Design and simulation analysis of a Rack & Pinion seat recliner mechanism

The recliner mechanism is a system in vehicle seating that permits the seat to shift forward or backward from a pivot or a hinge point on the base of the seat to ease the driver's or the passenger's seating comfort. This project emphasizes designing a compact seat recliner system without risking the user's safety and reducing manufacturing costs. The Ratchet wheel mechanism and Button-Motor mechanism are the conventionally used mechanism, where the failure of this mechanism often occurs due to heavy loads; also, cost and external power requirements were the major drawbacks. Consequently, the present research designed a Rack and Pinion mechanism as a seat recliner system. This recliner mechanism comprises the rack and pinion and is the simplest, with desirable gear ratios corresponding to the seat reclining angles. In addition, this system has the merits of a compact structure using minimal components, low manufacturing cost, easy use, and less weight without compromising safety in contrast to conventional mechanisms. Solidworks design modeller was used to design components of the seat recliner system. Solidworks simulation software analyzed the mechanism's security for different load scenarios. The analysis findings indicate that the system is light and secure on the applied load.