Integrated Molded Slide Member for Vehicle Glove Box Lock Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lock systems for glove boxes in vehicles face difficulties during assembly due to free oscillation of components, leading to entanglement and misalignment, making the assembly process complex and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A lock system featuring a slide member molded from synthetic resin with integrated rotation preventing and permitting portions, an elastic locking portion, and a driven portion, which stabilizes the relative positions of components, preventing free oscillation and facilitating assembly by ensuring proper alignment and secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lock plate, L-shaped lever, and connecting rod are connected to form the opening/closing operation portion, then the lock system can control the latch rotation and achieve opening/closing function, but the component parts oscillate freely during transportation causing entanglement and assembly difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lock plate, L-shaped lever, and connecting rod into a single integrated slide member molded from synthetic resin. This integration eliminates the free oscillation and entanglement problems of separate components while maintaining the latch rotation control function. The slide member serves as both the structural connector and the operational control element.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide member is designed with distinct functional segments: a rotation preventing portion, a rotation permitting portion, and a driven portion. These segments perform different functions (preventing unwanted rotation, permitting controlled rotation, and receiving operational force) while being integrated into one piece, solving both the oscillation problem and the operational requirement.
2Ease of manufacture
If the lock plate, L-shaped lever, and connecting rod are made as separate components, then each component can be manufactured and assembled independently, but the components get entangled during transportation and assembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple components (lock plate, L-shaped lever, connecting rod) into a single molded slide member. This eliminates transportation entanglement issues while the molding process itself is a straightforward manufacturing operation. The integration actually simplifies both assembly and manufacturing by eliminating multiple part interfaces.
3Device complexity
If the slide member is molded from synthetic resin, then the relative positions of components are stabilized and assembly is facilitated, but the structural strength may be reduced compared to metal components
Solution Approach 1:
The slide member is molded from synthetic resin, utilizing the material's properties to achieve both structural integrity and design flexibility. The resin material provides sufficient strength for the application while enabling complex geometries and integrated features that would be difficult to achieve with metal, thus balancing strength requirements with assembly simplicity.
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 stabilizes the positions of components during transportation and assembly, preventing entanglement and misalignment, thus simplifying the assembly process and ensuring secure operation of the lock system.
Implementation Method 1
a spring for biasing the latch in a direction in which the engagement of the latch with the striker is released
Implementation Method 2
an elastic locking portion which can be inserted into an insertion hole in the housing but which prevents a dislodgement thereof in an opposite direction
Data Source
AI summary
A lock system includes: a latch which is rotatably supported on a housing, and is brought into engagement with and disengagement from a striker; a spring for biasing the latch in a direction in which the engagement of the latch with the striker is released; a slide member which is rotatably supported on the housing, controls the rotation of the latch, and is an integrated molded part; a rotation preventing portion which prevents a rotation of the latch in a biased direction; a rotation permitting portion which permits the rotation of the latch in the biased direction; and a driven portion which links with a manual operation unit, wherein: the rotation preventing portion and the rotation permitting portion are provided at one end portion of the slide member; and the driven portion is provided at the other end portion of the slide member.