Hollow Plastic Mirror Support Structure for Driver Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing support structures for vehicle mirrors are heavy, costly, and obstruct the driver's view, lacking a lightweight and stable solution that balances visibility and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A support structure composed of a tubular plastic body, preferably fiber-reinforced, serves as the sole supporting element between mirror connection areas, featuring a hollow cavity visible to the driver, eliminating the need for metal components and allowing for improved visibility and reduced weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal components are used in the support structure, then structural strength and stability are improved, but weight increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure uses a composite material consisting of a plastic base material reinforced with fiber reinforcement (such as glass fibers or carbon fibers). This composite structure provides metal-level strength and stiffness while maintaining the weight advantages of plastic materials, directly resolving the contradiction between structural strength and weight.
2Strength
If metal components are used in the support structure, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber-reinforced plastic composite material provides metal-equivalent strength at lower cost. The plastic matrix combined with fiber reinforcement creates a cost-effective alternative to metal components while maintaining required structural performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by transitioning from metal to fiber-reinforced plastic, altering the strength-to-cost ratio favorably. This material parameter change enables achieving the required strength levels at reduced manufacturing cost.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a solid web structure is used, then structural stability is improved, but visibility for the driver is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The web is designed with a hollow cavity structure rather than being solid, creating a porous-like configuration that reduces visual obstruction for the driver while maintaining structural stability through the fiber reinforcement and optimized wall thickness of the hollow structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a solid two-dimensional web to a three-dimensional hollow structure, creating internal space that reduces visual blockage while the external dimensions and wall structure maintain the required structural stability.
4Weight of moving object
If a hollow web structure is used, then visibility is improved and weight is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow cavity structure is integrated directly into the web formation process, combining the structural support function with the weight reduction benefit in a single manufacturing operation. The fiber reinforcement and hollow structure are created as one integrated component rather than separate assembly steps.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a support structure (1) for an indirect vision system (2) for a vehicle (3), comprising a first connection region (4) for attaching a first reflection unit (6) and a second connection region (5) offset therefrom for attaching a second reflection unit (7). The support structure (1) has at least one interface (8, 9) for attachment to the vehicle (3). The support structure (1) has a web (10) between the first connection region (4) and the second connection region (5). The web (10) is designed as a cup-shaped or tubular plastic body that exclusively/solely assumes the supporting function, and the cavity (12) in the plastic body extends through the area (S1) visible to a driver (19) of the vehicle (3). The invention also relates to a method for producing the cavity (12) in the web (10) of this support structure (1), wherein a plastic processing method is used.