Vehicle Seat Lower Arm Recess Structure for Crash Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle seats, the existing deformation structure of the lower arm fails to sufficiently absorb impact during crashes, leading to inadequate protection for the recliner and increased stress on the back frame and recliner components.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring a first and second lower arm with recessed areas that deform upon impact, reducing the force applied to the recliner during crashes, and a connecting rod enhancing impact absorption, allowing for reduced material strength and weight requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the lower arm is made rigid to ensure structural strength, then the strength of the lower arm is improved, but the impact absorption capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lower arm is segmented into multiple regions with different structural characteristics. The first and second recesses create zones of varying thickness within the arm body, allowing different portions to deform under impact while maintaining overall structural integrity. This segmentation enables the lower arm to absorb impact energy through controlled deformation of specific regions rather than requiring the entire structure to be rigid or completely deformable.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower arm incorporates local quality variations through the first and second recesses, which create areas of reduced material density and increased flexibility in specific locations. These recesses are positioned to absorb impact forces from different directions (front and rear), allowing the structure to have localized deformation zones while maintaining strength in other areas. This enables the lower arm to be stronger overall while having specific regions optimized for impact absorption.
2Reliability
If the back frame and recliner are made stronger to withstand crash impacts, then the protection capability is improved, but the weight and cost of the vehicle seat increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lower arm acts as an intermediary component between the vehicle structure and the back frame/recliner assembly. By incorporating impact-absorbing recesses in the lower arm, the system provides a dedicated energy absorption zone that protects the more critical and expensive back frame and recliner components. This intermediary structure allows the use of lighter materials and thinner sections in the back frame and recliner while maintaining overall crash protection capability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the lower arm is designed with deformation capability to absorb impact, then the impact absorption is improved, but the structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lower arm is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to transition between rigid and deformable states based on applied loads. During normal operation, the arm maintains sufficient rigidity to support seating loads. During crash impacts, the first and second recesses enable controlled deformation to absorb impact energy. After impact, the structure can recover or be replaced. This dynamic behavior allows the same component to fulfill both strength and impact absorption requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively reduces the impact on the recliner and back frame during crashes, lowering the overall weight and cost of the vehicle seat while improving impact absorption capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the first recess is compressed and deformed, and the second recess is pulled and deformed so that the recess becomes small
Implementation Method 2
These deformations allow to reduce the impact applied to the recliner at the time of a front crash of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
In a structure in which a lower arm is fixed to a vehicle, provided is a vehicle seat that can reduce an impact applied to a recliner. One aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle seat including a lower arm and a recliner. The lower arm includes an arm body to which the recliner is attached, a first fixing portion to be attached to the vehicle in a lower position, and a second fixing portion attached to the vehicle in a rear position. The arm body includes a first recess arranged between the recliner and the first fixing portion in an up-down direction, the first recess extending from an edge of the arm body, and a second recess arranged between the recliner and the second fixing portion in a front-rear direction, the second recess extending from the edge of the arm body.