Mirror Vision Adjustment Mechanism for Stable Pivot Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vision adjustment mechanisms in automotive vehicles, particularly those made of plastic, face issues with material shrinkages and creep, leading to unpredictable force thresholds and displacement of pivot axes, affecting reproducibility and stability over time.
Innovation Solution
A vision adjustment mechanism with a trough and clamping parts arranged in a stacked configuration, using a fixing means that biases the head part towards the trough, providing a rotation-fixing mechanism to secure the second part relative to the first, preventing unwanted rotation and ensuring a consistent pivoting force, thus maintaining reliable and reproducible pivotability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic material is used for vision adjustment mechanism, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to material shrinkages and creep behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a first part with a trough, a second part with clamping parts, and a head part. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the plastic parts can be easily manufactured while the metal fixing means provides stable rotational constraint, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines plastic material for the main body parts (first part and second part) with metal fixing means. This composite approach leverages the manufacturing advantages of plastic injection molding while introducing metal's superior dimensional stability and resistance to creep, thereby maintaining reliability over time.
2Reliability
If securing means are added to prevent displacement, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing means combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides rotational constraint about the vertical axis, maintains clamping force on the clamping parts, and ensures reproducible pivoting. This merging of functions prevents displacement without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing means is designed to automatically maintain its clamping force and rotational constraint function over time, compensating for material shrinkages and creep behavior without requiring additional adjustment mechanisms or complex control systems.
3Reliability
If frictional engagement elements are used, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping parts are designed with specific geometric parameters (clamping gap dimensions, contact surface areas) that optimize frictional engagement. By carefully selecting these parameters, the invention achieves reliable rotational constraint without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances, balancing reliability with manufacturability.
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 mechanism ensures reliable and reproducible pivotability of the second part relative to the first, even after long use, by counteracting material shrinkages and maintaining a consistent pivoting force, while being cost-effective and easy to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
The fixing means is formed in such a way that it biases the head part in the direction toward the first part and, in particular, the trough
Implementation Method 2
forming at least one clamping gap between the trough and the head part and fixable relative to the first part by means of a fixing means
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a vision adjustment mechanism, comprising a first part and a second part pivotably arranged thereto. The first part has a trough, into which a head part at least partially complementary to said trough can be inserted, forming at least one clamping gap between the trough and the head part. The second part has at least one clamping part, which is formed to be complementary to the clamping gap and can be arranged in the latter such that the second part is fixed to the first part to be pivotable thereto. The fixing means is formed in such a way that it biases the head part in the direction towards the first part for fixing the two parts, and it fixes the second part against rotation relative to the first part. The invention also relates to a mirror unit having such a vision adjustment mechanism.