Adjustable Seat Track Locking Mechanism for Free Play Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Seat track assemblies in vehicles often experience looseness between latched rails, resulting in residual movement and undesirable noises or vibrations due to free play, which existing latch mechanisms fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A seat adjustment apparatus featuring a locking mechanism with rotatable locking portions that engage teeth into openings in the rails, reducing free play by ensuring precise alignment and contact between the rails, thereby eliminating unwanted movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional latch mechanisms with openings and projections are used, then the seat position can be fixed, but free play and looseness remain causing noises and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is divided into multiple teeth (typically 2-4 teeth) distributed around the circumference of the movable rail, rather than a single projection. Each tooth engages with a corresponding opening in the stationary rail, distributing the locking function across multiple contact points. This segmentation eliminates free play by ensuring continuous engagement around the entire circumference, preventing rotational movement and noise generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different geometric characteristics to different parts of the latch mechanism. The teeth are designed with specific profile shapes (such as triangular, trapezoidal, or asymmetric profiles) that optimize engagement with the openings. The teeth may have varying heights, widths, or angles depending on their position, allowing each local region to contribute differently to eliminating free play while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple teeth are added to the latch mechanism, then free play is eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple teeth are integrated into a single monolithic latch component rather than being separate parts. The teeth are formed as continuous features on the same rail segment, eliminating the need for additional fasteners, alignment mechanisms, or assembly steps. This merging approach maintains structural simplicity while achieving the free-play elimination benefit of multiple engagement points.
Solution Approach 2:
The teeth structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical locking engagement, eliminates free play through continuous contact, distributes load across multiple points, and maintains structural rigidity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components that would otherwise be required to achieve each of these objectives individually.
Data Source
AI summary
A seat adjustment apparatus includes a first rail and a second rail each having a plurality of openings that extend along a longitudinal axis, the openings being defined by spaced-apart locking surfaces. A locking mechanism having first and second locking portions is configured to engage the first and second rails. The first and second locking portions are selectively rotatable between a released position and a locked position. In the locked position, the first and second locking portions are configured for relative axial movement along the longitudinal axis such that the interaction of the locking mechanism with portions of the first and second rails attenuates longitudinal freeplay therebetween.