Adjustment Device for Pivotable Carrier Plate with Spherical Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustment devices for motor vehicle rear view mirrors face challenges in achieving large pivoting angles, vibration resistance, and simple assembly, with issues such as limited pivoting angles, lack of shock damping, and complex manufacturing and assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A rack-type or spindle-type linear drive is provided with non-pivotable axial support, connected to the carrier plate via a joint ball that can displace parallel to the plate, and a spherical segment mounting with a friction ring for enhanced stability and vibration damping, avoiding bending stresses and simplifying injection molding and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a universal joint with two intersecting shafts is used to pivot the carrier plate, then the carrier plate can be mounted movably on the drive housing, but the pivoting angles are very limited and shock damping is almost completely lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the universal joint with a spherical joint that allows the carrier plate to pivot about a single spherical center point. This spherical mounting configuration enables much larger pivoting angles compared to the constrained two-axis universal joint, while the spherical geometry inherently provides better shock absorption and damping characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the complex two-axis universal joint mechanism and extracts only the essential pivoting function, implementing it through a simpler spherical joint that provides the required adaptability without the limitations of the previous design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a pivotable mounting of the spindle nut is used to pivot the spindle relative to the housing, then large pivoting angles can be achieved, but the gear meshing reliability is impaired and tension-resistant latching connection becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent completely removes the pivotable spindle nut mechanism and its associated gear meshing problems. Instead, it uses a fixed linear drive with a spherical joint at the carrier plate interface, which achieves large pivoting angles without compromising gear meshing reliability or creating latching connection issues.
3Strength
If non-pivotable axial guidance of the linear drive is used in the housing, then bending stresses are avoided, but the carrier plate cannot accommodate large pivoting angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by separating the functions: the linear drive maintains non-pivotable axial guidance within the housing to avoid bending stresses, while the spherical joint at the carrier plate interface provides the necessary pivoting freedom in a different dimensional space, allowing large angles without transmitting bending moments to the linear drive.
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 enables mechanically stable and vibration-resistant adjustment with large pivoting angles, simplifying manufacturing and assembly, while preventing bending stresses and improving vibration damping.
Implementation Method 1
a spherical segment mounting with a friction ring for enhanced stability and vibration damping
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustment device for a carrier plate which can be pivoted about two mutually orthogonal axes and is configured to receive a motor vehicle mirror, includes one motor per axis for moving a non-rotatably and non-tiltably guided linear drive, which is in engagement via a socket with a joint ball on the carrier plate, and a funnel-shaped hub provided with a hollow shaft. A hollow spherical segment of the funnel-shaped hub engages, by spring tabs, in a depression in the form of a hollow spherical segment in the carrier plate, and a spherical segment of the carrier plate is axially elastically clamped in a hollow spherical segment of a housing for drive trains of the two linear drives, thereby locking the hollow shaft on the housing.