Retractable Rocker Board Nesting Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retractable running boards for motor vehicles face challenges in packaging neatly within the rocker body panel without compromising ground clearance and integrating seamlessly into the vehicle's styling, while effectively moving between stowed and deployed positions.
Innovation Solution
A rocker board assembly with a housing, arm, pivot housing, and tilt link mechanism that allows the step to move between stowed and deployed positions through sliding and pivotal movements, utilizing a drive assembly and slave assembly with motor-gear systems to ensure smooth operation and integration with the vehicle's design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the retractable running board is integrated into the rocker body panel, then the vehicle styling is improved and packaging is compact, but the mechanism complexity increases and ground clearance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The running board step is nested within the rocker body panel housing, allowing it to be concealed when not in use. The arm mechanism is telescopic, with the arm sliding within the housing to provide motion while maintaining a compact profile. This nesting approach enables the running board to be integrated into the vehicle body without adding external protrusions, thus improving styling while managing complexity through space-efficient design.
Solution Approach 2:
The running board employs a dynamic mechanism where the arm can slide linearly within the housing and the pivot housing can rotate. This dynamic capability allows the step to transition between retracted and extended positions, providing functionality while maintaining a compact integrated appearance when retracted. The dynamic nature of the mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling both compact packaging and operational functionality.
2Ease of operation
If the arm slides relative to the housing to deploy the step, then the running board can be extended for user support, but the mechanism requires precise coordination of multiple moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The tilt link serves as an intermediary element that connects the sliding arm mechanism to the pivot housing. As the arm slides linearly, the tilt link converts this linear motion into rotational motion of the pivot housing, which in turn deploys the step. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the coordination of multiple moving parts by providing a mechanical coupling that automatically translates one type of motion into another, reducing the complexity of direct coordination between the arm and pivot housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism utilizes parameter changes in the form of motion transformation. The arm undergoes linear displacement, which through the tilt link, transforms into angular displacement of the pivot housing. This parameter change from linear to rotational motion enables the step deployment function while simplifying the control mechanism, as the linear sliding of the arm naturally drives the rotational movement through the geometric relationship of the tilt link.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the pivot housing is pivotal relative to the arm, then the step can move between positions, but the packaging space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot housing is designed to rotate within the confines of the housing structure, with its rotation path contained within the available space. The step, when retracted, is positioned within the housing, and when deployed, extends outward. This nested arrangement allows the pivot housing to achieve rotational movement without significantly increasing the overall packaging volume, as the rotation occurs within the existing housing boundaries rather than requiring external space.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism utilizes dimensional efficiency by having the arm slide in one dimension (linearly within the housing) while the pivot housing rotates in another dimension (angularly). This multi-dimensional approach to motion allows the step to achieve versatile position changes without requiring proportional increases in all spatial dimensions. The rotation of the pivot housing occurs in the angular dimension, allowing compact packaging in the linear dimensions while maintaining adaptability in position.
Data Source
AI summary
A rocker board assembly for a motor vehicle includes a housing adapted to be attached to the motor vehicle. An arm is slidable relative to the housing. A pivot housing is pivotal relative to the arm. A step is fixedly secured to the pivot housing. The rocker board assembly also includes a tilt link extending between the housing and the pivot housing for urging pivotal movement of the pivot housing as the arm slides relative to the housing to move the step between a stowed position and a deployed position.