Sensor-equipped seat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor configurations in seats, such as those using pressure sensors disposed at the seat frame, face issues with reduced biological signal strength and increased noise transmission due to distance from the user and direct vibration noise, respectively.
Innovation Solution
A sensor-equipped seat design with a flexible sensor positioned between cushions, where the sensor is pre-compressed by stacked cushions, allowing for enhanced biological signal detection and reduced noise interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the pressure sensor is disposed at the seat frame, then the sensor is easily installed, but the distance between the buttocks of the seated person and the sensor is large, causing the strength of the biological signal to decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is moved from the vertical dimension (seat frame) to the horizontal dimension (within the seat cushion), specifically placed in an accommodation concave part of the first cushion. This dimensional repositioning reduces the distance between the sensor and the user's body while maintaining installation feasibility through the cushion's layered structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is nested within the layered cushion structure, specifically accommodated in the first cushion's concave part and positioned between the first and second cushions. This nesting approach allows the sensor to be embedded close to the user without requiring separate installation on the frame, thus improving signal strength while maintaining structural integration.
2Ease of manufacture
If the sensor is disposed at the frame, then the sensor is easily installed, but the vibration noise from the vehicle is directly transmitted to the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second cushions serve as intermediary layers between the sensor and the seat frame. These cushion materials absorb and attenuate vibration noise from the vehicle before it reaches the sensor, while still allowing the sensor to be installed within the cushion structure. The cushioning material acts as a noise barrier while maintaining the sensor's integrated installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is positioned within the cushion structure where cushioning material surrounds and protects it from vibration noise before the noise can directly affect the sensor. This prior cushioning approach pre-attenuates the harmful vibrations, improving signal quality while maintaining ease of installation within the cushion assembly.
3Measurement precision
If the sensor is positioned closer to the user, then the biological signal strength increases, but the sensor needs to be integrated within the cushion structure increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The first cushion serves multiple functions: it provides the accommodation concave part for sensor integration, maintains the pre-compressed state for sensor pre-loading, and acts as a noise barrier. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by combining sensor housing, cushioning, and signal transmission functions into a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor housing and cushion structure are merged into a single integrated unit. The accommodation concave part of the first cushion directly houses the sensor, eliminating the need for separate sensor mounts or housings. This merging approach reduces structural complexity while positioning the sensor optimally close to the user for enhanced signal detection.
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
The sensor is positioned closer to the user, increasing biological signal strength and attenuating vibration noise, thereby improving sensitivity and accuracy of seated state and biological information detection.
Implementation Method 1
the first cushion and the second cushion are pre-compressed in a stacking direction in which the first cushion and the second cushion are stacked, and the sensor is applied with pre-compression by a compression reaction force of the first cushion and the second cushion
Implementation Method 2
the sensor is applied with pre-compression by a compression reaction force of the first cushion and the second cushion
Implementation Method 3
detecting a physical quantity in accordance with a pressure transmitted from the pressure-receiving surface of the seat cushion via the first cushion in the seated state by the seated person
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor-equipped seat (1) is provided with a seating-surface seat cushion (10) that comprises: a first seating-surface seat cushion (12) having an accommodation recess (80); and a second seating-surface seat cushion (15) which is accommodated within the accommodation recess (80). Disposed between a first pressing surface (82b) of the accommodation recess (80) in the first seating-surface seat cushion (12) and a second pressing surface (15a) of the second seating-surface seat cushion (15) is a flexible sensor (3) that detects seating condition of a seated person or biological information of the seated person. The first seating-surface seat cushion (12) and the second seating-surface seat cushion (15) are pre-compressed in the stacking direction. Pre-compression is applied to the sensor (3) by compressive reactions of the first seating-surface seat cushion (12) and the second seating-surface seat cushion (15).