Vehicle Seat Monopost Clamshell Subassembly Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Third-row seats in vehicles are difficult to get into and out of due to their placement relative to the vehicle's doors, necessitating a solution that enhances accessibility and structural integrity while allowing for movement and load transfer.
Innovation Solution
A monopost structure comprising clamshell components, keels, and a track system that supports a free-standing seat, enabling fore and aft movement and pivot mechanisms for adjusting seat pitch, with load transfer paths and reinforcement structures to manage crash loads efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If third-row seats are positioned behind regular second-row seats, then additional seating capacity is provided, but accessibility and ease of entry/exit deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a movable seat configuration where the third-row seat can be dynamically repositioned or accessed through mechanisms that allow it to move forward or be folded away, transforming the static inaccessible position into a dynamically accessible one while maintaining increased seating capacity
2Strength
If a monopost structure is used to support the free-standing seat, then structural integrity and load transfer capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monopost structure is segmented into multiple functional components including inner and outer subassemblies with distinct clamshell components, allowing each segment to be optimized for specific load paths while simplifying manufacturing and assembly of the overall complex structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nested subassemblies where an inner subassembly of clamshell components is surrounded by an outer subassembly of clamshell components, creating a compact yet structurally robust monopost that maintains strength while minimizing space requirements
3Ease of manufacture
If clamshell components are used to form the monopost subassemblies, then manufacturing efficiency and mass production capability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monopost is divided into modular clamshell components that can be manufactured separately using efficient stamping or forming processes, then assembled through standardized interfaces that accommodate normal manufacturing tolerances while achieving precise final geometry
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple clamshell components are merged through attachment to form complete subassemblies, where the cumulative effect of joining several precision-moderate components achieves the required overall precision more easily than manufacturing a single complex component
Data Source
AI summary
A monopost for a free-standing seat of a vehicle comprises: an inner subassembly of first clamshell components attached to each other; an outer subassembly of second clamshell components attached to each other around the inner subassembly, the outer subassembly forming a wing portion at one end; and a wing clamshell attached to the first clamshell components and to the wing portion.