Spring Clip with Rounded Profile for Vehicle Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle rearview device mounting systems face challenges in minimizing plastic deformation during assembly, which increases manufacturing costs and reduces tolerance in component variations while maintaining effective clamping force.
Innovation Solution
A spring clip with a continuous rounded engagement profile and internal triangular assembly profile that rotationally engages a bracket, limiting plastic deformation and allowing for higher variance in manufacturing, thereby reducing the spring constant and manufacturing costs while maintaining a strong clamping force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional spring clip design is used, then clamping force is maintained, but plastic deformation increases during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement profile of the spring clip legs is designed with a continuous rounded shape instead of sharp angles or flat surfaces. This curved geometry distributes contact stresses more uniformly during the rotational engagement with the bracket, preventing stress concentration that would cause plastic deformation while maintaining effective clamping force.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring constant of the spring clip legs is deliberately reduced compared to traditional designs. This parameter change allows the legs to be more compliant during assembly, accommodating manufacturing variations and reducing the force required for engagement, thereby minimizing plastic deformation while still providing sufficient clamping force in the final assembled state.
2Strength
If higher spring constant is used, then clamping force is increased, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spring constant is optimized to a lower value that reduces material requirements and simplifies manufacturing processes. The continuous rounded engagement profile is designed to work effectively with this reduced spring constant, allowing the use of less expensive materials and simpler fabrication methods while maintaining adequate clamping force for the application.
3Ease of manufacture
If tolerance in component variations is increased, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but assembly reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous rounded engagement profile acts as a self-aligning feature that guides the spring clip legs into proper engagement with the bracket lobes. This curved geometry compensates for variations in component dimensions and orientations, ensuring reliable assembly even when manufacturing tolerances are relaxed, thereby maintaining assembly reliability while reducing manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement profile utilizes asymmetric curved surfaces that are specifically shaped to accommodate manufacturing variations. The profile is designed so that the rounded geometry naturally compensates for dimensional tolerances in the spring clip legs and bracket interface, ensuring consistent engagement and reliable assembly across production batches.
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 solution effectively minimizes plastic deformation during assembly, reduces manufacturing costs, and allows for increased tolerance in component variations while maintaining a consistent and strong clamping force, enhancing the life of the spring clip and reducing yield during assembly and disassembly operations.
Implementation Method 1
a spring clip having a plurality of spring biased legs. Each of the spring biased legs form an engagement profile having a continuous rounded profile
Data Source
AI summary
A spring clip for a vehicle for mounting a rearview device is disclosed. The spring clip comprises a base portion comprising a coupling surface, configured to interconnect the rearview device with the windshield, and a plurality of spring biased legs. Each of the spring biased legs forms an engagement profile having a continuous rounded profile and an internal engagement surface. The internal engagement surface forms a triangular assembly profile. The engagement profile is configured to slidably engage an interface profile of a bracket configured to interconnect the rearview device to the windshield.