovation Solution
A synchronous releasing mechanism with a rotatable rod, levers, and connection members is introduced, featuring clearance portions that prevent simultaneous movement with the levers during collisions, ensuring lock mechanisms are not released inadvertently, and an arcuate connection hole design allows for seat belt anchoring and deformation accommodation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operating member is arranged in a loop configuration below the front side of the seat cushion, then the lock releasing mechanisms can be operated in synchronism, but it is not easy to secure a space below the seat cushion and near the floor
Solution Approach 1:
The rod is repositioned from extending below the seat cushion to being mounted on the upper portions of the side frames, effectively moving the mechanism from a vertical space-consuming arrangement to a horizontal arrangement on the frame structure. This dimensional relocation resolves the space conflict while maintaining the synchronized operation function through the rod's connection to both levers.
2Ease of operation
If the operating member extends near the floor and on the front side of the seat cushion, then the lock releasing mechanisms can be operated, but it compromises safety at the time of collision
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the rod and connection members is segmented through the introduction of levers with arcuate connection holes. This segmentation allows the connection members to remain stationary relative to the rod during normal operation while enabling relative movement during collision, thus separating the operational function from the safety requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The levers act as intermediary elements between the rod and connection members. During collision, the levers can move downward with the side frames while the connection members remain relatively fixed, preventing direct transmission of collision forces that would otherwise cause inadvertent lock release. This intermediary mechanism reconciles the operational requirement with collision safety.
3Strength
If the rod and levers move downward during collision, then the side frames can absorb the load, but the connection members may move in synchronization and release the lock mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The connection holes are designed with arcuate geometry that provides dynamic response characteristics. During normal operation, the arcuate shape maintains rigid connection for synchronized movement. During collision, the geometry allows controlled relative movement between connection members and levers, dynamically adapting the connection behavior to the loading conditions to prevent lock release while absorbing collision energy.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular seat can include a pair of right and left slide devices, right and left lock mechanisms, and a synchronous releasing mechanism releasing the right and left lock mechanisms in synchronism with each other. The synchronous releasing mechanism can include a rod whose both end portions are rotatably mounted between upper portions of right and left side frames of a seat cushion, right and left levers mounted to portions of the rod near both end portions thereof so as to be incapable of rotating with respect to the rod, and right and left connection members connecting the right and left levers and the right and left lock mechanisms to each other. Clearance portions can be included between the right and left levers and the right and left connection members, to prevent the connection members from moving so as to release the lock mechanisms in synch with the levers when the side frames are downwardly crushed, and the rod and the levers move downwards.