Compartment Door Key Catcher Sweeper Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small items such as keys, credit cards, and change often fall through the gap between the openable compartment door and the trim panel in vehicles, leading to loss and difficulty in retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A key catcher system comprising a sweeper connected to the compartment housing and a biasing member that urges the sweeper to conform to the outer surface of the compartment door, ensuring continuous contact and preventing items from falling between the door and the trim panel regardless of the door's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the compartment door is made openable for accessibility, then ease of operation is improved, but small items can fall through the gap between the door and trim panel
Solution Approach 1:
A sweeper component is introduced as an intermediary element between the compartment door and trim panel. The sweeper contacts the outer surface of the compartment door along its length and is urged by a biasing member to maintain continuous contact, thereby preventing small items from falling through the gap while allowing the door to remain openable for accessibility.
2Reliability
If a sweeper is added to prevent items from falling, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The key catcher assembly is segmented into two distinct functional components: a sweeper element that contacts the door surface and a biasing member that provides urging force. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together to prevent item loss, making the overall system manageable and maintainable despite the added complexity.
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
Effectively prevents small items from falling between the compartment door and the trim panel, maintaining accessibility and reducing loss by ensuring the sweeper contacts the door surface at all positions, enhancing the functionality of storage units with openable doors.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing member is connected to the compartment housing and to the sweeper and is configured to urge the sweeper toward the outer surface of the compartment door
Data Source
AI summary
A key catcher for a storage unit including a trim panel, a compartment housing, and an openable compartment door having a length and an outer surface includes a sweeper and a biasing member. The sweeper is connected to the compartment housing and is configured to conform to the outer surface of the compartment door along the length of the compartment door. The biasing member is connected to the compartment housing and the sweeper and is configured to urge the sweeper toward the outer surface of the compartment door. The sweeper contacts the outer surface of the compartment door along the length of the compartment door when the compartment door is in an open position, a closed position, and any position between the open and closed positions such that a small item, such as a key, credit card, or change, cannot fall between the openable door and the trim panel.