Nut Member With Pre-Formed Female Screw For Vehicle Lamp Adjustment

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing adjustment mechanisms for vehicle lights face difficulties in rotating the screw due to chip accumulation, which increases torque and hinders the adjustment of the optical axis.

Innovation Solution

A nut member with a pre-formed female screw portion in the insertion hole, guided by a funnel-shaped guide portion and featuring protrusions and grooves to prevent chip adhesion, allowing smooth rotation and easy adjustment of the optical axis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a female screw is engraved by the screw thread helically cutting the inner circumferential surface, then the screw can be inserted and rotated for adjustment, but chips accumulate in the axial hole and increase torque, making adjustment difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of screw insertion and rotationVSAvoidchip accumulation and adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The female screw portion is formed in advance in the axial hole before the screw is inserted. This preliminary formation of the female screw eliminates the need for the male screw thread to cut the hole during insertion, thereby preventing chip generation and adhesion that would otherwise occur during the cutting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the potentially harmful chip generation process into a beneficial pre-formed female screw structure. By forming the female screw portion beforehand using a die or similar tool, the harmful cutting action is replaced with a beneficial pre-formed structure that eliminates chip adhesion problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Ease of manufacture

If the screw thread cuts the inner circumferential surface to form a female screw, then the adjustment mechanism can be assembled, but the cutting process generates chips that adhere and increase torque

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidmaterial loss in form of chips

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The female screw portion is formed in advance in the axial hole before the screw is inserted. This preliminary formation of the female screw eliminates the need for the male screw thread to cut the hole during insertion, thereby preventing chip generation and adhesion that would otherwise occur during the cutting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the potentially harmful chip generation process into a beneficial pre-formed female screw structure. By forming the female screw portion beforehand using a die or similar tool, the harmful cutting action is replaced with a beneficial pre-formed structure that eliminates chip adhesion problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of operation

If chips accumulate in the axial hole, then the screw can still be inserted, but rotation becomes difficult due to increased torque

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of screw rotationVSAvoidtorque required for rotation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The female screw portion is formed in advance in the axial hole before the screw is inserted. This preliminary formation of the female screw eliminates the need for the male screw thread to cut the hole during insertion, thereby preventing chip generation and adhesion that would otherwise occur during the cutting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the potentially harmful chip generation process into a beneficial pre-formed female screw structure. By forming the female screw portion beforehand using a die or similar tool, the harmful cutting action is replaced with a beneficial pre-formed structure that eliminates chip adhesion problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS10077795B2Nut member

Publication Date: 2018.09.18 KOITO MFG CO LTD

AI summary

A nut member 10 facilitates an adjustment of the optical axis of a light, has excellent handleability, and includes a flange portion 11 to be supported by an attachment portion 6 disposed on the back side of a vehicle lamp member 1, and a leg portion 15 protruding to the front from the flange portion 11 and to be elastically deformed and fastened to the attachment portion 6, the lamp member 1 having an optical axis 100 to be adjusted by handling a screw 8 inserted into an insertion hole 22 formed over from an inside of the flange portion 11 to the leg portion 15. Before an insertion of the screw 8, a screw thread 14 of a female screw portion 13 has been formed on an inner surface of a flange insertion pass (insertion hole 22) to extend one round in a circumferential direction.