Slide Device Light Emitter Positioning for Grease Interference

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing signal transmission and reception devices for vehicle slide seats face a decrease in communication performance due to grease adhering to the LED light emitters within the slide rail, causing scattering and shielding issues.

Innovation Solution

The light emitter is positioned outside the slide rail by attaching it to the upper rail using a holding portion, which prevents it from moving inside the rail where grease is applied, and is placed between inner walls or a cover member to avoid disturbance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the LED light emitter is placed inside the slide rail for signal transmission, then the communication function is achieved, but the grease inside the slide rail adheres to the LED causing scattering and shielding of light which decreases communication performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidgrease adhesion effect
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The light emitter is extracted from the slide rail interior and repositioned to the exterior surface of the slide rail. The attachment portion holds the light emitter on the outer surface, separating it from the grease-containing environment inside the slide rail while maintaining its signal transmission function through the rail structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The slide rail structure itself serves as an intermediary medium. The light emitter is positioned on the outer surface and transmits light through the slide rail material to the inner space, allowing signal transmission without direct contact between the light emitter and grease inside the rail.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the light emitter is positioned outside the slide rail to avoid grease contamination, then communication performance is maintained, but the light emitter may be exposed to disturbance light from the external environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoiddisturbance light interference
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The slide rail structure provides selective optical properties - it is transparent or translucent to the specific wavelength of the transmitted signal light while being opaque or shielding to external disturbance light. This local optical quality differentiation allows the light emitter to be positioned externally while maintaining signal integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The slide rail material acts as an optical intermediary that selectively transmits the signal wavelength while blocking external disturbance light. The attachment portion positions the light emitter to utilize this selective transmission property of the rail material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This configuration prevents the negative impact of grease on communication performance, ensuring reliable signal transmission and reducing interference from disturbance light.

Implementation Method 1

an LED (light emitter) is attached to a lower surface of the slide seat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emission: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP3753780B1Slide device and light emitting device for slide device
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 YAZAKI CORP
  • EP3753780B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3753780B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3753780B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A slide device includes an upper rail to which a slide seat for a vehicle is attached, a slide rail to which the upper rail is slidably attached, a light emitter, and an attachment portion that attaches the light emitter to the upper rail. The attachment portion is attached to the upper rail such that the light emitter is arranged outside the slide rail. According to the slide device, since the attachment portion is attached to the upper rail such that the light emitter is positioned outside the slide rail, the light emitter does not move inside the slide rail to which a large amount of grease is applied, and a decrease in communication performance can be prevented.