Adjustable Stopper Bolt for Electric Seat Slide Rail
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electric seat slide devices face challenges in adjusting the relative movement range between the upper and lower rails, often resulting in insufficient mechanical strength of the stopper, which affects the reliability of restricting the movement range.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a stopper bolt with a stopper portion that contacts a stopper member, allowing for adjustable movement range and increased mechanical strength, along with a fixing nut and stopper member configuration that maintains assembly compatibility even when the fixing nut is pre-attached, enabling easy assembly on the same production line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a tab formed by cutting-and-raising from the side wall of the upper rail is used as a stopper, then the structure is simple, but the mechanical strength of the stopper is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper function is segmented into two separate components: a stopper member attached to the upper rail and a stopper bolt attached to the lower rail. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the stopper bolt providing the necessary mechanical strength while the stopper member maintains the simple tab structure for defining the movement range.
2Reliability
If the stopper is made with sufficient mechanical strength, then the reliability of movement restriction is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper function merges the strengths of two components: the stopper member provides the positioning function with simple geometry, while the stopper bolt provides the mechanical strength through its bolt structure. Together they achieve high reliability without excessive complexity in either individual component.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the fixing nut position is changed to adjust movement range, then the adaptability is improved, but the assembly compatibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a fixed stopper position to a dynamic, adjustable position. The stopper bolt can be positioned at different locations along the lower rail to accommodate different movement range requirements, while the gap between the fixing nut and stopper member ensures that the assembly process remains compatible across different configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A screw shaft attached to the upper rail is screwed into a nut member attached to the lower rail. When the screw shaft is rotated with respect to the nut member by a drive unit, the screw shaft is moved rearward and forward with respect to the nut member, and the upper rail is also moved rearward and forward with respect to the lower rail. A fixing nut is fixed to an inner surface of the lower rail behind the nut member, and a stopper bolt is fastened to the fixing nut from below the lower rail. When the upper rail moves forward, a stopper portion provided at a tip of the stopper bolt contacts the stopper plate to restrict an excessive forward movement of the upper rail.