Vehicle Seat Support Member Engagement for Stable Horizontal Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat designs face challenges in maintaining attachment stability and ease of detachment between the support member and the frame member, with previous technologies experiencing weak engagement and practical difficulties during installation, such as the support member hitting other components within the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring a frame member with a first attaching portion and a support member with a second attaching portion, utilizing an engaging structure with first and second engaging portions and an engagable portion to securely attach and detach the support member from the frame member, ensuring compact attachment and detachment while maintaining utmost stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the support member is slid downward from above the frame member for attachment, then the support member can be attached to the frame member, but the support member may hit other components such as the ceiling during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the attachment direction by having the support member attached from the sitting side (horizontally) rather than from above (vertically). The first engaging portion and second engaging portion are positioned to receive the engagable portion when the support member is moved horizontally into place, eliminating the risk of collision with the ceiling during installation.
2Device complexity
If the support member is retained by a single protruding portion fitting into a groove portion, then the attachment structure is simple, but the engaging force is weak and the support member rattles against the frame member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single engagement point into multiple engagement points. The engaging structure includes a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion that simultaneously engage with the engagable portion, distributing the attachment force across multiple contact points. This multi-point engagement eliminates rattling while maintaining structural simplicity.
3Ease of repair
If the support member is detachably attached to the frame member, then maintenance and design changes are easier, but the attachment stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic engagement system where the first engaging portion and second engaging portion can be easily inserted and removed from the engagable portion. The engaging portions are designed with appropriate clearance and geometry to allow simple attachment and detachment operations while maintaining stable engagement during use, enabling both ease of maintenance and attachment stability.
Data Source
AI summary
An engaging structure has a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion provided on at least one portion from among a first attaching portion and a second attaching portion, and an engagable portion provided on another portion that is different from the one portion. The first attaching portion is overlapped with the second attaching portion such that the first engaging portion abuts against a first edge of the other portion and the second engaging portion abuts against a second edge of the other portion that is different from the first edge. A support member is engaged with a frame member by one of the first engaging portion or the second engaging portion being hooked onto the engagable portion.