Integrated Seat Shell Lumbar Adjuster for Low-Complexity Backrests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable seat occupant support assemblies for vehicle seats are complex and costly, making them unsuitable for lower-cost off-road vehicle seating, which often employs compact, molded plastic seat shells.
Innovation Solution
A simplified adjustable seat occupant support assembly integrated into a molded seat shell, featuring a drive mechanism with multi-lobed cams and trunnion rods, allowing manual adjustment of lumbar support without requiring tools, and utilizing a displaceable shoe to adjust the seat cover for optimal support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional steel frame backrest with lumbar adjustment assembly is used, then adjustable lumbar support is provided, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lumbar adjustment mechanism directly with the molded seat shell by integrating drive arms that rotate within the shell structure. The drive arms are received in compartments formed in the seat shell, eliminating the need for separate steel frame backrest structures. This merging of functions reduces overall device complexity while maintaining adjustable lumbar support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The molded seat shell serves multiple functions: it provides the structural backrest support, houses the lumbar adjustment mechanism, and forms the outer shell structure. The drive arms serve dual purposes by both rotating to adjust lumbar support and being received within the seat shell compartments, making the structure multi-functional and reducing overall component count.
2Ease of operation
If conventional lumbar adjustment system with cross-lattice element is used, then lumbar support is provided, but manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lumbar adjustment mechanism with the seat shell molding process. The drive arms are designed to be received in compartments that are formed as integral parts of the molded seat shell. This combining eliminates separate assembly steps for attaching backrest frames and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining adjustable lumbar support functionality.
3Ease of manufacture
If simplified adjustable support assembly is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but adjustment mechanism complexity may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into discrete drive arms, each with specific cam lobes that interact with the seat shell compartments. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of individual components while maintaining the overall adjustment functionality. The modular nature of the drive arms enables easier assembly and reduces manufacturing complexity despite the sophisticated adjustment capability.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, compact, and durable adjustable lumbar support system suitable for off-road vehicle seats, enhancing comfort and usability while minimizing component count and assembly complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The drive includes a rotary armature that rotates about a rotation axis and that includes at least one multi-lobed cam
Implementation Method 2
The at least one multi-lobed cam includes a trunnion rod that extends generally parallel to the rotation axis
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to an adjustable seat occupant support assembly for a seat, such as a vehicle seat, which employs a drive equipped with an arm that bears against an adjuster shoe that urges part of a seat cushion of a backrest of a vehicle seat outwardly or inwardly. The adjustable support assembly is received in part of a molded seat shell that is three dimensionally formed to accommodate at least part of the lumbar adjuster drive. In a preferred embodiment, the shell has a molded drive-receiving compartment that can include a cradle that supports a drive received in the compartment. One or more integrally molded bearing support surfaces, including journals, can be formed in the shell upon which part of the drive can be movably supported. A drive actuator is provided that is also carried by an aperture or the like molded into the shell.