Motor Vehicle Seat Locking Mechanism for Manual Entry
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle seats with easy-entry functions lack efficient mechanisms for transitioning between entry and use positions without additional components like electric motors, which increases weight and cost, and often fail to ensure safe and comfortable access to the rear seats.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle seat design featuring a lower rail, upper rail, and guide rocker that move relative to each other, with a locking device that impedes backrest movement until unlocked by longitudinal movement, allowing manual transition between entry and use positions without additional components, utilizing a locking element and unlocking element for secure and easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking device is added to ensure safe transition between positions, then safety and reliability improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking device is integrated into the existing longitudinal adjustment mechanism of the seat. The locking element and unlocking element are combined with the upper and lower rails to form a unified system that performs both longitudinal adjustment and position locking functions, rather than adding a separate locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism operates automatically based on the longitudinal position of the seat. When the seat is moved longitudinally by the user, the locking element is automatically engaged or disengaged depending on the position, eliminating the need for separate manual locking operations.
2Device complexity
If manual adjustment mechanism is used without additional components, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but reliability of position locking may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element acts as an intermediary component between the upper rail and lower rail. It mechanically connects these two components at specific longitudinal positions, providing reliable position locking through pure mechanical engagement without requiring additional active components.
3Reliability
If the backrest is locked in forward-inclined position during longitudinal movement, then safety improves, but ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The locking element can automatically transition between locked and unlocked states based on the longitudinal movement of the seat, allowing the backrest to be locked during normal operation but automatically unlocked when the seat is moved to enable easy-entry function.
4Ease of operation
If additional components like electric motors are added for easy-entry function, then ease of operation improves, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The easy-entry function is achieved through manual operation by the user. The seat is designed to be movable by hand along the longitudinal rails, and the locking mechanism automatically engages or disengages based on position, eliminating the need for electric motors or other powered assistance systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle seat adjustable from an entry position to a use position or vice versa includes first, second and third structural components which are movable relative to each other, and a locking device configured to impede a movement of the second structural component relative to the third structural component, when the first structural element is unlocked by a movement relative to the second structural component.