Seat Cushion Spanning Member Geometry for Entry-Exit Load Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seats face challenges in reducing the load input to spanning members during vehicle occupant entry and exit, particularly affecting the front panel.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle seat design includes projecting portions on the spanning member that project towards the upper side of the side frames, allowing the occupant's body to approach these portions during entry and exit, with adjustable mechanisms to optimize load distribution and reduce input to the spanning member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional spanning member structure is used, then the structure is simple, but the load from vehicle occupants during entry and exit is directly inputted to the spanning member causing excessive stress
Solution Approach 1:
The spanning member is divided into multiple regions including projecting portions that extend toward the upper side. These projecting portions are positioned to receive loads from vehicle occupants during entry and exit, segmenting the load path away from the main spanning member structure and reducing stress on critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The projecting portions act as intermediary elements between the vehicle occupant's body and the main spanning member. They intercept and absorb impact loads during entry and exit operations, serving as a buffer that protects the primary spanning member structure from excessive stress.
2Reliability
If the spanning member is designed to support loads during entry and exit, then the load distribution is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spanning member features localized projecting portions with specific geometric characteristics positioned at predetermined locations. These local structural variations provide enhanced load-bearing capabilities exactly where entry and exit loads are applied, while the rest of the spanning member maintains a simpler configuration.
3Ease of operation
If the projecting portions are positioned to receive occupant loads, then the comfort during entry and exit is enhanced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The projecting portions are pre-positioned at optimized locations that anticipate the typical paths and contact points of vehicle occupants during entry and exit. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that loads are naturally intercepted at the most effective positions without requiring active control or adjustment during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat includes: a pair of left and right side frames that structure portions of a frame of a seat cushion that supports, from a seat lower side, buttocks and femoral regions of a seated vehicle occupant, and that are disposed with an interval therebetween in a seat left-right direction; and a spanning member spanning in the seat left-right direction between the pair of left and right side frames, and supporting the femoral regions of the seated vehicle occupant from a lower side, wherein regions, which are at rear sides of seat transverse direction outer sides, of the spanning member are projecting portions that project toward a seat upper side with respect to the side frames.