Pivoting Sun Visor Clip for Vibration-Stable Item Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sun visor clips fail to securely hold items like sunglasses due to vibrations in vehicles, requiring substantial clamping force and often sliding off during motion.
Innovation Solution
A visor clip with a clip body having a first leg for holding items, a second leg with a pivot section anchored to the sun visor for pivoting between closed and open positions, and a third leg supporting a biasing member like a leaf spring, ensuring secure attachment and easy manual operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional clips are used to hold items on sun visor, then items can be held on the visor, but the clips require substantial holding and clamping force and tend to slide off due to vehicle vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The clip body is designed to pivot between closed and open positions, transforming from a static clamping structure to a dynamic one. The biasing member enables automatic adaptation to vibrations while maintaining secure holding, eliminating the need for excessive clamping force.
Solution Approach 2:
The clip is divided into separate functional legs: the first leg for holding items, the second leg with pivot section for mounting and pivoting, and the third leg for biasing member support. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally, improving reliability without requiring excessive force.
2Reliability
If clips are designed to hold items securely against vibrations, then holding force increases, but the clips become harder to operate manually
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot mechanism allows the clip to move between closed and open positions with minimal effort. The biasing member stores and releases energy to assist opening and closing, making operation easy while maintaining secure holding during vibrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member automatically provides the force needed to maintain the closed position and assist opening, eliminating the need for the user to continuously apply force. The system serves itself by using elastic energy storage and release to maintain holding stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If clips are removably attached to the sun visor, then installation is simple, but the clips slide off the visor during vehicle motion or visor movement
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot section allows the clip to be easily installed in an open position and then automatically secures itself in a closed position through the biasing member. The dynamic pivoting action prevents sliding off during motion while maintaining simple installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member is pre-loaded to exert a closing force on the clip body, creating preliminary anti-action against the tendency to slide off during vibrations or movement. This pre-applied force ensures attachment stability without complicating installation.
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 visor clip provides substantial holding force to prevent items from dislodging during vehicle vibrations and sun visor movement, ensuring secure and convenient access to items like sunglasses.
Implementation Method 1
a third leg supporting a biasing member, the clip body being configured to be selectively manually displaced from the closed position to the open position against the bias of the biasing member
Implementation Method 2
a first cushion member is mounted on the first leg of the clip body and a second cushion member mounted on the main body portion of the sun visor for contacting the first cushion member in the closed position of the clip body
Data Source
AI summary
A sun visor assembly includes a visor having a recess, a first clip portion, and a second clip portion configured to be integrally mounted in the recess of the visor. The second clip portion is configured for connection to the first clip portion to allow the first clip portion to undergo pivotal movement relative to the second clip portion between open and closed states of the first clip portion. The first and second clip portions together form a cavity for securely accommodating and releasable holding an item in the closed state of the first clip portion.