Glove Compartment Stopper With Tool-Access Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing stopper device for glove compartments is prone to unintended height adjustments due to exposure of the supporting portion, which can be rotated by external forces.
Innovation Solution
A stopper device with a cylindrical portion, an abutting portion, and a screw mechanism that includes first and second limiting portions to prevent axial movement, allowing height adjustment only through a tool-inserted mechanism, thereby preventing unintended changes in height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the supporting portion is exposed for rotation adjustment, then the height is adjustable, but the supporting portion can be rotated by unintended external force
Solution Approach 1:
A tool (such as a screwdriver) is introduced as an intermediary to operate the screw mechanism. The tool inserts through the through-hole to rotate the screw, which in turn adjusts the stopper height by moving the flange relative to the limiting portions. This intermediary mechanism ensures that only deliberate tool-based actions can adjust the height, preventing unintended rotation by external forces while maintaining adjustability
Solution Approach 2:
The screw head with flange is extracted and housed inside the cylindrical portion of the stopper, with only the shaft portion extending outward. The through-hole in the abutting portion provides access for tool insertion. This extraction and internal housing of the adjustment mechanism protects it from unintended external forces while allowing controlled adjustment through the hole
2Shape
If the screw head portion is housed inside the cylindrical portion, then the structure is compact and protected, but the adjustment mechanism becomes less accessible
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is segmented into distinct functional portions: the cylindrical portion houses the screw head for protection and compactness, the abutting portion with through-hole provides tool access, and the shaft portion extends for screw operation. This segmentation allows the screw head to be internally housed while maintaining external accessibility through the through-hole in the abutting portion
Solution Approach 2:
The screw head portion with flange is nested inside the cylindrical portion of the stopper. The shaft portion of the screw extends through the nested structure, and the tool inserts through the through-hole in the abutting portion to access and rotate the nested screw head. This nested arrangement protects the adjustment mechanism while maintaining accessibility
Data Source
AI summary
A stopper device includes: a stopper that has an abutting part located at a distal end of a tubular part in the axial direction, and a through-hole penetrating through the abutting part and communicating with the inside of the tubular part; and a screw that has a flange-shaped screw head accommodated in the tubular part, and a shaft projecting toward a proximal end side of the tubular part in the axial direction. The tubular part has a first restricting part that restricts movement of the stopper toward the distal end in the axial direction by being engaged with the screw head. The position of the stopper in the axial direction is changed by inserting a tool in the tubular part through the through-hole and rotating the screw.