Position-Locking Tie-Down Ring for Quiet Lightweight Interiors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metal tie down assemblies for vehicles are heavy, prone to noise issues due to high rotational forces, costly to produce, and difficult to color-match for interior applications, leading to ergonomic and aesthetic problems.
Innovation Solution
A tie down assembly with a position-locking mechanism fabricated from lightweight plastic materials, featuring a ring and bracket assembly with cantilever engagement features and detent mechanisms to control rotation and mitigate noise, allowing for adjustable resistance and color-matching options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal tie down assemblies are used, then strength and durability are improved, but weight increases and ergonomic issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, fundamentally altering the weight and strength characteristics. The plastic material is engineered to provide sufficient strength for tie-down applications while dramatically reducing weight, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by integrating multiple plastic components (ring, bracket assembly, support insert, engagement features) into a unified assembly. This composite approach allows optimization of each component's geometry and material properties to achieve overall structural strength without the weight penalty of metal.
2Strength
If metal tie down assemblies are used, then structural integrity is improved, but noise issues (clanking, rattling, buzzing, squeaking) worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, which fundamentally alters the acoustic properties. Plastic materials inherently dampen vibrations and reduce noise generation compared to metal, eliminating the clanking, rattling, buzzing, and squeaking sounds while maintaining structural integrity through engineered plastic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs molded plastic components that can be manufactured as single-use or limited-life parts with built-in noise-dampening properties. The plastic engagement features and detent mechanisms are designed to operate quietly without the resonant noise characteristics of metal, accepting reduced material longevity in exchange for noise reduction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex bends and folds are created in metal portions, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost and tolerance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tie-down assembly into separate molded plastic segments (ring, bracket assembly, support insert, engagement features) that can be manufactured independently through injection molding. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex metal bending and folding operations, reducing manufacturing cost and improving tolerance control while maintaining adaptability through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing approach from metal forming (bending, folding, stamping) to plastic injection molding. This parameter change in both material and process enables complex three-dimensional geometries to be produced directly in the mold at low cost with tight tolerances, eliminating the cost and tolerance penalties associated with complex metal fabrication.
4Strength
If metal tie down assemblies are used, then strength is improved, but color-matching capability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, which fundamentally alters the aesthetic and customization properties. Plastic materials can be easily pigmented and color-matched to interior surfaces during the injection molding process, providing versatility in color selection while maintaining the required structural strength through engineered plastic components and geometry.
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 provides a lightweight, noise-reduced, and cost-effective tie down assembly that can be easily assembled and color-matched to vehicle interiors, addressing ergonomic and aesthetic concerns while maintaining strength and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a detent mechanism configured to engage the ring to secure the ring at a rotational position
Implementation Method 2
The support insert is molded as an integral part of the bracket assembly with cantilever engagement features that provide flexibility between the ring and the bracket assembly
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a tie down assembly. The tie down assembly having a ring, a bracket assembly, a support insert, and a position-locking mechanism. The support insert is configured to secure the ring relative to the bracket assembly. The ring being configured to rotate relative to the bracket assembly about an axis. The position-locking mechanism is configured to secure the ring at one or more rotational positions about said axis via one or more engagement features. In one example, the position-locking mechanism is a detent mechanism.