Headliner Scrap Sun Visor Assembly With Covered Cut Edges

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The separate manufacturing processes for vehicle headliners and sun visors result in increased assembly time, waste material, and inefficiencies, with cut pieces from headliners having rough edges that expose inner layers.

Innovation Solution

Integrate the manufacturing of sun visors with the headliner process, using scrap headliner material to form visors, and apply a flexible or rigid component to cover rough edges, eliminating the need for a stiffening rod.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If separate manufacturing processes are used for headliners and sun visors, then each component can be manufactured independently with specialized tools, but manufacturing time increases and material waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndependent manufacturing capabilityVSAvoidManufacturing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the manufacturing of sun visors with the headliner manufacturing process. Scrap material from headliner production is repurposed to create sun visors, integrating two previously separate processes into one unified workflow. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing operations while maintaining quality standards for both components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent recovers scrap material that would otherwise be discarded during headliner manufacturing. By capturing and reusing this waste material to fabricate sun visors, the process converts a loss into a valuable resource, reducing material waste and eliminating the need for separate visor production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Ease of manufacture

If separate manufacturing processes are used for headliners and sun visors, then each component can be optimized independently, but material waste and tool requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveProcess optimizationVSAvoidMaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the harmful effect of material waste into a beneficial outcome. Scrap material from headliner production, which was previously discarded as waste, is now repurposed to create functional sun visors, turning a negative environmental impact into a resource efficiency advantage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If scrap headliner material is used to form sun visors, then material waste is reduced and manufacturing time is decreased, but the cut edges are rough and expose inner layers

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveManufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidEdge quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different quality treatments to different parts of the visor assembly. The outer component provides a finished, smooth surface that covers the rough cut edges of the inner scrap material. This local differentiation allows the inner material to maintain its functional properties while the outer layer provides the necessary aesthetic and tactile quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure where an outer component envelops the inner scrap material. This composite approach combines materials with different properties - the inner scrap material provides structural function while the outer component provides surface quality - achieving both manufacturing efficiency and edge quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Strength

If traditional sun visors include stiffening rods, then structural integrity is ensured, but vehicle weight increases and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveStructural integrityVSAvoidVehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the stiffening rod component from traditional sun visor design. By removing this unnecessary element and relying on the inherent structural properties of the scrap headliner material itself, the visor achieves adequate strength without the added weight of metal reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The scrap headliner material serves its own structural function without requiring additional stiffening components. The material's inherent properties are sufficient to provide the necessary rigidity and strength for sun visor functionality, eliminating the need for separate structural support elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12617257B2Vehicle visor

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 RIVIAN HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods of sun visor construction are provided. The method can include obtaining a section of material from a piece of material used to form a headliner of a vehicle. The method can include forming a first portion of material and a second portion of material from the section of material. The method can include stacking the first portion of material with the second portion of material. The method can include coupling a component with the first portion of material and the second portion of material to form a visor of the vehicle, the component covering an outer edge of the first portion of material and an outer edge of the second portion of material.