Flexible Trim Component with Ribs for Smooth Tambour Door

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Solution Overview

Problem

Tambour doors in vehicle storage compartments often collect dirt and contaminants due to recesses, and as they flex, adjacent segments rotate closer, creating pinch points, which degrades their appearance and functionality.

Innovation Solution

A flexible interior trim component with multiple substantially parallel ribs that engage a track, coupled to a substrate with a smooth surface, allowing the door to bend and match curved openings while eliminating recesses, reducing dirt accumulation and pinch points.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If recesses are positioned adjacent to each segment to facilitate tambour door segment rotation, then the tambour door can flex and match curved storage compartment openings, but the recesses collect dirt and contaminants, degrading the appearance of the door

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to match curved openingsVSAvoiddirt and contaminant accumulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the recesses from the tambour door segments. By removing the recesses that cause dirt accumulation, the patent resolves the contradiction while maintaining the ability of segments to rotate and flex to match curved openings through the ribbed substrate design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If adjacent segments are allowed to rotate toward one another during flexing, then the tambour door can conform to curved openings, but the decreasing width of recesses establishes undesirable pinch points between adjacent segments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility to conform to openingsVSAvoidpinch points between segments

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the recesses that create pinch points during segment rotation. The ribbed substrate allows segments to rotate and flex without the harmful recesses, eliminating pinch points while preserving the ability to conform to various opening shapes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a flexible ribbed substrate that allows segments to rotate and flex without creating pinch points. This flexible structure maintains adaptability to curved openings while avoiding the harmful effects of traditional recessed designs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of operation

If traditional tambour door segments with recesses are used, then segment rotation is facilitated, but the appearance of the door is degraded due to dirt collection in recesses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesegment rotation capabilityVSAvoiddirt collection in recesses

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the recesses from the segment design. By removing the dirt-collecting recesses while maintaining the ribbed substrate structure, the patent enables segment rotation without the appearance degradation caused by contaminant accumulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9481323B2Flexible interior trim component having a smooth surface

Publication Date: 2016.11.01 SHANGHAI YANFENG JINQIAO AUTOMOTIVE TRIM SYSTEMS CO LTD

AI summary

An interior trim component is provided that includes multiple substantially parallel ribs each configured to engage a track to facilitate movement of the interior trim component along the track. The interior trim component also includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is coupled to the ribs, and the second surface is opposite the first surface and is substantially smooth.