Vehicle Console Stowing Device Hinge Insertion Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to facilitate the easy insertion of a vehicle console box lid hinge into a narrow gap between the stowing main body and the side panel, while minimizing weight and material usage, as reduced wall thickness limits the margin for hinge flexing and interference with the bush.

Innovation Solution

A stowing device design featuring a hole part in the stowing main body, a cylindrical bush with a temporary holding mechanism, and a coil spring to align and secure the hinge, allowing elastic bending and preventing interference, thus enabling easy hinge insertion and reducing the need for additional components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the thickness of the walls of the stowing main body is reduced to suppress material usage, then weight and material usage are reduced, but the margin for hinge flexing is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of console boxVSAvoidhinge insertion ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bush is temporarily held at a predetermined position before the hinge is inserted. This preliminary positioning ensures that the bush does not protrude excessively, creating sufficient margin for the hinge to elastically bend during insertion even when the stowing main body wall thickness is reduced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the positional parameter of the bush by temporarily holding it at a predetermined position, adjusting the protruding length to be within a specific range that allows hinge insertion. This parameter control enables hinge flexing with reduced wall thickness while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If the lid is mounted to the stowing main body after vibration welding of design panels, then vibration welding is enabled, but the assembly process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration welding capabilityVSAvoidassembly process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The assembly process is segmented into distinct stages: first vibration welding the design panels to the stowing main body, then separately mounting the lid with the hinge and bush assembly. This segmentation enables vibration welding to be performed without the lid interfering, while the temporary holding mechanism simplifies the second assembly stage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The design panels are vibration welded to the stowing main body in advance before the lid is mounted. This preliminary action allows the welding process to be completed without interference from the lid, and the temporary holding mechanism prepares the bush in advance to facilitate subsequent hinge insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of substance

If the gap width between the stowing main body and the side panel is limited, then material usage is reduced, but the hinge cannot be easily inserted due to insufficient flexing margin

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial usageVSAvoidhinge insertion ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention controls the positional parameter of the bush by temporarily holding it at a predetermined position, adjusting the protruding length to create sufficient margin for hinge flexing within the limited gap width. This parameter optimization allows narrow gap design while maintaining ease of hinge insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The bush is temporarily held at a predetermined position that optimizes the gap utilization. This preliminary positioning ensures that the hinge has enough space to elastically bend during insertion, even when the overall gap width is minimized for material efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This configuration allows for the easy insertion of the lid hinge into the gap, reduces material usage and weight, and prevents interference, enabling efficient assembly and weight reduction of the console box while maintaining structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

a coil spring urging the lid in a rotating direction to the stowing main body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

it is necessary to elastically bend the hinge to avoid the end part of the bush protruding from the stowing main body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11230229B2Stowing device for vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.01.25 NIHON PLAST CO LTD

AI summary

A stowing device includes a stowing main body having a hole part at a side thereof, a side panel covering the side of the stowing main body, a lid including a hinge having a hinge hole thereof and partially positioned in a gap between the side of the stowing main body and the side panel, a bush inserted through the hole part and the hinge hole, and a temporary holding mechanism configured to temporarily hold the bush at a predetermined position with respect to the hole part. A sum of a protruding length of the bush at the predetermined position protruding from the hole part and a dimension obtained by subtracting a dimension of overlap between the hinge and the bush in a width direction from a maximum width of the part of the hinge positioned in the gap, is set to be less than a width of the gap.