Automotive Mirror Drive Axial Spring Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable automotive vehicle mirror drives face issues with plastic material creep and temperature-induced clearance changes, leading to vibrations and imprecision in mirror adjustments due to inconsistent friction moments caused by varying spring forces from multiple auxiliary springs.
Innovation Solution
A drive system with a compensating element that applies axial spring force between the housing and the encompassing element, using spiral springs and centring pins to maintain a constant friction moment over the lifespan, ensuring uniform contact and tolerance compensation through a double cylinder V-guide arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If multiple auxiliary springs are used to provide spring force, then the housing and encompassing element are pressed together, but the spring force varies between individual springs causing non-uniform friction moment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual auxiliary springs into a single compensating element that provides spring force uniformly across the entire circumference of the housing. This single element replaces the plurality of separate springs, ensuring consistent friction moment without variation between individual spring forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensating element is designed with a specific structure featuring a first region and a second region that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows the element to adapt to clearance changes while maintaining uniform spring force distribution around the housing circumference.
2Device complexity
If plastic material is used for housing and encompassing element, then construction is simplified, but material yields with time and temperature causing clearance changes
Solution Approach 1:
The compensating element is pre-loaded with spring force to continuously press the encompassing element against the housing. This preliminary action compensates for clearance changes that occur over time due to plastic material creep and thermal effects, maintaining reliable contact without requiring complex compensation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring force parameter is utilized to dynamically compensate for changes in clearance caused by temperature and material creep. The elastic deformation of the compensating element adapts to these parameter changes, maintaining consistent friction moment despite environmental variations.
3Manufacturing precision
If clearance changes occur due to plastic material creep, then vibrations and imprecision occur, but adding compensation mechanisms increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The compensating element automatically adjusts to clearance changes through its elastic properties and movable regions. The spring force self-regulates to maintain optimal contact between the housing and encompassing element, eliminating the need for external adjustment mechanisms or complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensating element incorporates movable regions that allow dynamic adaptation to clearance changes. This dynamic structure enables the element to compensate for creep and thermal effects in real-time, maintaining precision without requiring static, complex compensation mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, uniform, and defined friction between the housing and the encompassing element, compensating for material relaxation and ensuring precise mirror adjustments without tilting or clearance issues, thus maintaining accurate positioning over the drive's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (7) which acts axially relative to a central axis (14) of the housing (12) is disposed between the compensating element (6) and the housing (12)
Implementation Method 2
a defined and uniform friction between the housing and the covering element is produced
Data Source
AI summary
A drive for a component to be adjusted, in particular for an adjustable automotive vehicle mirror, having a housing which can be mounted on a stationary structure for receiving drive elements, and having an element which encompasses the housing at least partially and is connected to a carrier for the component. The encompassing element with the carrier is disposed pivotably relative to the housing and means for elastic pretension between housing and encompassing element are provided. The means for elastic pretension have a compensating element which is disposed about a central axis of the housing. The compensating element is moveable axially under the effect of a spring force in order to exert a pressure on the carrier and hence on the element encompassing the housing.