Vehicle Mirror Lock Mechanism Prevents Positional Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle outside mirror devices face issues where the mirror assembly fails to precisely return to its original position without positional shift due to variations in frictional forces between components, such as lubricating oil state, surface conditions, or foreign matter, leading to improper engagement of the interposed member and gear case.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle outside mirror device is designed with a lock mechanism that locks the first member of the buffering mechanism from rotating towards the shaft during the return to the use location, ensuring precise positioning by releasing the locked state when the mirror assembly rotates from the forward tilt location to the use location, preventing positional shifts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If frictional force between interposed member and gear case is greater than frictional force between interposed member and shaft, then mirror assembly can be precisely restored to use location, but improper engagement occurs when frictional forces vary due to lubricating oil state, surface conditions, or foreign matter
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism proactively locks the interposed member to the shaft before the return motion begins, preventing the harmful scenario where the interposed member might slide on the shaft instead of the gear case. This preliminary locking action ensures that even if frictional forces vary, the interposed member will always engage properly with the gear case during restoration.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock mechanism applies a counteracting force to prevent the unwanted sliding between the interposed member and shaft. By locking them together, it counteracts the potential harmful effect of variable frictional forces that could cause improper engagement and positional shifts.
2Manufacturing precision
If lock mechanism is introduced to prevent positional shift, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism is integrated into the existing buffering mechanism structure. The locking function is combined with the interposed member that already exists in the buffering mechanism, so the lock protrusion and lock groove are added to existing components rather than creating entirely separate locking components, thereby reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is segmented into simple protrusion-groove features that are integrated into existing components. Rather than adding a complex independent locking system, the locking capability is divided into simple geometric features (lock protrusion and lock groove) that are incorporated into the interposed member and shaft/gear case interfaces.
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 ensures the mirror assembly is precisely positioned in the use location without any positional shift, even when frictional forces between components vary, effectively addressing the issue of improper engagement and positional shifts.
Implementation Method 1
the lock protrusion of the interposed member engages with the lock groove of the gear case, thereby locking the interposed member
Implementation Method 2
a frictional force between an interposed member and a shaft is greater than a frictional force between the interposed member and a gear case
Implementation Method 3
an engagement protrusion portion of the interposed member and an engagement recessed portion of the gear case
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
According to the present invention, a stopper member lock mechanism is configured to lock a stopper member from rotating in a direction from a forward tilt location to a use location with respect to a shaft when the mirror assembly that is positioned in the forward tilt location is restored to the use location and to release the locked state of the stopper member when the mirror assembly is restored from the forward tilt location to the use location. As a result, it is capable of causing the mirror assembly to be precisely positioned in the use location without any positional shift when the mirror assembly that has rotated from the use location to the forward tilt location for the sake of buffering is rotated and restored from the forward tilt location to the use location.