Vehicle Mirror Adjuster Position Detection for Cam Lock Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjusting instruments for exterior vision units in vehicles lack operational reliability in maintaining a stable and well-defined work position, particularly at lower temperatures or under external forces, leading to inconsistent vision ranges due to incomplete cam interlocking during manual or electric adjustments.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a detector system that verifies the stable axial ground position of the housing relative to the base via cams and electric contact surfaces or sensors, ensuring the adjusting instrument is in the correct work position, and including a break coupling to handle external forces and prevent motor damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the adjusting instrument uses cams to interlock in the work position to provide stability, then the housing achieves a stable axial ground position, but at lower temperatures or under external forces the cams may not fully interlock leading to unreliable position verification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism through a sensor that detects whether the cam mechanism has successfully interlocked in the work position. The control unit receives this feedback and can determine if the housing has reached the stable axial ground position, allowing the system to verify position achievement and take corrective action if the cams fail to fully interlock due to temperature or external forces.
2Strength
If the electric drive is switched off using a current limiting circuit when the motor comes to a halt, then the motor is protected from damage, but the housing may not be in the correct axial ground position causing incorrect vision range
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor provides feedback to the control unit about the actual position of the housing. The control unit compares the detected position with the expected work position and can determine if the housing has reached the stable axial ground position. This allows the system to verify that the motor has stopped at the correct position before switching off the drive, ensuring both motor protection and position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces reliance on purely mechanical cam interlocking with an enhanced system that uses sensor detection and electronic control. Instead of assuming the motor stopping (detected by current limiting circuit) corresponds to correct position, the system uses a sensor to verify the actual position, substituting mechanical assumption with electronic verification.
3Ease of operation
If the housing is manually adjusted without verification, then the adjustment process is simple and quick, but the user cannot be certain the work position has been reached leading to inconsistent vision ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor provides real-time feedback to the control unit during manual adjustment, enabling the system to detect when the housing reaches the stable axial ground position. This feedback mechanism ensures that regardless of whether adjustment is manual or electric, the system can verify correct position achievement, maintaining both ease of operation and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Adjusting instrument for an exterior vision unit for a vehicle, comprising a base, a foot and a pivoting shaft extending therefrom along a longitudinal axis, and a housing surrounding the pivoting shaft and pivotable around the longitudinal axis in an adjustment range, between at least a park position and a work position. The base and the housing cooperate via cams which interlock in the work position so that the housing is in a stable axial ground position with respect to the foot. The cams, upon pivoting of the housing relative to the base, move apart from the work position along the longitudinal axis, and upon further pivoting are supported on each other, so that the housing is in an axially further removed position with respect to the foot. The adjusting instrument is provided with a detector configured to verify that the housing is in the stable axial ground position.