Vehicle Seat Tilt-Locking Mechanism for Easy Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat motion-control systems fail to efficiently facilitate easy entry and exit from rear rows by not providing a secure mechanism to maintain a tilted configuration while preventing unintended return to a horizontal-use configuration.
Innovation Solution
A tilt-limiting unit comprising a first lever, a second lever, and a stationary stop, biased by a spring, which locks the vehicle seat in a tilted configuration until manually disengaged by moving towards the slid-back configuration, preventing unintended return to the horizontal-use configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle seat is allowed to slide freely between horizontal-use and tilted configurations, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unintended return to horizontal-use configuration
Solution Approach 1:
A tilt-limiting unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the vehicle seat and foundation frame. This unit includes a lever that engages with a stationary stop to prevent the seat from returning to horizontal-use configuration once tilted, thereby maintaining reliability while allowing easy operation through manual disengagement
Solution Approach 2:
The tilt-limiting unit applies preliminary anti-action by pre-positioning the lever to engage the stationary stop before the seat can accidentally return to horizontal configuration. This preventive mechanism blocks unintended motion while allowing intentional configuration changes through manual intervention
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to maintain tilted configuration, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tilt-limiting unit employs self-service through spring biasing that automatically positions the lever to engage the stationary stop. The spring provides automatic resetting and engagement without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems, maintaining reliability while minimizing added complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted as a separate, dedicated tilt-limiting unit independent of the main seat sliding mechanism. This modular approach isolates the reliability-critical locking function from the motion-control system, allowing simple manual disengagement while maintaining robust locking engagement
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 secure and convenient movement between horizontal-use and tilted configurations, ensuring easy access to rear vehicle rows by maintaining the tilted position until intentionally changed back, enhancing user experience and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The second lever is biased to rotate to the locked position as the vehicle seat changes to the tilted configuration
Data Source
AI summary
An occupant support includes a vehicle seat mounted to a foundation frame for sliding the vehicle seat longitudinally in a vehicle. The vehicle seat is movable from a slid-back configuration to a forward-seating configuration and may be changed from a horizontal-use configuration to a tilted configuration for easy entry into or exit from a rear row of the vehicle. The vehicle seat may be locked in the tilted configuration.