Vehicle Air Vent Damper Assembly for Leak-Free Low-Friction Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing damper for vehicle air vents suffers from assembly variations leading to non-uniform dimensions, resulting in air leakage due to gaps between the pad member and the housing, and increased operating force due to excessive overlap, which also causes friction noise.
Innovation Solution
The damper design includes an operating member with a support wall and coupling protrusions, and a pad member with a reinforcing portion and contact end, where the pad member is mounted with a coupling structure that ensures uniform assembly and precise contact with the housing, preventing gaps and air leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the pad member is assembled to the coupling groove in a forced insertion manner, then the assembly is completed, but dimensions of the damper become non-uniform and assembly variation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling structure is divided into multiple coupling protrusions and coupling holes, where each protrusion corresponds to a specific hole. This segmentation allows for precise positioning and alignment during assembly, eliminating the need for forced insertion while ensuring uniform dimensions across all dampers.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling protrusions act as intermediaries that guide the pad member into the correct position relative to the housing. By providing these intermediate coupling elements, the assembly process becomes precise and controlled, preventing dimensional variations without requiring excessive assembly force.
2Reliability
If the amount of overlap of the pad member is increased to prevent air leakage, then air leakage is reduced, but frictional force increases and operating force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling protrusions are strategically positioned at specific locations on the pad member, concentrating the sealing function at these localized points rather than requiring uniform overlap across the entire pad member. This allows effective air leakage prevention with minimal overlap, reducing friction and operating force.
3Reliability
If the amount of overlap of the pad member is increased to prevent air leakage, then air leakage is reduced, but friction noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the coupling into discrete protrusions and holes, the seal is formed at specific localized points rather than across a large overlapping area. This minimizes the contact area between the pad member and housing, thereby reducing friction noise while maintaining effective sealing at the coupling points.
4Ease of manufacture
If the pad member is assembled with large assembly variation, then assembly is easier, but gaps are formed and air leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling structure uses multiple discrete protrusions and holes that guide the assembly process. Even with some assembly variation, the protrusions fit into the corresponding holes, ensuring proper alignment and preventing gaps. This segmented approach maintains both ease of assembly and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure combines rigid coupling protrusions with the pad member material, creating a composite assembly that accommodates slight dimensional variations while maintaining the seal integrity. The combination of these elements ensures consistent performance despite assembly tolerances.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a damper of an air vent for a vehicle, in which an operating member and a pad member are assembled with a structure in which a coupling protrusion of the operating member is inserted into a coupling hole of the pad member. As dimensions of the damper become accurate, a gap is not formed, thereby preventing air leakage. Moreover, due to no need for overlap of the pad member, the operating force of the damper is reduced and becomes uniform, and friction noise of the pad member in operation is prevented. Furthermore, an assembly method is simple, facilitating automation and expecting productivity improvement.