Seat Back Side Frame Structure for Front-Access Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat assembly processes are cumbersome and inefficient, particularly in assembling the seat back frame, due to the structural design of side frames and linking members, which affects work efficiency and requires improvements in strength, rigidity, and weight reduction.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle seat design incorporates side frames with curved regions that enhance rigidity while minimizing weight, allowing for easier assembly by bending the upper frame to be assembled from the front and using superimposition pieces for welding, which improves the structural integrity and assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the side frame is made thicker to ensure strength, then the strength is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side frame employs variable plate thickness with different regions having different thicknesses: the first plate portion has a first thickness, the second plate portion has a second thickness greater than the first, and the third plate portion has a third thickness greater than the second. This local quality variation ensures strength is concentrated where needed while minimizing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to thickness variation, creating a stepped thickness profile along the longitudinal direction. The plate thickness transitions from thin at the top to thick at the bottom, utilizing the vertical dimension to optimize both strength and weight.
2Weight of moving object
If the plate thickness is finely changed to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the rigidity of the linked part between side frame and linking member is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The third plate portion at the lower end has the greatest thickness to specifically reinforce the linked part with the linking member. This local quality enhancement ensures rigidity is maintained at the critical connection point while other portions of the side frame use thinner plates to reduce weight.
3Productivity
If the upper frame is assembled from the front, then the assembly work efficiency is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of assembling the upper frame from the rear as in conventional designs, this invention enables front assembly by inverting the approach. The upper frame is assembled from the front direction, which simplifies the assembly process and improves work efficiency despite requiring specific structural features like the curved region and protruding piece.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a vehicle seat, a side frame (38) of a seat back frame (25) has a front wall (38b) that is formed so as to be bent inward continuously from a front edge of a plate-shaped portion (38a) and forms a curved region (41) extending vertically from around the rotating shaft and reaching an upper frame (39), and a rear wall (38c) that is formed so as to be bent inward continuously from a rear edge of the plate-shaped portion (38a) and forms a curved region (42) extending vertically from around the rotating shaft and reaching the upper frame (39), and an inner edge of the front wall (38b) has a projecting piece (69) that spreads to the inside from a virtual outline (68) corresponding to a shape of the upper frame (39) and is superimposed on the front wall (54) of the upper frame (39) from the rear. This provides a vehicle seat that can contribute to improvement of the work efficiency when assembling a seat back frame.