Vehicle Seat Pumping Device Spring Guide Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat pumping devices face issues with weak restoring force when using internal springs, non-compact packaging with external springs, and poor tension and durability with ring-shaped springs, leading to increased thickness and potential interference with other components.
Innovation Solution
A compact design featuring a ring-shaped spring guide with a coil spring and a lever bracket that includes a protruding portion and flange, allowing for external spring placement while maintaining a compact size, which enhances restoring force and durability without increasing thickness, and restricts excessive rotational force to prevent deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If an internal spring is used in the pumping mechanism, then the package remains compact, but the restoring force becomes weak
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is repositioned from an internal configuration to an external configuration, utilizing the vertical dimension above the housing. This dimensional transition allows the spring to provide sufficient restoring force without increasing the horizontal footprint of the pumping mechanism, thus maintaining package compactness while improving force output.
2Force
If an external spring is used to improve restoring force, then the restoring force increases, but the package thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is nested within a dedicated spring guide structure that is integrated with the housing. The spring guide confines the spring's expansion and contraction movements within a limited vertical space, allowing the spring to provide adequate restoring force without excessively increasing the package thickness. The spring operates within the boundaries defined by the spring guide's top surface and base.
3Length of stationary object
If a ring-shaped spring is used for compact packaging, then the package thickness is reduced, but the spring tension and durability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spring design parameters are optimized by transitioning from a ring-shaped spring to a coil spring configuration. This parameter change allows the spring to maintain compact dimensions while improving both tension characteristics and durability. The coil spring's structural parameters (wire diameter, coil diameter, number of turns) are selected to provide adequate restoring force and withstand repeated compression cycles.
4Force
If the spring is placed externally to improve restoring force, then the restoring force improves, but the overall device thickness increases causing interference with other components
Solution Approach 1:
The spring guide acts as an intermediary structure between the spring and the housing. It mediates the spring's external placement by providing a confined space that limits the spring's vertical excursion, thereby preventing interference with other components while still allowing the spring to exert sufficient restoring force on the lever bracket.
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 solution improves the operating force and durability of the vehicle seat pumping device, reduces thickness, and prevents interference with other components by using a separate spring guide to manage the spring's restoring force effectively, ensuring reliable operation and reduced deformation.
Implementation Method 1
a coil spring (500) inserted in the spring guide (300)... improving the restoring force of the operating lever... the coil spring (500) may be assembled to be blocked by the protruding portion (420) at both end portions to face each other
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a pumping device of a vehicle seat and its operation mechanism. The pumping device includes: a housing encasing a pumping mechanism; a spring guide which has a ring shape formed with a cavity and is seated on a top surface of the housing, a coil spring being inserted in the spring guide; and a lever bracket which has a protruding portion formed on a central portion, an operating lever being coupled to a flange, and a locking protrusion protruding from the flange and locked to the coil spring through the guide slit of the spring guide. In particular, the protruding portion is connected to a cam of the pumping mechanism in a state of being inserted into the cavity of the spring guide.