Vehicle Camera Cover Interlocking Flange Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera cover assemblies for vehicle windshields lack a secure connection mechanism that prevents movement and ensures reliable concealment of cameras and rain sensors from the interior view.
Innovation Solution
A camera cover assembly featuring a base bracket with interlocking flanges, including an upper cover with retention flanges and a lower cover with outer flanges, which confine the retention flanges between them, providing a secure snap-fit attachment that restricts movement and conceals the camera and rain sensor from view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a simple camera cover assembly is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the connection stability and reliability are insufficient allowing movement between components
Solution Approach 1:
The camera cover assembly uses a nested flange structure where the inner flange is positioned within the outer flange, creating a nested arrangement that provides stable connection while maintaining a compact design. The inner flange fits through the opening in the outer flange, and both are secured to the mounting surface, achieving stability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera cover assembly is divided into multiple segmented components including the upper cover, lower cover, inner flange, and outer flange. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while contributing to the overall stable connection, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If flanges are positioned close to attachment sections, then the structure is more compact, but movement between covers and base bracket cannot be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The flange structure extends in multiple dimensions to achieve movement restriction. The inner flange extends from the mid-portion in one direction, while the outer flange extends from the upper cover in another direction, creating a multi-dimensional constraint system that restricts movement without requiring excessive volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The flanges are pre-positioned and pre-configured in their respective locations on the upper cover and base bracket before final assembly. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the assembly is put together, the movement restriction is immediately effective without requiring additional adjustment space or volume.
3Reliability
If the camera cover assembly uses a secure connection mechanism with interlocking flanges, then the connection reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to multiple precision components
Solution Approach 1:
The flange components serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, enable secure connection through interlocking, allow for alignment during assembly, and restrict movement in multiple directions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby improving reliability while maintaining manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner flange and outer flange are combined with the upper cover and base bracket respectively, integrating multiple functions into unified components. This merging reduces the total number of separate parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, improving both connection reliability and manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle camera cover assembly includes a base bracket, an upper cover and a lower cover. The upper cover has an upper attachment section that aligns with and attaches to a first attachment section of the base bracket. The upper cover has a retention flange dimensioned and positioned to overlay an inner flange of the base bracket with the upper cover attached to the base bracket. The lower cover has a lower attachment section that removably connects to a second attachment section of the base bracket. The lower cover has an outer flange dimensioned and positioned such that with the upper cover and the lower cover installed to the base bracket, the outer flange covers and contacts the retention flange thereby confining the retention flange between the outer flange and the inner flange restricting movement of the upper cover relative to the lower cover and the base bracket.