Rear View Mirror Sealing Arrangement for Gap Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rear-view mirror adjustment arrangements in vehicles face issues with gaps between elements leading to ingress of dirt, moisture, and icing, which impairs functionality, increases wind noise, and affects aesthetics and aerodynamics.
Innovation Solution
A sealing arrangement is placed between the housing opening and the vehicle-side element's concave surface, sealing the joint gap and reducing frictional counter-torque, using a flexible sealing lip that can be radially protruding and configured as a closed ring, to prevent environmental ingress and facilitate smooth adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If gaps or free spaces are provided between the vehicle-side element and the movable element to ensure adjustment freedom, then the adjustability of the rear-view mirror is improved, but the ingress of dirt, moisture, and other environmental contaminants increases
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing lip made of flexible material is used to seal the joint gap between the vehicle-side element and the movable element. The flexible sealing lip can deform to accommodate the adjustment movements while maintaining the seal, thus preventing ingress of dirt and moisture without restricting the adjustability of the rear-view mirror.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing lip acts as an intermediary element between the vehicle-side element and the movable element. It fills the joint gap and provides a sealing function while allowing the relative movement necessary for adjustment, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of sealing and adjustability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealing arrangement is placed between the glass unit and the housing to seal the joint gap, then the protection against environmental influences is improved, but the frictional counter-torque during adjustment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing lip is positioned and designed to seal the joint gap between the vehicle-side element and the movable element, not between the glass unit and the housing. This intermediary sealing approach protects against environmental influences while minimizing interference with the adjustment mechanism, thus reducing frictional counter-torque.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is localized to the joint gap between the vehicle-side element and the movable element, where it is most needed for protection against environmental influences. This localized sealing approach avoids creating friction in other areas, particularly at the glass unit-housing interface, thus minimizing frictional counter-torque during adjustment.
3Ease of operation
If the housing opening is positioned to allow adjustment movements, then the ease of operation is improved, but the wind noise and aerodynamic drag increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing lip extends into the housing opening area to seal the joint gap, reducing the open space that causes wind noise and aerodynamic drag. The flexible material allows the sealing lip to accommodate adjustment movements while maintaining the seal, thus reducing harmful aerodynamic effects without compromising ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing lip, by sealing the joint gap in the area of the housing opening, converts the potentially harmful open gap that causes wind noise and drag into a sealed structure. This sealing action reduces aerodynamic drag and wind noise while still allowing the necessary adjustment movements to occur, thus converting a harmful feature into a beneficial one.
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 reliable seal, reducing contamination, lowering frictional resistance, minimizing icing risks, enhancing aerodynamics, and improving the visual and functional integrity of the rear-view mirror.
Implementation Method 1
at least one sealing arrangement 28 which seals the joint gap of the pivot bearing against environmental influences
Implementation Method 2
At least one of the two elements has a concave, in particular spherical shell-shaped surface, at least in a partial area, and the other element has a complementary convex, in particular spherical surface-shaped surface, at least in a partial area, with both surfaces sliding on one another during the adjustment
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
In a rearview mirror adjustment arrangement for vehicles, in particular for commercial vehicles, comprising a first vehicle-side element (4) which can be fixed to the vehicle in a substantially immovable manner by means of a fastening arrangement; and a second movable element (6) which is adjustable relative to the vehicle-side element (4) about at least one axis and which has at least one reflective surface (12), at least one of the two elements (4, 6) has a sealing arrangement (28) which is at least partially in sliding contact with the corresponding other element.One of the two elements (4, 6) can have a concave, in particular spherical, surface (20) at least in a partial area, and the other element (6, 4) can have a complementary convex, in particular spherical, surface (16) at least in a partial area, wherein both surfaces (20, 16) slide against each other during adjustment, and wherein the sealing arrangement (28) directly seals a joint gap (24) between the two surfaces (20, 16). The invention further relates to a rearview mirror for vehicles with at least one such rearview mirror adjustment arrangement (2).