Vehicle Seat Rail Cover With Roll-Up Shield and Dirt Wiping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing covering devices for vehicle seat rails fail to provide a durable solution that completely prevents the ingress of foreign bodies and other disruptive items, particularly in upwardly open regions, leading to potential contamination and damage.
Innovation Solution
A covering device with a faceplate featuring an opening that can be partially closed by a rolling-up element, protected by a support unit and a wiper unit to safeguard its rolling-up and unrolling functions, ensuring the element remains functional and clean.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a covering element with rolling-up capability is used to cover the rail opening, then the prevention of foreign body ingress is improved, but the reliability of the covering element is worsened due to potential malfunction of the rolling-up function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a support unit positioned beneath the covering element to prevent deformation before it occurs. The support unit is arranged with a predefined spacing to the underside of the unrolled covering element, allowing the element to make contact with the support unit when mechanical load acts on its surface, thereby preventing permanent deformation and safeguarding the rolling-up function.
2Reliability
If the covering element is made durable and protected, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity is worsened due to additional protective units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating multiple protective functions into unified components. The support unit combines deformation prevention and rolling-up function safeguarding into a single element. The wiper unit integrates cleaning and protection functions. This merging reduces the overall number of separate components while maintaining comprehensive protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by designing protective units that perform multiple functions. The support unit not only prevents deformation but also safeguards the rolling-up function. The wiper unit cleans the covering element while also protecting it from contamination. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate components for each protective function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a long rail covering device is used to provide extensive coverage, then the prevention of contamination is improved, but the ease of operation is worsened due to the length and weight of the covering element
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing a covering element with rolling-up capability that can dynamically change its configuration. The element can be rolled up into a compact form for easy storage and handling, and unrolled into a long form for extensive coverage. This dynamic transformation allows the covering element to adapt between compact storage and full deployment states, making operation easier despite the element's length.
Data Source
AI summary
A covering device for covering a rail of a longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat, may have a cover having an opening. The opening can be at least partly closed by means of at least one cover element which is guided in the cover, and at least one protective unit for protecting the cover element. The device also relates to a longitudinal adjuster and a vehicle seat.