Spacer Assembly Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spacers fail to effectively compensate for manufacturing and assembly tolerances between structural vehicle components, limiting their range of travel and often resulting in a bulky design.
Innovation Solution
A spacer assembly featuring a housing with non-contiguous threads and a bumper support with flexible beam threads, allowing for increased travel range and compact structure, utilizing a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) for the bumper head and a harder material for the housing to provide dynamic friction and secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If known spacers use stops created through interference of features to halt accidental movement, then reliability is improved, but the spacer extends to an increased height above the component
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from radial interference fits to axial threading engagement. The threaded shaft engages with threaded features in the housing along the axial dimension, allowing the stop mechanism to function at a reduced height while maintaining reliability through thread engagement rather than radial interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a resilient bumper head made of elastomeric material that can dynamically deform to absorb impacts and accommodate tolerances. This dynamic compliance allows the spacer to maintain reliable connection without requiring excessive height for rigid stop features.
2Adaptability or versatility
If spacers are designed to compensate for manufacturing and assembly tolerances, then adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the elastomeric material's inherent compliance and the threaded engagement's mechanical play to accommodate tolerance variations. The resilient bumper head can deform within a range of parameters (compression, expansion) to adapt to manufacturing variations without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded connection and resilient material properties enable the spacer to self-adjust to tolerance variations during assembly. The threads naturally accommodate dimensional variations, and the elastomeric bumper head self-deforms to maintain proper engagement, eliminating the need for complex adjustment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If spacers use traditional stop features to limit travel range, then reliability is improved, but the range of travel is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient bumper head provides dynamic travel limitation through material deformation rather than fixed mechanical stops. The elastomeric material allows progressive compression and expansion, enabling a greater range of travel while maintaining reliable control through the material's inherent elastic limits and the threaded engagement geometry.
4Ease of manufacture
If spacers are designed with a compact structure, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the range of travel is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric material's ability to undergo large deformations within a compact form factor enables the spacer to achieve both compactness and extended travel range. The material can be compressed and expanded significantly without requiring a proportionally larger structure, allowing compact manufacturing while maintaining generous travel capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The spacer assembly compensates for manufacturing and assembly tolerances, offering an increased range of travel while maintaining a compact design, preventing accidental motion and ensuring secure attachment to vehicle components.
Implementation Method 1
The housing has a first hardness, and the bumper head has a second hardness. The first hardness exceeds the second hardness.
Data Source
AI summary
A spacer assembly includes a housing that is configured to couple to a component. The housing includes a central bore. A bumper is coupled to the housing. The bumper includes a bumper support including a shaft that extends within the central bore, and a bumper head coupled to the bumper support.