Breakaway Visor Arm Energy Dissipation Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sun visors in vehicles do not effectively absorb head impact energy during crashes, leading to potential injuries from rigid edges and complex, costly manufacturing processes, with a need for a breakaway design that is aesthetically pleasing and easy to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A breakaway sun visor arm with a metal tubular insert and molded plastic overmold, featuring a predetermined break point defined by a stabilizer pin hole, score line, or V-shaped notches, allowing energy dissipation by breaking at a controlled location, thus reducing head impact forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid sun visor is used, then structural strength is maintained, but head impact energy is not absorbed and injury risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The visor arm is divided into a two-part construction with an inner tubular member and an outer molded member that can break away from each other. This segmentation allows the visor to maintain structural integrity during normal use while enabling controlled breakage during impact to absorb energy and reduce injury risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the mechanical parameters of the visor arm by creating a breakaway joint between the inner and outer members. The joint is designed with specific friction characteristics and geometric features (such as the frustoconical surface and groove) that allow the arm to transition from a rigid state during normal operation to a breakable state during impact, thereby changing its energy absorption characteristics.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a breakaway visor design is implemented, then head impact energy is absorbed, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the breakaway mechanism directly into the molding process of the outer visor arm member. The groove and frustoconical surfaces are formed as integral features of the molded part, eliminating the need for separate breakaway mechanism components and reducing assembly steps while still achieving the energy absorption function.
Solution Approach 2:
The visor arm's outer member is designed to automatically break away at the predetermined location when impact forces are applied, without requiring external actuation or complex control systems. The geometric features (groove, frustoconical surface) and material properties enable the breakaway action to occur spontaneously under impact conditions, simplifying the overall system.
3Manufacturing precision
If predetermined break markings are added to the visor, then break point control is improved, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the break control function from the visible exterior surface of the visor. The groove and frustoconical surfaces that control the break point are located on the interior or non-visible portions of the visor arm, separating the precision control features from the aesthetic exterior, thereby maintaining visual appeal while ensuring accurate break point control.
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 solution provides a low-cost, easy-to-manufacture breakaway visor that meets and exceeds safety standards by dissipating energy upon impact, reducing the risk of head injuries during crashes while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Implementation Method 1
allowing energy to dissipate with the visor arm breaking at the predetermined point
Data Source
AI summary
A breakaway visor for use in a vehicle includes a visor body and a molded tubular member having a first end and a second end wherein the first end is rotatably supported with respect to the roof of a vehicle via a visor mounting bracket. The visor arm also includes an elbow portion arranged a predetermined distance from the first end of the molded tubular member. The visor arm also includes a metal tubular insert member arranged within the molded tubular member. The metal tubular insert member will have a first end within the molded tubular member and arranged a predetermined distance from the first end of the molded tubular member. This first end of the metal tubular insert member will define the break point for the breakaway visor.