Movable Vehicle Seat With Independent Retractor Rail Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle seat systems with integrated occupant restraint systems face challenges in accommodating various occupant sizes and shapes, as seat belt adjustments become necessary when the seat is moved, leading to increased mechanical load requirements and cost/weight penalties.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat system where the seat mounting structure and occupant restraint system are independently coupled to a rail assembly, allowing the seat to slide and the restraint system to move independently, thereby transferring loads to the vehicle floor, eliminating the need for additional structural support and ensuring proper seat belt placement regardless of seat position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the seat belt anchorage is fastened to the vehicle floor at the outboard sides of the seat, then the structural load on the seat is reduced, but the seat belt requires readjustment when the seat position is changed
Solution Approach 1:
The seat belt retractor assembly is made movable along the rail assembly, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position as the seat moves fore-and-aft. This dynamic configuration maintains proper seat belt geometry and tension automatically, eliminating the need for manual readjustment while keeping anchorages integrated with the seat structure
2Ease of operation
If the seat belt anchorage is mounted to a movable portion of the seat, then the seat belt maintains proper positioning when the seat is adjusted, but the adjuster must withstand significant mechanical loads increasing cost and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent load paths: the seat mounting structure handles the weight and movement of the seat, while the retractor assembly handles the seat belt restraint loads. This segmentation allows the retractor to be lighter since it only needs to withstand belt loads, not the full weight of the seat and occupant
Solution Approach 2:
The rail assembly serves as an intermediary structure that supports both the seat mounting structure and the retractor assembly. By providing a common mounting foundation, the rails allow both components to move together without requiring the retractor to directly support the seat's mechanical loads
3Ease of operation
If the seat belt anchorage is mounted to a movable portion of the seat, then the seat belt maintains proper positioning when the seat is adjusted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor assembly is integrated with the seat as a single movable unit, both coupling to the rail assembly through separate but coordinated mechanisms. This merging ensures that the seat belt system automatically maintains proper positioning relative to the occupant as the seat moves, without requiring complex independent adjustment mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
A seat includes a seat bottom, a seat back, a seat mounting structure configured to support the seat bottom and the seat back, the seat mounting structure configured to slidably couple to the rail assembly, and an occupant restraint system including a seat belt coupled to a retractor assembly. The retractor assembly is configured to slidably couple to the rail assembly such that the retractor assembly moves along the rail assembly as the seat mounting structure is moved along the rail assembly, the occupant restraint system configured to transfer load to the rail assembly disposed in the vehicle floor.