Vehicle Seat Sliding Structure with Collision-Responsive Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat sliding structures may compromise driver restraint during front collisions, as the seat's rearward movement can hinder effective deployment of airbags and knee airbags.
Innovation Solution
A seat sliding structure featuring pair of slide rails with upper and lower rails, rail guiding members, a locking mechanism, and a damping mechanism that moves the seat back to a driving position upon collision detection, ensuring proper airbag deployment and maintaining occupant posture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle seat is allowed to slide rearward to a relaxation position, then the occupant comfort during automatic driving is improved, but the driver restraint effectiveness during front collision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static locked state during normal operation to a dynamic unlocked state during collision, allowing the seat to move forward and be restrained by airbags. The system adapts its behavior based on collision detection, enabling both comfort during driving and safety during collision.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is configured to release in advance before the actual collision impact occurs, allowing the seat to move forward to the driving position where airbags can effectively restrain the occupant. This preliminary unlocking action ensures that the restraint system is ready when the collision occurs.
2Reliability
If the locking mechanism releases the seat at collision, then the driver restraint effectiveness is improved, but the seat inertial movement toward the front side causes the submarine phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The damping mechanism is pre-positioned to engage with the slide rail when the seat moves forward during collision. This beforehand cushioning prevents the seat from moving too far forward and causing the submarine phenomenon, while still allowing enough movement for effective airbag restraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping mechanism acts as an intermediary between the seat and the airbag system, controlling the seat's forward movement. It allows the seat to move forward enough for airbag effectiveness while preventing excessive movement that would cause the submarine phenomenon, thus mediating between these two requirements.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the damping mechanism is added to control seat movement, then the submarine phenomenon is suppressed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping mechanism is designed to engage automatically with the slide rail through inertial forces during collision, without requiring external control systems or additional actuators. The mechanism self-activates based on the collision dynamics, reducing control system complexity while maintaining the cushioning function.
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
Enhances collision safety by ensuring the seat moves to a position where airbags can effectively restrain the occupant, reducing the 'submarine phenomenon' and minimizing collision impact on the occupant.
Implementation Method 1
after a collision, the slide rails move inertially toward the driving positions
Implementation Method 2
a damping mechanism that, at a time of frontal collision of the vehicle, damps inertial movement of the slide rails from the relaxation position toward the vehicle front side
Implementation Method 3
a locking mechanism that locks movement of the slide rails at the relaxation position, and that releases a locked state when a frontal collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted
Implementation Method 4
upper rails, which are attached to a lower portion of a vehicle seat, and lower rails, which support the upper rails such that the upper rails can slide in a vehicle longitudinal direction
Data Source
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AI summary
A seat sliding structure for a vehicle includes: a pair of left and right slide rails (20) that include upper rails (22), which are attached to a lower portion of a vehicle seat, and lower rails (24), which support the upper rails (22) such that the upper rails can slide in a vehicle longitudinal direction; rail guiding members (26) that are fixed to a floor panel, and that support the lower rails (24) such that the lower rails can slide in the vehicle longitudinal direction between a driving position at a vehicle front side and a relaxation position at a vehicle rear side; and a locking mechanism (46) that locks movement of the slide rails (20) at the relaxation position, and that releases a locked state when a frontal collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted.