Vehicle Seatback Airbag Deployment Gap Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle seat assemblies face challenges in efficiently integrating and deploying side-impact airbag devices, requiring a modular design that allows for proper deployment while maintaining structural integrity and ease of assembly.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seatback assembly with a modular design featuring a releasable coupling arrangement between the outer shell and seatback carrier, which disengages upon airbag deployment to create a peripheral gap for effective airbag deployment, utilizing mounting features and members for alignment and support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the vehicle seat assembly uses a modular design with outer shell and seatback carrier, then the ease of assembly and manufacturing is improved, but the structural integrity and reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The seatback assembly is divided into modular components including an outer shell, seatback carrier, and frame assembly. These segments are designed to be separately manufactured and then coupled together through coupling arrangements, enabling efficient assembly while maintaining structural integrity through proper connection mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the coupling arrangement is made releasable for airbag deployment, then the safety and effectiveness of airbag deployment is improved, but the structural stability during normal operation may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling arrangement between the outer shell and seatback carrier is designed to be dynamically changeable - remaining firmly coupled during normal operation to maintain structural stability, but capable of releasing upon airbag deployment to allow proper airbag expansion. This dynamic behavior ensures both structural integrity and safety functionality.
3Ease of manufacture
If mounting features and members are added for modular coupling, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Mounting features and mounting members are integrated into the design of the outer shell, seatback carrier, and frame assembly components. These coupling elements are incorporated as part of the component structures themselves rather than as separate additions, enabling straightforward assembly while minimizing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seatback assembly includes an outer shell coupled to a seatback carrier via a releasable coupling arrangement. The releasable coupling arrangement can take various forms in order to securely couple the outer shell to the seatback carrier. A seatback frame is disposed between the seatback carrier and the outer shell in assembly. An airbag module is coupled to the seatback frame, and the releasable coupling arrangement is configured to release upon deployment of an airbag from the airbag module to define a peripheral gap between the outer shell and seatback carrier through which the airbag can be deployed.