Vehicle Bug Screen Mounting via Grille Slot Barb Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bug screens for vehicles, which mount behind the grille, require multiple fasteners for installation and removal, complicating manufacturing and increasing repair time and costs due to the complexity of handling and potential damage to the grille during replacement.
Innovation Solution
A bug screen design featuring a membrane in a frame with integrated slots and extensions with barbs that securely attach to the grille without additional fasteners, allowing for easy mounting and removal by flexing through slots, reducing the need for separate fasteners and simplifying the installation and replacement process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple fasteners are used to mount the bug screen to the grille, then the bug screen is securely attached, but the manufacturing process becomes complicated and repair time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting function is merged into the frame structure itself through integrated extensions with barbs that engage with slots in the grille. This eliminates the need for separate fasteners while maintaining secure attachment, directly resolving the contradiction between attachment strength and mounting system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The frame structure serves its own mounting function through the integrated extensions and barbs, eliminating the need for external fastening components. The bug screen mounts and demounts itself using the frame's inherent features, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining secure attachment
2Strength
If multiple fasteners are used to mount the bug screen, then secure attachment is achieved, but the time to remove and replace the bug screen increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is segmented into discrete slots in the grille and corresponding extensions on the frame, allowing for quick engagement and disengagement. Each slot-extension pair can be independently engaged or released, enabling rapid replacement of the bug screen while maintaining secure attachment through the distributed barb-slot connections
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system transitions from a static fastened state to a dynamic easily-adjustable state. The extensions with barbs can be flexed to disengage from slots and quickly repositioned, allowing the bug screen to be rapidly removed and reinstalled without the time-consuming process of removing multiple fasteners
3Strength
If multiple fasteners are used, then the bug screen is securely mounted, but the risk of damaging the grille during removal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extensions with barbs are designed as sacrificial or easily replaceable components that protect the permanent grille structure. If damage occurs during removal, the extensions can be replaced without damaging the grille itself, effectively transferring the vulnerability from the expensive grille to the cheaper mounting extensions
Solution Approach 2:
The extensions with barbs serve as intermediary elements between the bug screen frame and the grille. These intermediaries absorb the mechanical stress and potential damage during installation and removal, protecting the grille from direct contact with removal tools and reducing the risk of grille damage
Data Source
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AI summary
A bug screen for mounting to a grille of a vehicle comprises a membrane disposed in a frame. At least one slot is disposed on the frame, and at least one platform is disposed on the grille. At least one extension is disposed on the at least one platform. A leg is included in the at least one extension. The leg projects perpendicularly from the at least one platform and has an end opposite to the at least one platform. A barb is disposed on the end of the leg. A sloping surface is disposed on the barb, and the sloping surface passes through the at least one slot on the frame to mount the bug screen to the grille.