Comfortable way of entering car by using clever mechanics

Brose Group. Two-door cars are not only very much the latest trend, but they also make special demands on the adjustment technology of the driver’s seat structure. Brose provides an innovative solution here with the easy entry function for manual seat adjustments. What makes this solution stand out, in particular, are its operating and entry comfort features as well as the safety provided for the passenger. Moreover, its modular structure and the little amount of space it takes up make it possible to react fast and flexibly to what the customer wishes.

Emphasis on being user-friendly
The entire process for operating and adjusting a front seat with Brose’s easy entry function is possible by using only one hand and applying very little force. The system has a mechanical memory block, which saves the initial position of the length adjustment after folding back the seat or pushing the seat back. The memory block slides on guide elements inside the length adjuster rails and also finds the previous position again when the backrest is folded back without the easy entry function operating. This is a further advantage for the passenger, because he does not have to make any changes to find his preferred length adjustment position again each time the backrest is folded back.

Intelligent safety locking mechanism
On operating the easy entry function, the length adjuster locking mechanism is unlocked and therefore special functions had to be integrated to rule out any safety risk due to faulty operation or misuse. The trick of the Brose design engineers was to couple the folding back of the seat with the unlocking lever of the length adjustment. In case a bulky object or the legs of passengers sitting in the rear prevent the seat from returning to the old memory position, the safety locking mechanism of the length adjuster can be activated in every position.

Modular systems mean advantages in time and costs
An aim for the design engineers was the consistent extension of modular elements with the easy entry function. Irrespective of whether there is a manual or power length adjustment in the seat frame, an identical Brose steel rail profile can be used. This considerably reduces the number of variants on platforms with two-and four-door vehicles. Using systems with modular elements does not only result in a very high proportion of carry-over parts for the classic length adjuster function, but also in a reduction of the time and expense required for development.Brose sees good market opportunities for the new mechanical easy-entry function predominantly with two-door vehicles of the compact or small car categories, because conventional systems with folding backs or height adjusters provide very little comfort. A new substantial order from Volkswagen for about 800.000 manual seat adjusters with easy-entry per year underlines this fact, too. By the way, Brose is at present developing first prototypes of the next generation of products which will offer the customer even more comfort.