Spring Assembly for Vehicle Seat Unlocking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring assemblies for vehicle seat longitudinal adjustment systems are complex and require additional suspension on the seat rail, making installation and activation cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A spring assembly comprising a clip wire, a spring guide, and a leg spring, where the spring guide is axially displaceable but non-rotatable during installation, allowing for a simple untensioning and subsequent rotation to transfer spring force to the unlocking lever without additional suspension, featuring a one-piece spring guide with a sleeve and eccentric plate for cost-effective and simplified production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the spring assembly is designed to be initially untensioned for simple installation, then the installation complexity is reduced, but the mechanism requires a more complex activation process to tension the spring
Solution Approach 1:
The spring guide transitions from a static pretensioned state to a dynamic activated state. During installation, the spring guide is axially displaceable on the clip wire, allowing the spring to be initially untensioned for simple installation. Upon activation, the spring guide rotates relative to the clip wire, converting the spring from an untensioned state to a tensioned state that applies force to the unlocking lever. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction by making the system simple during installation but capable of generating force during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring guide is pre-configured with an axial displacement capability that allows the spring to be installed in an untensioned state. The eccentric plate geometry is predetermined to enable the subsequent rotation and tensioning action. This preliminary configuration simplifies installation while maintaining the capability for force generation during operation.
2Reliability
If additional suspension on the seat rail is used to maintain spring tension, then the spring force is reliably maintained, but the installation process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for additional suspension mechanisms on the seat rail. Instead of using separate suspension components to maintain spring tension, the spring guide itself is designed to rotate and tension the spring directly during the activation process. This removes the time-consuming step of installing additional suspension while maintaining reliable spring force through the integrated rotation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring guide performs the dual function of guiding the spring during installation and automatically tensioning the spring through its own rotation during activation. The eccentric plate geometry enables the spring guide to self-tension the spring without requiring external suspension mechanisms or additional installation steps, thereby reducing installation time while maintaining spring force reliability.
3Reliability
If the spring assembly uses a multi-component spring guide for precise control, then the operational reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spring guide is designed as a one-piece component that integrates the sleeve and eccentric plate functions. This single integrated component provides precise operational control through its geometry while simplifying manufacturing compared to assembling multiple separate components. The unified structure eliminates assembly steps and reduces production costs while maintaining the reliability needed for precise spring tensioning and unlocking mechanism control.
4Reliability
If the spring is initially tensioned to provide immediate spring force, then the unlocking mechanism is ready for operation, but the installation becomes difficult and requires additional suspension
Solution Approach 1:
The spring guide transitions from a static pretensioned state to a dynamic activated state. During installation, the spring guide is axially displaceable on the clip wire, allowing the spring to be initially untensioned for simple installation. Upon activation, the spring guide rotates relative to the clip wire, converting the spring from an untensioned state to a tensioned state that applies force to the unlocking lever. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction by making the system simple during installation but capable of generating force during operation.
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 solution simplifies the installation and activation of the spring assembly, reducing personal effort and eliminating the need for additional suspension on the seat rail, resulting in a structurally simple and cost-effective unlocking mechanism for vehicle seats.
Implementation Method 1
the spring guide comprises a sleeve and an eccentric plate
Implementation Method 2
the eccentric plate comprises a first cam and a second cam as well as an arcuate portion arranged between the cams
Implementation Method 3
a spring assembly has a clip wire, a spring guide and a leg spring
Implementation Method 4
the spring is released and transfers its spring force from below against the unlocking lever
Data Source
AI summary
A spring assembly (1) is provided for an unlocking mechanism for a longitudinal adjustment system for a vehicle seat. The spring assembly (1) includes a clip wire (2), a spring guide (3) and a leg spring (4). In an installed state, the spring guide (3) can be disposed or is disposed in an axially movable but not rotatable manner on a straight first clip section (2.1) of the clip wire (2). The spring guide (3) can be brought or is brought into an operating state, in which it is rotatable with respect to the first clip section (2.1), via an axial movement on the first clip section (2.1). A method is further provided for installing a spring assembly (1) in an unlocking mechanism for a longitudinal adjustment system for a vehicle seat.