Vehicle Seat Sensor Mounting Bracket with Front-Extending Restrictor
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with sliding seat mechanisms, the sensor for detecting the seat position is often displaced when a rear seat occupant's toe touches it, leading to false position detection, especially when the rear seat is close to the front seat.
Innovation Solution
A sliding device with a fixed and movable rail system, a mounting bracket extending towards the front side of the vehicle seat, and a restrictor located closer to the front side to prevent excessive displacement of the sensor, reducing the likelihood of false detections by limiting the sensor's displacement from its regular position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sensor is located in the lower area of the vehicle seat to detect seat position, then the sensor can accurately detect the position, but the sensor may be touched by the toe of a rear seat occupant causing false detections
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket serves as an intermediary element between the sensor and the movable rail. It extends from the fixed portion toward the front side of the seat, positioning the sensor closer to the front while using the restrictor to limit excessive displacement. This mediator structure allows the sensor to maintain accurate detection capability while reducing vulnerability to toe contact from rear seat occupants.
Solution Approach 2:
The restrictor is pre-configured to come into contact with the mounting bracket or sensor when displacement exceeds a predefined extent. This preliminary protective mechanism prevents the sensor from being displaced beyond the threshold that would cause false detections, countering the harmful effect of toe contact before it can significantly affect measurement accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If the mounting bracket extends to the rear side of the seat to support the sensor, then the sensor can be positioned for detection, but the bracket is more likely to be largely deformed causing sensor displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is designed with asymmetric geometry, extending from the fixed portion toward the front side of the seat rather than symmetrically or toward the rear. This asymmetric configuration reduces the likelihood of large deformation when force is applied, as the bracket's structure and reinforcement are optimized for the specific loading conditions expected in this orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket incorporates local reinforcement and optimized material distribution in critical areas to enhance its resistance to deformation. The bracket's cross-sectional geometry and wall thickness are varied locally to provide maximum stiffness where needed while maintaining the extended configuration necessary for sensor positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
One example of a sliding device for a vehicle seat that can reduce false detection by a sensor is disclosed. The sliding device includes a fixed rail fixed to a vehicle; a movable rail, to which the vehicle seat is directly or indirectly fixed, that is slidable relative to the fixed rail; a mounting bracket having a fixed portion directly or indirectly fixed to the movable rail, and an extending portion extending from the fixed portion to a front side of the seat; a sensor fixed to the mounting bracket and displaced with the movable rail to detect a position of the movable rail; and a restrictor located closer to the front side of the seat than the fixed portion is. The restrictor restricts a displacement of the sensor by contacting the mounting bracket or the sensor when the extending portion is displaced in excess of a predefined extent.