Sliding Visor Carrier Monorail Press Fit Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sun visor designs for vehicles are complex and costly to manufacture, often requiring multiple assembly steps and components that can lead to a flimsy construction prone to dislodging or breaking under torque, and they may produce unwanted noise during operation.
Innovation Solution
A sliding sun visor design featuring a carrier on a pivot rod with a monorail arrangement on one shell, using a press fit and locking mechanism between bosses on two shells to secure the visor body without screws, reducing complexity and weight while enhancing durability and quiet operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional clam shell design with multiple mounting pieces and journals is used, then the visor body can be constructed, but the assembly process becomes time-intensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mounting piece and journal into a single integrated carrier component that attaches directly to the visor body. This eliminates the need for separate mounting pieces and journals, reducing the number of components and simplifying the assembly process while maintaining the structural integrity and rotational functionality of the visor.
2Ease of manufacture
If additional mounting pieces and journals are added to the visor construction, then the visor can be assembled, but the expense and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier integrates multiple functions (mounting and journaling) into a single component, eliminating the need for separate mounting pieces and journals. This reduction in component count directly decreases the overall weight of the visor assembly while maintaining construction feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes unnecessary components (separate mounting pieces and journals) from the visor construction, retaining only the essential carrier component that performs both mounting and journaling functions. This extraction of redundant parts reduces weight and expense.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple components such as slides, journals retainers are used, then the visor can be constructed, but unwanted noise is generated during operation
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the mounting piece and journal into a single carrier component, the patent reduces the number of interfaces and contact points between separate parts. This minimizes potential sources of noise during visor operation while maintaining the necessary construction capability.
4Ease of manufacture
If the visor construction uses fewer components and reduced size, then manufacturing expense decreases, but the strength and durability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated carrier design consolidates multiple functions into a single robust component, which can be engineered with appropriate strength characteristics. This eliminates the need for multiple smaller components while maintaining or enhancing the overall structural strength and durability of the visor assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction for the visor body and carrier component, combining materials with complementary properties to achieve both reduced weight and enhanced strength. This allows the simplified single-component design to maintain durability while reducing manufacturing cost.
5Ease of manufacture
If lightweight construction is used to reduce expense, then manufacturing cost decreases, but the visor becomes insufficient to withstand repeated torque actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials in the carrier and visor body construction, selecting materials that provide high strength-to-weight ratio. This enables the lightweight single-component design to withstand repeated torque actions during visor operation while maintaining manufacturing expense efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated carrier design eliminates multiple connection points and interfaces that could be failure points under torque. By consolidating the mounting and journaling functions into a single robust component, the design improves reliability under repeated torque actions while keeping the overall construction lightweight and cost-effective.
Data Source
AI summary
A sliding sun visor for use in a vehicle is disclosed. The sun visor includes a first and second visor body shell. The visor also comprises a pivot rod and a carrier slidingly arranged over the pivot rod. The first shell of the visor body includes a monorail arranged on an inside surface thereof. The carrier is slidingly engaged with the first shell wherein the carrier is arranged within or on the monorail. The carrier contacts a top portion of the monorail and a bottom portion of the monorail. The carrier is hence slidingly secured to the monorail and only connected to one of the shells used to engage to form a visor body. The visor bodies are secured via a press fit between a first boss arranged on a first shell and a second boss arranged on the second shell thus creating a secure connection that does not need screws to secure the visor halves to one another.