Compact Bracket Attachment Member for Automotive Wind Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire guiding devices for automobiles create wind noise due to gaps between the vehicle body and sliding doors, and conventional solutions to block these gaps increase the size of the bracket and cover, making them difficult to accommodate in limited spaces.
Innovation Solution
A compact attachment member with a bracket, plate-like attachment portions, locking holes, flexible locking pieces, and bend-allowing holes that allow the assembly member to be securely joined without protruding from the bracket's surface, reducing wind noise and maintaining a compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If engagement portions protrude from the bracket and cover to lock them together, then the locking reliability is improved, but the size of the bracket and cover increases making them difficult to accommodate in limited space
Solution Approach 1:
The locking hole and locking piece are nested within the plate-like attachment portion of the bracket rather than protruding from it. The locking hole is formed inside the bracket's plate structure, and the locking piece is positioned within this hole, creating a compact nested arrangement that provides reliable locking without increasing the external dimensions of the bracket and cover assembly.
2Volume of moving object
If the locking hole is formed within the plate-like attachment portion without protruding, then the size is reduced for better space accommodation, but the locking mechanism becomes more complex requiring flexible locking pieces and bend-allowing holes
Solution Approach 1:
The locking piece is designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically change shape during the locking process. The bend-allowing hole provides a region where the locking piece can elastically deform to expand the locking hole opening area, enabling the locking fit-in portion to be fitted in smoothly while maintaining structural integrity and providing reliable locking engagement.
3Ease of operation
If the flexible locking piece is allowed to elastically bend through the bend-allowing hole, then the locking hole opening area expands to facilitate assembly, but the structural rigidity of the bracket is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bend-allowing hole is positioned at a specific location on the locking piece where local flexibility is needed for assembly, while the rest of the locking piece and bracket structure maintains its rigidity. This localized flexibility allows the locking hole opening to expand during assembly, and after assembly, the locking piece returns to its original shape providing both ease of assembly and structural strength.
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 effectively reduces wind noise by covering the gap between the vehicle body and sliding door while maintaining a compact size, ensuring the attachment member fits within the limited space without increasing the overall dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the flexible locking piece to elastically bend so as to expand an opening area of the locking hole
Implementation Method 2
when the locking projection has passed the flexible locking piece, the flexible locking piece elastically returns and engages with the locking projection
Data Source
AI summary
An attachment member includes a bracket that has plate-like attachment portions, locking holes that penetrate the respective plate-like attachment portions, flexible locking pieces formed along opening edges of the respective locking holes, bend-allowing holes that allow the respective flexible locking pieces to elastically bend so as to expand the opening area of the respective locking holes, assembly members configured to be joined to the bracket so as to cover the respective plate-like attachment portions, locking fit-in portions formed in the respective assembly members and are configured to be fitted into the respective locking holes, and locking projections formed at the respective locking fit-in portions and are engageable with the respective flexible locking pieces.