Tumble Seat Rail Structure for Smooth Stow Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas springs located between the floor and seat cushion in tumble seats can distort the seat cushion frame and slide rails, inhibiting smooth movement due to the urging force they generate.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat design featuring a support member, rotating member, lower and upper rails, a coupling device, and an urging device that transmits force in a way that restricts expansion and deformation, ensuring the urging force is securely transmitted to prevent distortion of the slide rails and seat cushion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a gas spring is provided between the floor and seat cushion to facilitate the tuck-away operation, then the seat cushion can be easily rotated frontward, but the urging force from the gas spring can distort the slide rails and inhibit smooth movement
Solution Approach 1:
A reinforcing member is introduced as an intermediary component between the gas spring and the seat cushion frame. The gas spring is coupled to the reinforcing member, which in turn is coupled to the seat cushion frame, thereby isolating the slide rails from the direct action of the gas spring's urging force and preventing distortion while maintaining the tuck-away functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The seat cushion structure is segmented into distinct functional components: the seat cushion frame, the slide rails, and a separately provided reinforcing member. This segmentation allows the reinforcing member to specifically bear the urging force from the gas spring, while the slide rails maintain their independent function of enabling smooth horizontal movement without bearing the gas spring's load
2Ease of operation
If the gas spring is positioned to provide urging force on the seat cushion, then rotation about the support shaft is facilitated, but distortion of the seat cushion frame or other parts occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing member serves as a mediator that absorbs and distributes the urging force from the gas spring, preventing direct transmission of this force to the seat cushion frame. This protects the structural integrity of the seat cushion frame while still enabling the gas spring to facilitate rotation about the support shaft
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing member is strategically positioned and configured to provide localized structural support at the point where the gas spring applies force. This local reinforcement prevents distortion of the seat cushion frame in the specific region subjected to the gas spring's urging force, while maintaining the overall flexibility and function of the seat cushion structure
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 allows the seat cushion to rotate smoothly and prevents distortion of the slide rails and seat cushion, enhancing the stowing mechanism by maintaining structural integrity and reducing dead space.
Implementation Method 1
an urging device (60) extending the front-rear direction and having one end coupled to the support member and a second end coupled to the lower rail on the side toward the support shaft side, wherein the urging device is configured to be expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction thereof so as to urge the seat cushion in such a direction as to rotate about the support shaft away from the floor
Data Source
AI summary
In order to prevent distortion of slide rails caused by an urging force generated by an urging member in a vehicle tumble seat, a vehicle seat is capable of taking a stowed position in which a seat back is folded onto a seat cushion and the seat cushion together with the folded seat back is rotatably lifted away from a floor, and the vehicle seat is configured to include a support member coupled to the floor; a rotating member rotatably supported by the support member via a support shaft extending in a right-left direction; a lower rail extending in a front-rear direction and coupled at an end to the rotating member so as to be extend literally offset relative to the support shaft; an upper rail slidably supported by the lower rail and coupled to the seat cushion; a coupling device provided at a second end of the lower rail on a side toward the support shaft and capable of selectably connecting to the floor; and an urging device extending the front-rear direction and having one end coupled to the support member and a second end coupled to the lower rail on the side toward the support shaft side, wherein the urging device is configured to be expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction thereof so as to urge the seat cushion in such a direction as to rotate about the support shaft away from the floor.