Vehicle Roller Blind Bearing Segmentation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing roller blind arrangements for vehicle bodies require vehicle-specific bearing elements for each model, leading to high production costs and complex logistics due to the need for new, expensive tools and components for each new or variant vehicle model.

Innovation Solution

A method that divides the bearing element into a standardized section and a vehicle-specific section, where the vehicle-specific section determines the positioning of the winding shaft relative to the vehicle body, allowing the use of a single standardized section across multiple models, reducing the need for complete redesign and manufacturing for each new model.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a complete vehicle-specific bearing element is manufactured for each new vehicle model, then the positioning accuracy of the winding shaft is ensured, but the production cost and device complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracy of winding shaftVSAvoidcomplexity of bearing element design
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing element is divided into two distinct sections: a standardized section that remains constant across vehicle models and a vehicle-specific section that varies by model. This segmentation allows the complex positioning requirements to be met through the vehicle-specific section while the standardized section maintains consistent manufacturing processes, thereby ensuring positioning accuracy without proportionally increasing overall device complexity for each new model.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized section of the bearing element is designed to be universally applicable across multiple vehicle models, performing the same functional role in each. This universality reduces the need for complete redesign and manufacturing of new bearing elements for each vehicle model, thereby maintaining positioning accuracy through the vehicle-specific section while avoiding the proliferation of complexity that would result from creating entirely new bearing elements for each model.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If new bearing elements are developed for each vehicle model, then the specific positioning requirements are met, but the production cost increases due to expensive tooling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracy of winding shaftVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the bearing element into standardized and vehicle-specific sections, the manufacturing process is optimized such that the standardized section can be produced using existing, cost-effective tooling. Only the vehicle-specific section requires model-specific tooling, significantly reducing the overall production cost compared to manufacturing complete new bearing elements for each vehicle model, while still achieving the required positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized section serves multiple vehicle models universally, allowing the use of the same manufacturing tools and processes across different models. This universality eliminates the need to invest in expensive new tooling for each vehicle model, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining the ability to meet specific positioning requirements through the vehicle-specific section.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If complete bearing elements are newly manufactured for each vehicle model, then the positioning requirements are satisfied, but the logistics complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracy of winding shaftVSAvoidlogistics complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The segmentation of the bearing element into standardized and vehicle-specific sections simplifies logistics by allowing the standardized section to be manufactured and stored as a common component across multiple vehicle models. Only the vehicle-specific sections need to be managed separately according to model requirements, significantly reducing the complexity of production logistics compared to managing completely different bearing elements for each model.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized section's universal applicability across multiple vehicle models creates economies of scale in manufacturing and simplifies supply chain management. The same standardized section can be used for different models, reducing the variety of components that need to be tracked, stored, and managed in logistics, thereby satisfying positioning requirements without proportionally increasing logistics complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3475108B1Roller blind assembly for a vehicle body, and method for assembling the roller blind assembly
Publication Date: 2022.01.19 WEBASTO AG
  • EP3475108B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3475108B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a roller blind assembly for a vehicle body. The roller blind assembly is provided in order to shade an opening in the vehicle body and has a roller blind web which can roll on a winding roller. The invention also relates to at least one support element (10) for rotatably supporting the winding roller on the vehicle body. According to the invention, the support element (10) has a standardized section (12), which is designed to be used with multiple different vehicle models, and a vehicle-specific section (12), which is designed to be used with one specific vehicle model of the different vehicle models, such that the standardized section in combination with the vehicle-specific section provides a vehicle-specific support element. The invention further relates to a method for assembling such a roller blind assembly.