Vehicle Seat Locking Lever for Safe Rail Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats are prone to unintended misuse, particularly when parked on steep streets, leading to potential trapping or damage due to unintended movement between adjustable positions, and require complex constructions to prevent such issues.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat with a lever that cooperates with a locking element to control the longitudinal adjustment device, allowing secure locking and unlocking of rails, and featuring a kinematics arrangement with a four-bar linkage for stable and precise movement control, including a locking element and latch to prevent backward movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a vehicle seat is made adjustable with multiple functional positions, then the ease of operation and versatility are improved, but the risk of unintended misuse and occupant entrapment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by implementing a locking element that proactively prevents unintended movement of the vehicle seat. The locking element is positioned to engage with a latch before any accidental movement can occur, creating a preventive barrier against harmful effects such as occupant entrapment. This is achieved through the locking element's strategic placement and engagement mechanism that activates automatically to counteract potential misuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element serves as an intermediary component between the vehicle seat's adjustment mechanism and the potential for unintended movement. It mediates the interaction by providing a controlled engagement point that allows intentional position changes while blocking accidental movements. The locking element translates the complex multi-position adjustment system into a controlled, safe operation by introducing this intermediate safety mechanism.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent unintended movement, then the safety and reliability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the locking function directly into the existing lever mechanism of the vehicle seat. The locking element is integrated with the lever that controls the seat's longitudinal adjustment, combining two functions (seat adjustment and locking) into a single unified mechanism. This integration avoids adding separate, complex locking systems while still providing reliable prevention of unintended movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions: it controls the longitudinal adjustment of the vehicle seat and simultaneously operates the locking element to prevent unintended movement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated locking components, thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving high reliability. The single lever system handles both adjustment and safety locking operations.
3Ease of operation
If the lever is used to control both seat movement and locking mechanism, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental activation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is designed to engage with the latch in advance, before any seat movement occurs. This preliminary engagement creates a safety barrier that must be deliberately overcome to activate seat movement. The lever must first disengage the locking element from the latch before it can move the seat, ensuring that accidental activations are prevented while maintaining ease of intentional operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic engagement and disengagement of the locking element with the latch. The locking element can be in an engaged state (preventing movement) or a disengaged state (allowing movement), transitioning between these states through deliberate lever action. This dynamic behavior allows the system to be restrictive when needed and free when intended, reducing accidental activation while maintaining operational ease.
Data Source
AI summary
It is provided a vehicle seat comprises a seat part having a seat part element, a basis comprising a first rail, a longitudinal adjustment device formed by at least the first rail and a second rail longitudinally adjustable with respect to one another, and a lever by means of which the seat part element is connected to the basis movably relative to the basis. It is provided that the lever has a section that is adapted to cooperate with a locking element, wherein the locking element is rotatably mounted on the basis, configured to operate a locking device of the longitudinal adjustment device to unlock the first rail with respect to the second rail, and configured to engage with a latch to restrict a movement of the first rail with respect to the second rail.