Vehicle Exterior Mirror Weight Reduction via Extracted Actuation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exterior vehicle mirrors with glass adjusting drives in the mirror head are heavy due to the weight of motors, and lack of a glass adjusting drive in some designs requires alternative mechanisms that are complex and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle exterior mirror with a rigidly connected mirror head and base using a ball joint, and adjustable length bars with actuators defining perpendicular rotation axes, eliminating the need for a glass adjusting drive in the mirror head and reducing weight by using a plastic mirror.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a glass adjusting drive with motors is mounted in the mirror head, then the mirror adjustment function is achieved, but the weight of the mirror head increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting drive mechanism is extracted from the mirror head and relocated to the mirror base. This removes the heavy motors from the mirror head, significantly reducing its weight while preserving the adjustment functionality through the linkage mechanism connecting the base to the head.
Solution Approach 2:
A linkage mechanism serves as an intermediary between the adjusting drive in the base and the mirror head. This mediator transmits the adjustment motion from the base to the head without requiring heavy motors in the head itself, achieving weight reduction while maintaining functionality.
2Reliability
If the mirror bracket is made pivotable about the vertical axis to enable folding, then the safety and protection functions are improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The folding pivot function is merged into the ball joint connection between the mirror base and mirror head. This integration allows the mirror to fold about the vertical axis through the existing ball joint mechanism without adding separate pivot structures, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining safety functions.
3Ease of operation
If adjustment motors are mounted in the mirror head, then the adjustment function is achieved, but the design of the mirror base must accommodate the additional weight
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment motors are extracted from the mirror head and relocated to the mirror base. This eliminates the need for the mirror base design to accommodate heavy motors in the head, simplifying the base structure while maintaining the adjustment function through the linkage mechanism.
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 design reduces the weight of the mirror head, simplifies the adjustment mechanism, and allows for efficient folding and positioning of the mirror while maintaining functionality and safety, preventing damage from collisions and narrow spaces.
Implementation Method 1
The mirror head and mirror base are rotatably connected to one another by means of a ball joint
Implementation Method 2
the length of which can be adjusted with actuators, which bars are arranged between the mirror head and mirror base
Data Source
AI summary
An exterior mirror for mounting on a vehicle with a mirror base and a mirror head attached to the mirror base is suggested, whereby the mirroring element is rigidly connected to the housing of the mirror head. The mirror head and mirror base are rotatably connected to one another by means of a ball joint. The adjustment of the mirroring element is done by two bars, of which the length can be adjusted by actuators, which bars are arranged between the mirror head and mirror base.