Flexible Cord Vehicle Trim Retaining Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbag retention assemblies for vehicle trim elements are bulky due to rigid synthetic resin connection portions, requiring separate molds and increasing manufacturing costs, and do not allow for compact designs that minimize visual impact and improve driver visibility.
Innovation Solution
A retaining assembly using a flexible textile cord to connect a clip to an anchoring member, allowing for variable geometry and reduced size, enabling production with a single mold and adjustable cord lengths to accommodate different airbag volumes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid synthetic resin connection portion is used to connect the clip to the anchoring member, then the structural strength is improved, but the size of the staple holder cavity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid synthetic resin connection portion with a flexible textile cord. This cord has sufficient tensile strength to maintain the structural integrity of the retaining device while being thin and flexible enough to coil within a compact cavity space when the airbag is not deployed, thus resolving the contradiction between strength and volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible cord is designed to coil and nest within the staple holder cavity when the airbag is in its normal state. This nesting arrangement allows the cord to be stored in a compact form factor, minimizing the cavity volume required while maintaining full functionality when deployed.
2Strength
If the connection portion is molded with the clip and anchoring member in separate molds, then the structural integrity is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the manufacturing process of the clip, anchoring member, and flexible cord into a single integrated molding operation. The flexible cord is embedded within the molded plastic components in one step, eliminating the need for separate molds and assembly operations, thus reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining device utilizes composite construction by integrating the flexible textile cord with the molded plastic clip and anchoring member in a single manufacturing process. This composite approach allows different materials to be combined effectively, achieving both structural integrity and manufacturing efficiency.
3Force
If the connection portion is made rigid, then the retaining force during airbag deployment is improved, but the visual impact and driver visibility are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible textile cord provides sufficient retaining force through its tensile strength while being thin and flexible enough to coil compactly within the staple holder. This thin profile minimizes visual obstruction and improves driver visibility compared to rigid connection portions that would require larger, more visible structures.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The assembly (10) has a flexible textile cord (28) connecting a hook to an anchoring element. A retaining device (14) is moved between a rest position, in which a base of the hook is inserted into an insertion orifice (18) of a hook-holder (12), and a retaining position in which the base of the hook is disengaged from the orifice and the anchoring element is supported against periphery of the orifice for retaining a lining element to a body part (2) through the hook-holder and the cord. The hook-holder and the lining element are made of same materials.