Vehicle Seat Raising Mechanism Protuberance Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing raisable seat mechanisms in motor vehicles are prone to lateral displacement and vertical collapse during frontal crashes, leading to potential seat collapse towards the door and console, and vertical deformation, which compromises safety.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a protuberance on the connecting rod that extends towards the longitudinal rail, allowing for planar contact and force absorption during impacts, while maintaining a gap to reduce friction and prevent premature wear during normal operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the connecting rod maintains continuous contact with the longitudinal rail, then the seat is protected from lateral displacement and vertical collapse during crashes, but friction increases causing premature wear and irritating noises during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-positions the connecting rod at a specific angle relative to the longitudinal rail during normal operation to maintain a gap, preventing continuous contact. This preliminary positioning ensures that contact only occurs during abnormal conditions (crashes), thereby eliminating friction wear and noises during normal use while maintaining protective capability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting rod is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to transition from a non-contact state during normal operation to a contact state during crashes. The rod's angular position and structural flexibility enable it to engage with the rail only under impact conditions, dynamically switching between protection mode and low-friction mode
2Ease of manufacture
If the connecting rod is designed with symmetrical elongate shape, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it provides insufficient resistance to torsion and vertical crushing forces during frontal crashes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the connecting rod's cross-sectional geometry and structural distribution, creating an optimized profile that provides enhanced resistance to torsion and vertical crushing forces. The asymmetric design allows the rod to better withstand multi-directional impact forces while remaining manufacturable through standard forming processes
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting rod features localized structural enhancements at critical stress points, such as increased wall thickness or reinforced sections at the ends and junction points. This local quality approach provides targeted strength where needed during crashes while maintaining overall structural efficiency and ease of manufacture
3Reliability
If the gap between the protuberance and longitudinal rail is reduced to minimize wear, then friction is increased causing more wear and noises during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and pre-sets the optimal gap distance during the design phase, positioning the connecting rod at a specific initial angle that maintains this gap during normal operation. This preliminary action ensures the gap is large enough to prevent contact and friction during normal use, yet small enough to provide immediate protection during crashes
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 protuberance design limits deformation about the X and Z axes, preventing seat collapse and reducing friction-related wear, thereby enhancing safety and durability during crashes and normal use.
Implementation Method 1
the planar contact between the protuberance and the rail absorbs part of the force, limiting the deformation of the connecting rod about axis X and along Z
Implementation Method 2
The gap reserved between the protuberance and the rail, during normal operation, reduces friction and thus prevents premature wear of the surface of the protuberance
Data Source
AI summary
A raisable seat for a vehicle, comprising a frame for a seating portion, a rail, a raising mechanism suitable for moving the seating portion frame relative to the rail between a lowered position and a raised position, said raising mechanism comprising on each side of the seat at least one connecting rod, said connecting rod having a rod body with an upper end connected to the frame and a lower end connected to the rail, at least one connecting rod also comprising a protuberance extending from the lower end, the protuberance extending facing the rail, said connecting rod being adapted to deform, in the event of an impact, between a first state in which a gap separates the rail and the protuberance regardless of the position of the seating portion frame between the lowered position and the raised position, and a second state in which the protuberance is in contact at least locally with the rail.