Motor Vehicle Seat Rail Guide Accident Force Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing longitudinal rail guides for motor vehicle seats do not effectively absorb higher forces during accidents without additional components, compromising safety.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a free edge or corner of the guide part that interacts with the adjacent inner surface of the bottom rail, allowing for wedging and increased locking security by deforming to engage the adjacent surface, with a partially offset guide part and actuator mechanism to enhance torque and deformation for improved force absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the guide part is spaced from the adjacent inner surface of the bottom rail, then the locking device can operate freely during normal use, but the rail guide cannot absorb higher forces during accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The guide part is pre-configured with a free corner positioned opposite the adjacent inner surface at a specific distance. This preliminary arrangement ensures that during normal operation the components remain spaced for free operation, but during accident conditions the deformation will cause the free corner to contact the inner surface and provide additional force absorption
Solution Approach 2:
The distance between the free corner of the guide part and the adjacent inner surface is optimized to a specific range (0.5-5mm). This parameter change allows the system to transition from a spaced configuration during normal use to a contact configuration during accidents, enabling the guide part to dig into the inner surface and absorb higher forces
2Strength
If the guide part is attached only on one side of the locking part, then the guide part can pivot to enhance deformation and force absorption, but the guide part becomes less stable during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment of the guide part is segmented to only one side of the locking part rather than being fully fixed. This segmentation allows the guide part to have both stability during normal operation and the ability to pivot during accidents to enhance deformation and force absorption capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The guide part transitions from a static, fully fixed configuration to a dynamic configuration where it can pivot about a pivot axis. This dynamic capability allows the guide part to rotate during accidents, enhancing its ability to deform and absorb forces while maintaining stability during normal operation
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
This configuration enhances the rail guide's ability to absorb higher forces during accidents by ensuring the free edge digs into the adjacent surface, increasing friction and locking security without requiring additional components, thereby improving safety.
Implementation Method 1
The free edge digs into the material of the adjacent inner surface... This provides support, snagging can take place, and the security of the locking is increased. In other words, wedging takes place.
Implementation Method 2
deformation of the rails occurring during an accident causes the free edge to abut the adjacent inner surface of the bottom rail
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a longitudinal rail guide of a motor vehicle seat having a bottom rail (20), with a top rail (22) which is movable in longitudinal direction (24) relative to the bottom rail (20) and with a locking device. The locking device has a guide part (26) which is disposed on the top rail (22) and has at least one guide opening (30), and for each guide opening (30) there is a blocking part (34) which is disposed so as to be movable in the guide opening (30). The locking device also has latching openings (40) which are formed in the bottom rail (20), wherein in a normally prevailing blocked state of the locking device at least one blocking part (34) engages in one of the latching openings (40) and in an actuated released position no blocking part (34) engages in a latching opening (40). The longitudinal rail guide is characterised in that the guide part (26) has a free edge (54) which lies directly opposite an adjacent inner surface (56) of the bottom rail (20), and that before an accident the free edge (54) is located at a small distance from the adjacent inner surface (56) of the bottom rail (20) and after an accident the free edge bears against the adjacent inner surface (56).