Vehicle Seat Padding With 3D Thermoplastic Fiber Mesh
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing vehicle seat elements often rely on polyurethane foam, which is not recyclable, generates high CO2 emissions, and can retain moisture, leading to discomfort and increased weight in vehicle seats.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a 3D entanglement of continuous thermoplastic fibers arranged irregularly, forming loops welded together, as the padding material. This material is recyclable, produces fewer CO2 emissions, and is lighter and more breathable than polyurethane foam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If polyurethane foam is used for padding, then comfort and cushioning are provided, but the seat weight increases and environmental impact worsens due to non-recyclability and high CO2 emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from polyurethane foam to thermoplastic fibers, fundamentally altering the padding's physical and chemical properties. This material substitution reduces both weight and environmental impact while maintaining comfort functionality through the entangled fiber structure that provides similar cushioning characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining thermoplastic fibers with metal or plastic mesh, creating a hybrid padding system. This composite approach allows the fiber entanglement to provide comfort while the mesh framework maintains structural integrity, achieving both weight reduction and functional performance
2Object-affected harmful factors
If polyurethane foam is used for padding, then cushioning comfort is achieved, but breathability decreases due to moisture retention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs entangled thermoplastic fibers that create a porous, three-dimensional structure with inherent void spaces between fibers. This porous architecture allows air and moisture to pass through freely, dramatically improving breathability compared to dense polyurethane foam while maintaining cushioning comfort through the distributed fiber network
3Productivity
If traditional manufacturing methods are used, then production experience is simplified, but productivity decreases due to multiple separate operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing operations into a single integrated process where thermoplastic fibers are entangled and welded directly onto the mesh in one continuous operation. This consolidation eliminates separate steps for fiber placement, entanglement, and attachment, significantly improving productivity despite the complexity of the entanglement mechanism itself
4Weight of moving object
If thermoplastic fiber padding is used, then weight is reduced and breathability improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to entanglement and welding processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical attachment methods (stitching, adhesives) with thermal welding of thermoplastic fibers. The fibers are heated to melt and fuse directly to the mesh, creating permanent bonds without requiring separate fastening components. This substitution simplifies the overall manufacturing system despite the thermal processing 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 method results in a lighter, more breathable, and comfortable vehicle seat element while reducing environmental impact through the use of recyclable materials and lower CO2 emissions during production.
Implementation Method 1
providing a padding comprising a 3D entanglement of continuous thermoplastic fibers arranged irregularly forming loops welded together
Implementation Method 2
fastening the padding, in particular directly, onto the net using a bonding method selected from the group consisting of adhesive bonding
Implementation Method 3
Flame treatment is a method aimed at burning a first material on the surface with a flame (at a temperature above 800° C.) to melt it
Implementation Method 4
High-frequency welding is preferably implemented at a frequency between 25 and 40 MHz, for example equal to 27.12 MHz
Implementation Method 5
Heat-activated bonding includes, in particular, in using an adhesive that is heat-activated. It is thus a matter of depositing a layer of such an adhesive onto the net, in particular on the face of the net intended to receive the padding
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a vehicle seat element comprising the following steps: a. providing an armature of the seat element, b. providing a net and a frame, at least one portion of the net being surrounded by the frame and fastened to the frame, c. fastening the frame and/or the net to the armature, d. providing a padding comprising a 3D tangling of continuous thermoplastic fibers arranged irregularly forming loops welded together, and e. fastening the padding onto the net and/or onto the frame.