Air Vent Shifting Piece Buckle Structure With Rotation Limiting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automobile air conditioner wind direction adjusting shifting pieces become brittle and prone to breakage due to alternating cold and hot air exposure, and their complex installation mode makes replacement difficult.

Innovation Solution

The design features an integrally-formed shifting piece body with an upper and lower shell, convex lugs, shaft holes, positioning grooves, and clamping parts, allowing for simpler mounting and dismounting of air conditioner blades and limiting the rotating range of the shifting fork, thus enhancing durability and ease of replacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the shifting piece body is made as a separate component with fixing pieces, then the air conditioner blades can be securely fixed, but the installation and replacement process becomes complex and difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing securityVSAvoidinstallation convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the shifting piece body and the fixing pieces into a single integrated component. The fixing pieces are directly formed on the shifting piece body, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps. This merging of components maintains secure fixing functionality while dramatically simplifying the installation and replacement process, as the entire assembly becomes a single unit that can be installed or replaced as one piece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Stability of the object's composition

If multiple fixing pieces and separate components are used, then the structural stability is improved, but the number of parts increases making the structure more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate components (shifting piece body and fixing pieces) into a single integrated structure. The fixing pieces are directly formed on the shifting piece body, reducing the total number of parts while maintaining structural stability. This integration simplifies the overall structure by eliminating the need for multiple separate components and their associated assembly relationships.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the shifting fork can rotate freely, then the air outlet direction can be adjusted more flexibly, but the rotating angle becomes uncontrolled leading to potential damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment flexibilityVSAvoidrotation control
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a limiting structure that pre-establishes the maximum rotation angle of the shifting fork. This limiting structure is built into the design, preventing the shifting fork from rotating beyond a safe angle before any damage can occur. The limitation is established in advance through the structural design, ensuring both flexibility within safe limits and protection against excessive rotation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3848213A1Automobile air conditioner blowing adjusting shifting piece buckle structure
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 WANG SHUNQING
  • EP3848213A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3848213A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3848213A1 patent drawing

AI summary

An automobile air conditioner blowing adjusting shifting piece buckle structure comprising a shifting piece body (1) having an upper shell (2) and a lower shell (3) which are of an integrally-formed structure, wherein the upper shell (2) extends downwards to form a connecting piece being provided with convex lugs (21) in which shaft holes (22) are formed , the shaft holes (22) are connected with a shaft pin (41) of a shifting fork (4), positioning grooves (23) are formed in the peripheries of the shaft holes (22) , and the shaft pin (41) is provided with positioning pieces (42) being arranged in the positioning grooves (23), an open groove cavity (11) is formed in the upper shell (2) , an opening is formed in the top of the upper shell (2) , and an automobile air conditioner blade is clamped into the open groove cavity (11) from the opening in the top of the upper shell (2) and fixed into the open groove cavity (11) through clamping parts (31) arranged on the upper shell (2) and the lower shell (3) .