Sunroof Wind Deflector Pivot Mounting Without Support Seat Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind deflector mounting methods for vehicle sunroofs cause material deformation, particularly to the support seat, leading to potential damage and reduced service life, complicating the assembly process.
Innovation Solution
A mounting structure for a wind deflector that uses pivot structures, such as pivot shafts, to connect struts to support seats without material deformation, allowing for a form-fit assembly and axial insertion, with axial limit structures to maintain the pivot angle within a predetermined range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If material deformation is used to assemble the wind deflector (pressing the strut into the support seat), then the wind deflector can be pivotally mounted, but the support seat and strut suffer material damage and reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
A pivot structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the strut and support seat. The pivot structure includes a pivot shaft that rotates within a pivot hole, with a pivot head connected to the strut and a pivot base connected to the support seat. This intermediary mechanism enables pivotal mounting without direct material deformation of the support seat or strut, thereby maintaining their service life while achieving the desired assembly.
2Strength
If the support seat is strengthened to prevent damage during assembly, then component durability improves, but material deformation becomes difficult to occur which adversely affects the assembly process
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot structure serves as a mediator that decouples the assembly process from the support seat structure. By introducing the pivot shaft, pivot head, and pivot base as separate components, the assembly process becomes independent of the support seat's material deformation characteristics. This allows the support seat to be strengthened without compromising the assembly process, as the pivot structure handles the connection and pivotal motion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the pivot structure allows full rotation, then pivoting freedom is maximized, but the wind deflector may rotate beyond the predetermined angle range causing functional issues
Solution Approach 1:
Axial limit structures are designed into the pivot structure to preemptively prevent over-rotation. The axial limit structure includes features such as a limit flange on the pivot shaft or corresponding limits on the pivot head/base that physically block rotation beyond a predetermined angle. This preliminary constraint ensures the wind deflector maintains its intended functional range while still allowing sufficient pivoting freedom for normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are mounting structures for a wind deflector of a sunroof of a vehicle, having a first strut and a second strut disposed facing each other, and a sunroof frame having a first support seat for pivotally connected to the first strut and a second support seat for pivotally connected to the second strut, so that the wind deflector is pivotable about a pivot axis in an assembled state. The mounting structure may have a first pivot structure at an end of the first strut to allow the first strut to be pivotally connected to the first support seat. The first pivot structure is configured to be adapted to be axially assembled to the first support seat along the pivot axis. Disclosed are a corresponding: wind deflector, bearing structure for carrying the wind deflector, sunroof, vehicle and a method for assembling the wind deflector.