Vehicle Push Button Switch Ice Scraping Rib Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle push button switches with guide portions spaced away in the peripheral direction suffer from backlash and operability issues due to water freezing on the outer surface, especially in humid environments, which hinders push button operation.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle push button switch design featuring multiple guide portions spaced away in the peripheral direction, with an ice scraping rib on the bar-shaped portion to remove frozen ice and an inclined surface on the ice scraping rib for enhanced ice removal, ensuring uninterrupted operation even in wet conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If multiple guide portions are spaced away from each other in the peripheral direction to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but water freezing on the outer surface hinders push button operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of push button switchVSAvoidoperability of push button

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide portion is segmented into multiple discrete guide portions (first guide portion and second guide portion) spaced apart in the peripheral direction, rather than using a continuous tubular guide. This segmentation reduces weight while the ice scraping rib compensates for the operational gaps created by spacing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ice scraping rib converts the harmful effect of ice formation into a beneficial self-cleaning mechanism. As the push button moves during normal operation, the ice scraping rib automatically scrapes away frozen ice from the bar-shaped portion, transforming the operational concern into a functional feature that maintains operability without requiring additional energy or external systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Ease of operation

If a completely tubular guide portion is used to guide push button movement, then operability is maintained, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperability of push buttonVSAvoidweight of push button switch

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of a continuous tubular guide portion, the design uses multiple discrete guide portions spaced apart peripherally. The first guide portion guides the bar-shaped portion at one location, and the second guide portion guides it at another location, eliminating the need for a complete tube and thereby reducing weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ice scraping rib acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the spaced guide portions. It ensures that even though the guide portions are not continuous, the push button operation remains smooth and uninterrupted by preventing ice accumulation in the gaps between guide portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Weight of moving object

If guide portions are spaced away in the peripheral direction, then weight is reduced and backlash is prevented, but ice formation between guide portions hinders operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of push button switchVSAvoidice formation on bar-shaped portion

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ice scraping rib transforms the potential harm of ice formation into a beneficial self-cleaning function. During normal push button operation, the rib scrapes away ice that forms between the guide portions, converting the harmful environmental factor into an automatic maintenance mechanism that requires no additional energy input.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The push button switch performs self-maintenance through the ice scraping rib. As the push button moves during normal operation, the rib automatically scrapes ice from the bar-shaped portion without requiring external intervention, additional energy, or separate maintenance systems. The operational movement itself serves to clean the component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9099262B2Vehicle push button switch

Publication Date: 2015.08.04 MINEBEA ACCESSSOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

In a vehicle push button switch, movement of a push button is guided by multiple guide portions and backlash of the push button during a push operation thereof is thereby prevented, and operations of the push button are not hindered even when water attached to an outer surface of a bar-shaped portion of the push button freezes. The case is provided with a plurality of guide portions spaced away from each other in a peripheral direction of the bar-shaped portion to guide a plurality of sections of the bar-shaped portion that are located in the peripheral direction, and an ice scraping rib protrudes from an outer surface of the bar-shaped portion. The ice scraping rib scraps away a frozen ice portion formed by freezing of water attached to the outer surface of the bar-shaped portion between the plurality of guide portions, in response to movement of the bar-shaped portion.