Pinless Rear Masking Shelf Articulation Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear masking devices for motor vehicles are expensive to manufacture and prone to disengagement from their supports when manually operated, risking damage if not properly positioned during tailgate closure.
Innovation Solution
A rear masking device with a shelf that pivots about its axis without transverse pins, utilizing a mechanism with a retaining surface and complementary retaining surface to prevent radial movement towards the rear, ensuring secure engagement between the shelf and supports throughout its range of motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transverse pins are used to articulate the shelf in the supports, then the shelf is securely retained and cannot disengage, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the pin component from the articulation mechanism, replacing it with a pinless design where the shelf articulates directly in the supports through geometric constraints formed by abutment surfaces and retaining surfaces, eliminating the need for separate pin components
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of pin retention and shelf articulation into the support structure itself, where the complementary abutment surface and complementary retaining surface work together to provide both rotational movement and radial constraint without requiring a separate pin component
2Ease of manufacture
If the shelf is designed without transverse pins to reduce manufacturing cost, then the manufacturing cost decreases, but the shelf may disengage from supports when pulled rearwards
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adds a radial dimension constraint through the retaining surfaces located at a second distance from the transverse axis, which prevents rearward disengagement while allowing rotational movement in the vertical plane, creating a two-dimensional constraint system
3Reliability
If the retaining surface is positioned close to the complementary retaining surface in horizontal position, then the shelf is securely retained, but the shelf cannot be properly inserted or disengaged
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a dynamic retention system where the relationship between the retaining surface and complementary retaining surface changes during operation: in the horizontal position they are spaced to allow insertion, while in inclined positions they engage to provide retention, adapting the constraint level based on operational state
Data Source
AI summary
The device includes supports (30), a shelf (32) rotatably mounted about a transverse axis (B-B′) and a mechanism (34) for articulation of the shelf (32) relative to the supports (30). The mechanism (34) includes an abutment surface (76) delimited by the shelf (32) and a complementary abutment surface (90) delimited by the support (30), which are intended to slide on each other during the pivoting of the shelf (32) about its transverse axis (B-B′) in order to prevent radial movement of the shelf (32) towards the front with respect to the transverse axis (B-B′). The mechanism (34) includes a retaining surface (82) integral with the shelf (32) and a complementary retaining surface (96) defined by each support (30) which co-operate for each inclined position of the shelf (32) in order to prevent radial movement of the shelf (32) towards the rear with respect to the transverse axis (B-B′).