Car Seat Angular Adjustment Mechanism with Stepped Gear Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seat adjusting mechanisms in vehicles lack a gradual and comfortable angular adjustment method, often causing users to feel sudden movements and lack of feedback during positioning, which affects ride comfort and ergonomic alignment.

Innovation Solution

A position adjusting mechanism featuring a step gear with a grooved structure that engages with a gear, allowing users to feel geometrical stepping during angular movement, ensuring balanced and comfortable adjustment without system elimination during operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a triggering mechanism is used to adjust the seating part angle, then the adjustment can be performed manually, but the driver or passenger feels sudden movements and cannot sense the steps during adjustment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual adjustment capabilityVSAvoidstep perception during adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The gear structure is divided into multiple discrete steps, where each step represents a distinct angular position. The gear has teeth that engage with the pinion gear in discrete increments, creating perceptible steps during rotation. This segmentation allows users to feel and sense each adjustment step rather than experiencing continuous smooth movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanism provides tactile feedback through the stepped gear structure. As the pinion gear rotates and engages with the gear teeth, users can physically feel each step through the triggering mechanism. This feedback loop allows users to sense the adjustment process and know when each angular position is reached, improving awareness during manual adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If a continuous adjustment mechanism is used, then smooth movement is achieved, but the user cannot feel the steps and loses positional awareness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmooth adjustmentVSAvoidpositional feedback to user
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The gear is designed with discrete teeth that create angular segments. Each tooth engagement represents a specific angular position, dividing the continuous rotation into meaningful discrete steps. This allows the mechanism to maintain smooth rotational movement while providing periodic positional feedback through the stepped engagement points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stepped gear structure provides periodic tactile feedback during rotation. Users can feel each tooth engagement as a distinct sensation, maintaining awareness of the current angular position and the steps taken to reach it. This feedback prevents loss of positional information while allowing continuous adjustment capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If a complex mechanism with multiple components is used to achieve gradual adjustment, then step perception is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestep perceptionVSAvoidnumber of mechanism components
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gear and pinion gear are integrated into a single compact assembly where the pinion gear rotates within the gear structure. The triggering mechanism is combined with the gear engagement system, eliminating the need for separate step detection devices. This merging provides step perception functionality while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The gear structure serves multiple functions: it provides the angular adjustment mechanism, creates the stepped sensation for user feedback, and enables the triggering mechanism to engage and disengage smoothly. The same structural elements that enable rotation also provide the step perception, eliminating the need for additional dedicated components for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables efficient and ergonomic adjustment of car seat inclination, providing a comfortable and balanced mechanism that allows users to feel the stepping process, ensuring the seating part is adjusted smoothly and securely.

Implementation Method 1

a spring (320) connected to said actuating mechanism (330) and said outer frame (200), said spring (320) being in a compressed state when said actuating mechanism (330) is in the locked position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3197710B1A gradual angular position adjusting mechanism for a seating surface of car seats
Publication Date: 2018.06.13 ASSAN HANIL OTOMOTIV SANAYI & TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI
  • EP3197710B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3197710B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3197710B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a position adjusting mechanism (1) which adjusts the inclination of a seating part of the car seats and comprises: an outer frame (200); an inner frame (100) meshing with said outer frame; an inner plate (331); a casing plate (332), wherein the inner plate and the casing plate are located at the outer frame in an opposite direction and in a mirrored way; a gear (335) located between said inner plate and the casing plate by pins and washers; a main arm (337); two actuating mechanisms (330) which have a sandwich type structure and consist of a step lock (336); a connecting shaft interconnecting said actuating mechanisms; a triggering arm (333) providing detachment of said step lock from the gear; an inclination mechanism (300) comprising two springs (320); a locking arm (338) which opens and closes said step lock; a step gear (110) engaged to the gear by means of a grooved structure thereof; and a connecting member moving in a connecting channel of said step gear.