Spanning Rod Assist Grip for Vehicle Rear Seats
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle occupants sitting on middle seats of rear bench seats lack a dedicated assist grip in the vehicle front-and-rear direction, as existing assist grips are divided between separate front seats, creating a gap without support.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a pair of retaining portions on the rear face sides of front seatbacks, allowing a rod-shaped member to span between them, which can be gripped by occupants, with adjustable positions to accommodate reclining angles and seat sliding, and a mechanism to prevent the rod-shaped member from falling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate front seats are disposed with spacing in the vehicle width direction, then each front seat can have its own assist grip, but a gap is formed between the seatbacks where occupants on middle rear seats cannot access assist grips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the assist grip functionality from a single-seat dimension to a multi-seat dimension by providing retaining portions on both left and right front seatbacks that can collectively support a rod-shaped member spanning across the gap. This allows middle rear seat occupants to access the assist grip by reaching forward to the gap area, effectively utilizing the space between separate front seats rather than treating it as dead space.
Solution Approach 2:
The rod-shaped member serves multiple functions: it acts as an assist grip for right rear seat occupants (supported by the right retaining portion), as an assist grip for left rear seat occupants (supported by the left retaining portion), and as an assist grip for middle rear seat occupants (spanning between both retaining portions). This multi-functional design allows a single structure to serve occupants across different seating positions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rod-shaped member is rigidly fixed to the seatbacks, then the position is stable, but the member cannot adjust to offset positions caused by reclining angles and seat sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic retention mechanism where the rod-shaped member is not rigidly fixed but can move relative to the retaining portions. The retaining portions allow the rod-shaped member to adjust its position in the vehicle front-rear direction and vertical direction, accommodating changes in seatback position due to reclining angles and seat sliding while maintaining stable support.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining portions are designed to accommodate changes in positional parameters of the rod-shaped member. As seatbacks move due to reclining or sliding, the rod-shaped member's position parameters (front-rear position and vertical position) change, and the retaining portions allow these parameter changes while maintaining proper retention and support.
3Ease of manufacture
If the rod-shaped member is freely retained, then positioning is simple, but the member may fall or become misplaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates preventive features in the retaining portions that counteract potential falling or misplacement of the rod-shaped member before it occurs. The retaining portions are designed with specific geometries and engagement features that prevent the rod-shaped member from detaching or falling out, providing preliminary protection against retention failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining portions act as intermediary structures between the rod-shaped member and the seatbacks. These intermediaries provide a reliable connection mechanism that ensures the rod-shaped member remains properly retained while allowing necessary movements, mediating between the simplicity of free retention and the reliability of secure retention.
Data Source
AI summary
Vehicle seats that includes: a pair of seatbacks of front seats spaced apart in a vehicle width direction; and a pair of retaining portions provided at rear face sides of the pair of seatbacks, the pair of retaining portions configured to allow a rod-shaped member to span between the seatbacks, the rod-shaped member being grippable by a vehicle occupant sitting at a rear seat middle.