Collapsible Periscope Mirror With Telescopic Strut
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing folding angle mirrors for military vehicles are prone to errors, particularly when driving off-road, as the linear guide can cause the brace to jump out of notches, leading to unreliable positioning of the viewing mirror.
Innovation Solution
A length-adjustable bracing system with a pivotably connected strut and a telescopic element, allowing the viewing mirror to be fixed in any position, with a fixing device that adjusts friction to secure the strut's length, ensuring reliable positioning and minimal obstruction of the view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a linear guide with notches is used to fix the strut position, then the viewing mirror can be fixed in discrete positions, but the strut can jump out of notches especially when driving off-road, leading to unreliable positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the linear guide with notches from the system and replaces it with a telescopic strut that has continuous length adjustability. This extraction of the problematic linear guide component eliminates the issue of the strut jumping out of notches while maintaining the ability to fix the viewing mirror in various positions through the telescopic mechanism's friction-based locking.
2Volume of moving object
If the viewing mirror is equipped with a folding mechanism to reduce space usage, then the mirror can be pivoted into a parking position, but the mechanism requires additional structural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic folding mechanism where the viewing mirror can be pivoted between a viewing position and a parking position. The telescopic strut with friction-based locking provides continuous adjustability during the folding motion, allowing the mirror to be positioned at any angle while maintaining structural simplicity through the variable length bracing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the strut length is made variable to enable continuous position adjustment, then the viewing mirror can be fixed in any position, but the fixing mechanism becomes more complex compared to fixed notches
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic strut incorporates a friction-based locking mechanism that allows the strut to maintain its length without active control systems. The friction between the telescopic elements provides passive stabilization, allowing the viewing mirror to be positioned and held at any angle through simple manual adjustment while the friction naturally prevents slippage.
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 system allows the viewing mirror to be securely fixed in various positions, reducing the risk of movement errors and minimizing space usage within the vehicle, while maintaining an unobstructed view, even in challenging terrain conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the strut (3) has a hydraulic cylinder, by means of which the piston section (5) can be displaced
Implementation Method 2
the damping of the hydraulic cylinder can be adjusted in order to reduce unintentional movements of the viewing mirror
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Folding angle mirror for a military vehicle with a viewing mirror (2) pivotable about a pivot axis (S), which in particular is pivotable back and forth between a viewing position (E) and a parking position (P) and a strut (3) for fixing the position of the viewing mirror (2), wherein the strut (3) is length-variable.