Vehicle Seat Pivot Shaft Overlap Reduces Backrest Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats face challenges in reducing longitudinal length while maintaining occupant stability during turns, as they often require increased backrest thickness due to L-shaped suspension members, which compromises vehicle compartment space.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring a pivot shaft, hub member, and reinforcement shafts that overlap in the vehicle's width direction, with a restriction mechanism allowing and restricting pivotal motion to maintain occupant posture and adjust pivotal range based on vehicle speed and occupant physical characteristics, while absorbing impact and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If L-shaped suspension members are used to support the seat in a pivotal manner, then occupant stability during turning is improved, but backrest thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional L-shaped suspension member layout to a three-dimensional overlapping configuration where the pivot shaft and reinforcement shaft are positioned one above the other in the width direction. This vertical stacking allows the suspension mechanism to maintain structural integrity and occupant stability while reducing the longitudinal thickness of the backrest assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement shaft is positioned to overlap with the pivot shaft in the width direction, creating a nested or layered configuration. This nesting allows both shafts to occupy the same spatial envelope, eliminating the need for additional longitudinal space and reducing backrest thickness while maintaining the necessary structural support for occupant stability.
2Strength
If backrest thickness is increased to accommodate L-shaped suspension members, then structural support is improved, but vehicle compartment space utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension mechanism is reconfigured from a horizontal/longitudinal layout to a vertical/overlapping layout in the width direction. This dimensional change allows the structural support function to be maintained while minimizing the longitudinal footprint, thereby maximizing vehicle compartment space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple shafts (pivot shaft and reinforcement shaft) are merged into a compact overlapping arrangement, combining their structural support functions into a single spatial envelope. This consolidation maintains the required structural strength while reducing the overall volume occupied by the suspension mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If the seat is allowed to pivot freely, then occupant comfort during turns is improved, but occupant posture control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The restriction member is designed to dynamically adjust the pivotal motion of the seat based on vehicle conditions. During normal turning, the seat can pivot freely to maintain occupant comfort, while during high-speed cornering or abrupt maneuvers, the restriction member activates to limit excessive pivotal motion and maintain proper occupant posture.
Solution Approach 2:
The restriction mechanism provides feedback-based control of seat pivotal motion, allowing comfortable movement within normal ranges while restricting motion that would compromise occupant posture. This creates a self-regulating system that adapts to different driving conditions and maintains both comfort and posture control.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle seat (10) in which a thickness of a seatback is reduced is provided. A supporting mechanism (25) comprises a pivot shaft (31), a hub member (33), and a reinforcement shaft (34, 35). A front end of a seat base frame (13) is connected to a lower frame (12) through a first joint (30) in a pivotal manner. One end (38a) of a pivot shaft (31) is connected to a rear end of the seat base frame in a pivotal manner, and another end of the pivot shaft (31) is connected to a hub (33) through a second joint (32) in a pivotal manner. The pivot shaft (31) and the reinforcement shaft (34, 35) are overlapped in a width direction of the vehicle at least partially.