Seating Sensor Holder and Body Retention Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seating sensors face issues with the sensor body potentially falling off or being positionally deviated from the holder, which affects their mountability and stability.

Innovation Solution

A seating sensor design featuring a holder with a first fall-off preventing portion and a first positioning portion, combined with a sensor body having a second fall-off preventing portion and a second positioning portion, which engages to restrain the sensor body from falling off and positional deviations, utilizing a base and lid structure with interposing portions and relief holes to secure the sensor body in place.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a substantially cylindrical rivet or clip only penetrates the sensor body, then the structure is simple, but the sensor body may come out of the rivet or clip and fall off from the holder

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidsensor body retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from a single-dimension penetration method (cylindrical rivet/clip) to a two-dimensional clamping structure (base portion and lid portion forming a夹持 space). The sensor body is retained not by penetration depth but by being sandwiched between two surfaces in the thickness direction, adding a dimensional approach to retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The holder is segmented into a base portion and a lid portion that can be assembled separately. The base portion has a receiving space, and the lid portion closes this space to form a夹持 structure. This segmentation allows for easier assembly and disassembly while improving retention reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If positioning projections and positioning recesses are added to restrain positional deviation, then positional accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositional accuracyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning function is merged into the existing夹持 structure. Positioning projections on the sensor body engage with positioning recesses on the holder base portion, integrating positioning and retention functions into a unified assembly process rather than adding separate positioning mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Positioning projections are provided at specific locations (e.g., four corners) of the sensor body, and corresponding positioning recesses are formed at matching locations on the holder. This localized positioning approach ensures accuracy only where needed without complicating the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a base portion and lid portion structure is used to prevent fall-off, then retention reliability is improved, but the number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor body retentionVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The base portion serves multiple functions: it provides the receiving space for the sensor body, forms positioning recesses for positional accuracy, and creates relief holes for securing the positioning projections. The lid portion similarly provides both retention (closing the receiving space) and positioning functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor body is nested within the receiving space formed by the base portion and lid portion. The positioning projections are nested within the positioning recesses, and the relief holes provide additional nesting for securing the positioning projections. This nested arrangement maximizes retention and positioning effectiveness while minimizing the number of external components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3381742B1Seating sensor
Publication Date: 2021.12.22 AISIN SEIKI KK
  • EP3381742B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3381742B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3381742B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4

AI summary

A seating sensor (30) includes: a holder (31, 50) including a first fall-off preventing portion (33, 51) and a first positioning portion (34, 52), and being mountable on a seat cushion (6) of a vehicle; and a sensor body (40, 55) mounted on the holder and including a second fall-off preventing portion (44, 56) engaged with the first fall-off preventing portion and configured to restrain fall-off of the first fall-off preventing portion from the holder in a predetermined fall-off preventing direction and a second positioning portion (44a, 56a) engaged with the first positioning portion and configured to restrain a positional deviation of the first positioning portion relative to the holder in a direction intersecting with the fall-off preventing direction, the sensor body being configured to detect information of a load applied to the seat cushion.