Shift Lever Assembly Simplified Housing Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shift lever assemblies for vehicles have complex housing structures composed of multiple parts, leading to increased assembly operations and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A simplified shift lever assembly with an integrally configured housing that includes an open part for easy assembly and a bracket for fixing, along with an electric module for detecting rotational movements, reduces the number of components and assembly steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the housing is composed of multiple parts (upper, lower, left, right parts), then the assembly flexibility and component modularity are improved, but the number of assembly operations and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the upper, lower, left, and right housing parts into a single integrated housing structure. This single housing includes all necessary functional features (open part for shift lever insertion, inner space for cable routing, mounting surfaces for electric modules) that were previously distributed across multiple separate components, thereby reducing assembly operations while maintaining structural flexibility
2Ease of manufacture
If the housing is composed of multiple parts, then the manufacturing and assembly flexibility are improved, but the manufacturing cost and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple housing components into one integrated housing that can be manufactured as a single piece through injection molding. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations for upper, lower, left, and right housing parts, thereby improving assembly efficiency and productivity while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through the molded design
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple parts are used to constitute the housing, then the structural adaptability is improved, but the number of assembly operations and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple housing parts into a single molded housing structure that maintains structural adaptability through its design features (open parts, inner spaces, mounting surfaces) while reducing manufacturing cost by eliminating the need to manufacture and assemble multiple separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The single housing structure performs multiple functions that were previously distributed across different components: it provides structural support, defines the inner space for cable routing, creates open parts for lever insertion, and provides mounting surfaces for electric modules, thereby achieving structural adaptability without requiring multiple separate parts
Data Source
AI summary
A shift lever assembly for a vehicle includes a housing having an inner space and an open part. The open part is provided at a lower part of the housing and is open in upward and downward directions. A shift lever is rotatably mounted in the inner space by being inserted into the inner space from a lower side to an upper side of the inner space through the open part. A bracket is assembled with the lower part of the housing to close the open part and allowing the housing to be fixed to a vehicle body.