Vehicle Seat Apparatus with Dynamic Restoring Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat designs fail to allow drivers to maintain a natural posture during steering operations, leading to fatigue and discomfort, as the lumbar region is fixed, limiting the use of trunk muscles and increasing the reliance on arm strength and side supports, which can result in back pain and other health issues over extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat apparatus with a seat portion and seatback that can move relative to each other in vertical and longitudinal directions, supported by mechanisms that allow natural movement of the pelvis and scapula, and include restoring forces to return to the original position, enhancing steering operability and reducing fatigue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the seat portion is made movable to enable natural movement of the lumbar region during steering operations, then steering operability and posture maintenance ability are improved, but the seat portion may not return to the original position after the turn is finished
Solution Approach 1:
The seat portion is designed to be dynamically movable rather than fixed, allowing it to move in response to occupant movement during steering operations. This enables the lumbar region to move naturally while maintaining improved steering operability, directly addressing the contradiction between ease of operation and position stability.
Solution Approach 2:
A restoring force generating mechanism is incorporated that automatically returns the seat portion to its original position after movement, without requiring manual intervention. This self-service mechanism ensures the seat portion maintains position stability after the turn is finished, while still allowing dynamic movement during operation.
2Strength
If the lumbar region is fixed to the vehicle seat, then structural stability is maintained, but the driver cannot use trunk muscles effectively leading to fatigue and back pain
Solution Approach 1:
The seat portion is transformed from a fixed structure to a dynamically movable one, enabling the lumbar region and trunk muscles to move naturally during steering operations. This dynamic capability allows effective use of trunk muscles, improving strength while preventing fatigue and back pain.
Solution Approach 2:
The restoring force generating mechanism provides automatic return of the seat portion to its original position, creating a self-service system that maintains proper posture and reduces the risk of back pain and fatigue without requiring constant manual adjustment by the driver.
3Ease of operation
If side supports are increased to withstand lateral force during turns, then posture maintenance is improved, but the weight and size of the seat increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using heavy fixed side supports to maintain posture, the invention employs a dynamically movable seat portion that adapts to the driver's natural movements during steering operations. This dynamic approach maintains posture effectively while avoiding the need for excessive structural support, thereby reducing seat weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The restoring force generating mechanism automatically returns the seat portion to its original position after movement, providing a self-service solution that maintains posture without requiring heavy structural side supports, thus reducing overall seat weight and size.
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 seat apparatus enables drivers to maintain a natural posture during turns, reduces fatigue and discomfort, and prevents back pain by allowing the use of trunk muscles, improving steering operability and maintaining optimal posture after turns.
Implementation Method 1
the seat portion restoring force generating mechanism is an elastic member that is connected to the seat portion and a non-moving portion that supports the seat portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat apparatus includes a seat portion, a seatback arranged on a rear side of the seat portion, a seat portion supporting mechanism that supports the seat portion such that a right side and a left side of the seat portion are able to move relative to one another in a vertical direction of the vehicle seat apparatus, and a seat portion restoring force generating mechanism that generates a restoring force that returns the seat portion to an original position when the seat portion rotates.