Mirror Adjustment Cam Track for Smooth Fold-and-Park Pivoting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing adjusting instruments for exterior vision units in vehicles face issues such as jolting adjustments and unwanted noise due to production tolerances and part warping, leading to unstable operation and user discouragement.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a bridge connecting spaced cams to form a guiding track, ensuring smooth pivoting by supporting the guide cam on a level surface and spacing intermediate cams, thereby reducing obstructions and enhancing operational stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple cams are arranged to distribute bias over a large contact surface, then the bias can be efficiently distributed and manufacturing tolerances are compensated, but individual cams may form obstructions and cause jolting adjustments and noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment smoothnessVSAvoidjolting and noise
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cam pattern is segmented into multiple individual cams arranged in a circle, with each cam being a separate element that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the bias distribution function to be maintained while reducing the obstruction problem, as the gaps between segmented cams prevent any single cam from forming a continuous obstruction path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cams are arranged asymmetrically in a circular pattern rather than in a linear or symmetric configuration. This asymmetric circular arrangement ensures that as the frame pivots, cams engage and disengage in a staggered sequence, preventing simultaneous contact that would cause jolting, while still providing adequate bias distribution across multiple contact points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Stability of the object's composition

If cams are arranged to ensure rotation-locking in drive position, then the frame is securely locked, but cam obstructions may hinder pivoting movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotation-locking stabilityVSAvoidpivoting range movement
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cam mechanism transitions from a static locking arrangement to a dynamic one where cams sequentially engage and disengage during pivoting. The circular arrangement allows cams to dynamically move in and out of contact as the frame rotates, providing automatic locking at the drive position while facilitating smooth pivoting through controlled disengagement of individual cams.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cam pattern is pre-configured in a circular arrangement with specific spacing and profiling that anticipates the pivoting motion. This preliminary geometric arrangement ensures that as pivoting begins, certain cams naturally disengage before others, preventing obstruction while maintaining locking capability at the target drive position through the pre-positioned cam geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4228926B1Adjusting instrument comprising mutually cooperating cam patterns, in particular for adjusting an exterior vision unit of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 MCI MIRROR CONTROLS INT NETHERLANDS
  • EP4228926B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4228926B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4228926B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Adjusting instrument for an exterior vision unit of a vehicle, comprising a base (3) and a frame (1), wherein the frame (1) is attached to the base (3) in a pivotable manner between at least a drive position and a park position, via a pair of mutually facing and mutually cooperating cam patterns (4, 5) which are arranged on the base (3) and the frame (1) respectively, wherein each of the two cam patterns (4, 5) comprises cams (6, 7) which are disposed in a circumferential direction around a pivoting axis (2) in successive positions, such that cams (4, 5) of the patterns in the drive position of the adjusting instrument engage each other in a rotation-locking manner and in the pivoting range from and to the drive position adjust over each other, wherein a first cam pattern (4) is provided with a bridge (9) which mutually connects spaced cams (10, 11) in the circumferential direction and with the spaced cams (10, 11) forms a guiding track (12) on which a guide cam (13) of the second cam pattern (5) is supported in at least a substantial part of the pivoting range from and to the drive position.