Vehicle Seat Pelvis Suppression with Collision Prediction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle seat technologies fail to reliably suppress forward movement of the occupant's pelvis area during rapid deceleration, as the stopper member can be pushed down by the thigh area before pressure from the seat rear is sufficient, and existing systems may not activate in time to prevent downward movement of the stopper member during a collision.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle seat with a pelvis movement suppression member supported by a vertical movement-enabling unit, allowing vertical movement with the seat cushion, and a stopper unit that restricts downward movement upon detection of rapid deceleration or collision prediction, ensuring effective suppression of forward pelvis movement without impairing sitting comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the stopper member is allowed to move downward freely to maintain sitting comfort, then sitting comfort is improved, but the ability to suppress forward pelvis movement during rapid deceleration deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesitting comfortVSAvoidforward pelvis movement suppression

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper member is designed to be movable in the vertical direction, allowing it to adapt dynamically between two states: free movement during normal sitting for comfort, and restricted movement during rapid deceleration for safety. The movable support structure enables the stopper to follow vertical movements of the seat cushion while the stopper unit selectively restricts downward movement only when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The stopper member is pre-positioned within the seat cushion at a location that will effectively suppress forward pelvis movement when activated. The collision prediction sensor detects potential collisions in advance, allowing the stopper member to be restricted before the actual collision occurs, ensuring immediate effectiveness when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the stopper member is restricted early to ensure safety, then forward pelvis movement suppression is improved, but sitting comfort deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforward pelvis movement suppressionVSAvoidsitting comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The collision prediction sensor provides feedback about potential collisions to the control unit, which then activates the stopper unit only when necessary. This feedback mechanism ensures that the stopper member remains movable during normal sitting (maintaining comfort) and is restricted only when a collision is predicted (ensuring safety).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the inner pre-tensioner is used to block downward movement, then reliability of stopper blocking is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestopper downward movement blockingVSAvoidadditional driving mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stopper member utilizes the existing force from the occupant's pelvis pressing against it during rapid deceleration to activate the meshing mechanism with the guide member. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional actuators or complex driving mechanisms, as the system uses the collision force itself to trigger the stopping action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Device complexity

If the stopper member structure is simplified to reduce complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of timely activation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestopper mechanism structureVSAvoidtimely activation during collision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The collision prediction sensor and control unit replace complex mechanical timing mechanisms with an electronic detection and control system. This substitution allows for timely activation based on actual collision detection rather than relying on mechanical pre-setting, reducing overall device complexity while improving reliability of timely activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10723247B2Vehicle seat

Publication Date: 2020.07.28 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A vehicle seat, which is provided with a collision prediction sensor and with a seat cushion having a seat cushion top face and a seat cushion frame, includes: a pelvis movement suppression member disposed along a seat width direction inside a front portion of the seat cushion; a vertical movement-enabling unit supporting the pelvis movement suppression member at the seat cushion frame and allowing vertical movement of the pelvis movement suppression member to follow vertical movement of the seat cushion top face; and a stopper unit attached to the seat cushion frame and, in a case in which a rapid deceleration of a vehicle is detected or a collision of the vehicle is predicted by the collision prediction sensor, restricting downward movement of the pelvis movement suppression member.