Multi-Plate Sun Visor Extension for A-Pillar Gap Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sun visors in vehicles leave gaps with the A-pillar and other sun visors, and can be difficult for short drivers to reach and operate effectively, as they do not provide adequate shading across different angles and areas.
Innovation Solution
An extendable sun visor system with a base plate and multiple movable plates that can be actuated to provide additional areas of shadowing, allowing for horizontal, diagonal, or vertical movement to cover larger areas, including the use of actuation surfaces and guide mechanisms to facilitate movement and improve reachability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If conventional sun visors are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the shaded area is insufficient and gaps are left with the A-pillar and other sun visors
Solution Approach 1:
The sun visor is divided into multiple independent movable plates (first movable plate, second movable plate, third movable plate) that can move separately to cover different areas. Each plate can be actuated independently or in coordination to eliminate gaps and maximize the shaded area without requiring a complete redesign of the entire visor structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces movement in multiple dimensions by allowing plates to move not only vertically but also horizontally and diagonally. This multi-directional movement capability enables the sun visor to cover larger areas and adapt to different sunlight angles, effectively resolving the limitation of conventional single-direction visors.
2Ease of operation
If conventional sun visors are positioned at the interior roof, then the mounting position is fixed and simple, but short drivers face reachability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The sun visor incorporates multiple movable plates with actuating structures that enable dynamic adjustment of the visor's position and configuration. This dynamic capability allows the visor to be extended or repositioned to improve reachability for short drivers while maintaining a compact form when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple movable plates are arranged in a nested configuration where they can be stored within or adjacent to each other when not in use. This nesting arrangement allows the complex multi-plate structure to maintain a compact profile during normal operation, reducing visual clutter while preserving full functionality when activation is needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple movable plates are added to extend the shaded area, then the coverage is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each movable plate is designed to perform multiple functions: providing shade, acting as an actuation surface for adjacent plates, and serving as a structural element. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity despite the addition of multiple plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating structures are integrated into the movable plates themselves rather than being separate mechanisms. The edges and surfaces of the plates serve dual purposes as both shading elements and actuation interfaces, merging multiple functions into unified components and reducing the total number of separate parts.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an extendable sun visor for a vehicle, comprising a base plate for providing a base area of shadowing, a first movable plate which is connected to the base plate and which is movable in relation to the base plate for providing a first additional area of shadowing, at least one second movable plate which is connected to the base plate and which is movable in relation to both the base plate and the first movable plate for providing at least one second additional area of shadowing, the at least one second additional area of shadowing being different from said first additional area of shadowing, and an actuating structure for actuating a movement of the at least one second movable plate when the first moveable plate is moved. A vehicle comprising such an extendable sun visor is also provided.