Vehicle Seat Rotation Mechanism Using Biasing Force for Rapid Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat rotation mechanisms in automated driving vehicles often fail to promptly return the seat to a position suitable for manual driving, relying on electric motor performance which may not ensure timely and smooth repositioning.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat apparatus with a gear system, biasing mechanism, and release control part that allows the seat to be rotated back to a reference position using a biasing force, independent of the electric motor, and includes features for regulating rotation speed and notifying occupants of the seat's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If an electric motor is used to rotate the seat main body, then the rotation can be controlled, but the rotation speed is limited by motor performance and the seat cannot return promptly to the driving position
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing part is preliminarily biased to store elastic energy before the return operation. When the release control part disengages the gears, the preliminarily biased biasing force is immediately released to rapidly rotate the seat main body back to the driving position, eliminating the time delay associated with motor acceleration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic engagement and disengagement of the gear mechanism controlled by the release control part. The biasing part applies periodic biasing forces during rotation, creating a controlled oscillatory motion that efficiently returns the seat to position while regulating rotation speed through the regulation part.
2Loss of time
If the seat main body is rotated quickly back to the reference position, then the return time is reduced, but the rotation may become uncontrolled and unsafe
Solution Approach 1:
The regulation part acts as an intermediary between the biasing part and the seat main body rotation. It regulates the rotation speed by controlling the interaction between the gear teeth and the biasing force, ensuring that the rapid return motion remains controlled and safe while still achieving quick repositioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The release control part monitors the rotation process and provides feedback control. It manages the engagement and disengagement timing based on the seat's position and the biasing force application, ensuring that the rotation stops accurately at the reference position and preventing overshooting or uncontrolled motion.
3Speed
If a biasing force is applied to rotate the seat back, then the return speed increases, but additional mechanical components are required
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing part serves multiple functions: it stores elastic energy during normal operation, provides the rapid return force when disengaged, and works in conjunction with the gear mechanism to regulate rotation speed. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated return mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the return mechanism with the existing gear rotation mechanism. The biasing force is applied through the same gear engagement system, merging the return function with the rotation control function. This integration avoids adding completely separate mechanical components for the return 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
Enables the seat to be efficiently and smoothly returned to a driving position when switching from automated to manual driving, allowing occupants to assume the correct driving pose promptly and safely.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing part that applies, when the seat main body is rotated by the rotation mechanism, a biasing force in a direction that is opposite to a rotation direction
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat apparatus includes: a seat main body configured to seat an occupant; a first gear that is joined to the seat main body; a second gear that is capable of being engaged with the first gear; a rotation mechanism that rotates the second gear in a state of being engaged with the first gear and that rotates the seat main body in a yaw direction from a reference direction; a biasing part that applies, when the seat main body is rotated by the rotation mechanism, a biasing force in a direction that is opposite to a rotation direction; and a release control part that releases an engagement between the first gear and the second gear, that rotates the seat main body by a biasing force which is preliminarily biased by the biasing part, and that allows the seat main body to return to the reference direction.