Rearview Mirror Bracket Structure for Electronics Space and Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicular rearview mirrors face challenges in accommodating increasing electronic components without encroaching on the driver's field of view and maintaining structural rigidity, as traditional mounting methods lead to vibration and movement issues.
Innovation Solution
A structurally-reinforced volumetric bracket with an irregular polyhedron-shaped main body portion, featuring a windshield-engaging portion and a mirror-engaging portion, provides an exaggerated cantilever-like overhanging projection that creates additional volumetric space while maintaining structural rigidity, allowing for enhanced electronic component placement without obstructing the driver's view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the volumetric space of the rearview mirror assembly is enlarged to accommodate additional electronic components, then the capacity for electronic equipment increases, but the structure encroaches on the driver's field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket utilizes the depth dimension (z-axis) by creating an exaggerated cantilever-like overhanging projection that extends toward the windshield inner surface. This allows volumetric space to be increased in the depth direction rather than expanding laterally, thereby accommodating electronic components without encroaching on the driver's field of view.
Solution Approach 2:
The irregular polyhedron-shaped plurality of faceted surfaces are arranged cooperatively to form a rigid structural housing with varying local densities and strengths. This allows the structure to provide maximum volumetric capacity in specific regions while maintaining compact overall dimensions that respect field of view requirements.
2Volume of moving object
If the structure of the rearview mirror assembly is enlarged to provide additional mounting space, then the capacity for electronic components increases, but structural compliance increases leading to unacceptable vibration and movement
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket employs an irregular polyhedron-shaped plurality of faceted surfaces arranged cooperatively to form a composite rigid structural housing. This geometric configuration creates a lattice-like structure that provides high structural compliance and vibration resistance while maintaining the enlarged volumetric space needed for electronic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The exaggerated cantilever-like overhanging projection extends along the height-wise dimension orthogonal to the windshield inner surface, creating volumetric space in the depth direction. This dimensional approach allows the structure to be voluminous without being laterally expansive, thereby maintaining structural rigidity while accommodating electronics.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional adhesive mounting methods are used to secure the rearview mirror, then installation is simple, but additional components cannot be accommodated and vibration control is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the rearview mirror, accommodates additional electronic components within its volumetric cavity, and maintains vibration control through its rigid faceted structure. This multi-functional design replaces traditional adhesive mounting while enabling enhanced component integration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A structurally-reinforced volumetric bracket for a rearview mirror, a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicular windshield, an electronics assembly for a vehicular windshield and a method of making/using a vehicular rearview mirror assembly. By forming the bracket as an irregular polyhedron-shaped plurality of faceted surfaces, a cantilever-like structure is formed that extends along a height-wise dimension of the bracket relative to a windshield inner surface to have an overhang that is situated over at least a portion of an electronics module housing. In this way, a volumetrically-enhanced structure is formed that can accommodate existing or new electronic components without taking up additional windshield surface area or sacrificing structural rigidity. In this way, the rearview mirror that is secured to the bracket does not suffer from increases in vibratory or other load-based response that otherwise arise out of operating a vehicle during normal use.