Seat Slide Adjuster Rail Layout to Reduce Rattle and Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seat slide adjusters experience rattling and abnormal sounds due to local deformation in the upper rail, caused by ball members abutting high rigidity portions in the lower rail, which can be mitigated by increasing material thickness but results in increased weight.
Innovation Solution
A seat slide adjuster with sliding resistance reducing members featuring L-shaped retainers and ball members positioned to abut lower rigidity areas, providing enhanced lateral rigidity and reducing material thickness, thus minimizing rattling and abnormal sounds while maintaining smooth sliding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ball members are disposed to correspond to corner portions of the lower rail (high rigidity portions), then sliding resistance is reduced, but local deformation occurs in the upper rail causing rattling and abnormal sound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the disposition of ball members based on their position: first ball members are disposed apart from upper and bottom wall portions (avoiding high rigidity corners), while second ball members are disposed apart from vertical wall portions toward the center. This positional differentiation prevents local deformation in the upper rail while maintaining sliding functionality.
2Strength
If sheet thickness of raw material forming the upper rail is increased to enhance rigidity, then rattling and abnormal sound are reduced, but weight of the seat slide adjuster increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by strategically positioning ball members to avoid high rigidity portions (corner portions) of the lower rail. This allows the upper rail to maintain adequate rigidity with reduced sheet thickness, as the ball members are disposed in positions (apart from upper/bottom wall portions and apart from vertical wall portions toward center) that prevent localized stress concentration and deformation.
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 L-shaped retainers and strategically positioned ball members enhance lateral rigidity, preventing rattling and abnormal sounds, while allowing for a reduction in material thickness, contributing to a lighter weight seat slide adjuster.
Implementation Method 1
ball members such as steel balls rotatably supported by the retainers
Data Source
AI summary
Rattling and abnormal sound between an upper rail and a lower rail are reduced, and sliding is more smoothly performed. Sliding resistance reducing members (14, 15) include retainers (141, 151) formed each in a substantially L shape in a cross section and including first retaining wall portions (1411, 1511) and second retaining wall portions (1412, 1512) located between vertical wall portions (11b, 12d) and between bottom wall portions (11a, 12c) of a lower rail (11) and an upper rail (12). The first ball members (142, 152) are disposed in middle positions of the first retaining wall portions (1411, 1511), and the second ball members (143, 153) are disposed in positions apart from the vertical wall portions toward the center in the width direction of the lower rail (11) in the second retaining wall portions (1412, 1512).