Vehicle Seat Rail Protector Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat sliding apparatuses require complex processes and additional components to secure the protector at the rear end of the lower rail, leading to increased manufacturing steps and potential misalignment issues.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat sliding apparatus design featuring recessed portions and projections on the rail and protector, with slits on the protector's side walls to facilitate easy recognition of incomplete fitting and reduce processing steps, along with rolling elements and stoppers to prevent separation, simplifies the assembly and enhances security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking hole is formed on the lower rail and a locking claw is fitted into it to prevent the protector from coming apart, then the reliability of the protector attachment is improved, but the device complexity and number of manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locking claw is integrated into the protector body as a unified component rather than being a separate part. The claw is formed as an extension of the protector that directly engages with the recessed portion on the rail, eliminating the need for separate locking holes and reducing the number of components and assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted from the rail and transferred to the protector itself. Instead of forming locking holes in the rail, the protector is designed with an integrated locking claw that engages with a simple recessed portion on the rail, simplifying the rail structure while maintaining locking capability.
2Reliability
If multiple components (leg bracket and leg cover) are used to cover the rear end portion of the lower rail, then the protector coverage is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and number of steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The leg bracket and leg cover are merged into a single integrated protector component. This unified protector covers the entire rear end portion of the lower rail in one piece, eliminating the need for separate bracket and cover components and their associated assembly steps.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If slits are provided on the side walls of the protector, then the ease of detecting incomplete fitting is improved, but the structural integrity of the protector may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The slits are provided only in specific locations on the side walls of the protector where they are needed for detection purposes, rather than throughout the entire structure. This localized approach allows for easy visual inspection of fitting completeness while maintaining the structural integrity of the main protector body.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5A~6B
AI summary
A vehicle seat sliding apparatus includes: a first rail (3) adapted to be fixed to any one of a vehicle floor and a seat; and a second rail (4) adapted to be fixed to the other one of the vehicle floor and the seat and adapted to be connected to the first rail so as to be capable of relative movement with respect to the first rail. The second rail includes an in-rail functional (31) portion formed at an end portion of the first rail in terms of the longitudinal direction so as to project into an internal space formed by the first rail to achieve a predetermined function; a recessed portion (32) formed around the in-rail functional portion in association with the formation of the in-rail functional portion; and a protector (51) adapted to be mounted on an end portion of the first rail in terms of the longitudinal direction and cover the end portion thereof. The protector is formed with a projection adapted to fit the recessed portion to couple the protector and the first rail.