Vehicle Seat Slide Stopper Attachment and Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat slide devices require specialized rail parts with specific stopper configurations for different movement ranges, leading to manufacturing inefficiencies and troublesome installation processes.
Innovation Solution
A seat slide device with a first rail and a second rail, where the first rail has an insertion hole and a plate-like stopper with flanges that can be easily attached from the outside, allowing for flexible adjustment of the movement range by engaging with a second stopper on the second rail, distributing load through a moment that is borne by the rail's inner surface, reducing the complexity and strength requirements of the stopper and fastening members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If stoppers are cut and raised from the rails (Patent Document 1), then the movement range can be limited, but multiple specialized rail parts need to be manufactured for different movement ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is divided into a separate component that can be attached to the rail after manufacturing. This allows the rail to be a standardized part while the stopper position can be varied by attaching stoppers at different locations, eliminating the need to manufacture specialized rails for each movement range.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper configuration is made adjustable and modular rather than fixed. By using attachable stoppers with flanges that engage with insertion holes at different positions, the movement range can be dynamically changed without remanufacturing the rails.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a separately formed stopper bracket is attached to the upper rail (Patent Document 2), then the movement range can be easily changed, but the installation is troublesome because the stopper bracket needs to be attached from the inside of the U-shaped upper rail
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attaching the stopper bracket from the inside of the U-shaped rail as in conventional designs, the flange portion of the stopper is attached from the outside of the rail. The flange passes through the rail wall and engages with insertion holes, completely reversing the attachment direction and eliminating installation difficulties.
3Ease of operation
If the stopper is attached from the outside of the first rail, then the installation is easy without interference from the second rail, but the structure needs to ensure sufficient strength to bear engagement loads
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing mechanism is shifted from a purely longitudinal engagement to a combination of longitudinal and rotational dimensions. The flange portion engages with the second stopper in the longitudinal direction while simultaneously contacting the inner surface of the first rail to bear moments, distributing the load across multiple dimensions and ensuring sufficient strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A stopper includes an attachment portion and a pair of flanges. The attachment portion contacts an outer surface of a bottom wall portion of a lower rail and is attached to the bottom wall portion. The flanges extend from the attachment portion to be passed through insertion holes in the bottom wall portion. The flanges are located in an inner space of the lower rail. The flanges are engaged with second cut-and-raised pieces formed in an upper rail, thereby limiting the range of movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail.