Vehicle Sunshade Stopper Attachment via Nested Guide Rail Flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sunshade devices face issues with shade stoppers falling off from guide rails when subjected to strong forces during the opening action of the shade panel, particularly when the panel strongly abuts on the stopper.
Innovation Solution
The sunshade device incorporates guide rails with rail-side flanges and retaining pieces, along with stopper-side projections, to securely attach the shade stopper, preventing it from falling off by regulating its movement through engaging projections and fitting convex portions that gradually increase in size, ensuring proper alignment and contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the shade stopper is attached to the guide rail from the inner side of the vehicle to regulate the opening action, then the shade panel can be stopped at the full-open position, but the shade stopper may fall off from the guide rail when subjected to strong forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multi-dimensional engagement system where the shade stopper interacts with the guide rail through multiple dimensions: the retaining pieces extend in the width direction to sandwich the rail-side flange, while engaging projections extend in the height direction to prevent inward movement. This multi-dimensional constraint system resolves the contradiction by providing both reliable attachment and proper opening action regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The shade stopper is nested within the guide rail structure through the retaining pieces that sandwich the rail-side flange. The engaging projections fit into corresponding spaces on the guide rail, creating a nested configuration where the stopper is securely held within the rail's structural envelope, preventing detachment while maintaining functionality.
2Reliability
If the shade stopper is securely attached to prevent falling off, then attachment reliability is improved, but the design complexity of the stopper increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the shade stopper structure: the retaining pieces serve both to attach the stopper to the guide rail and to position it correctly, while the engaging projections simultaneously prevent detachment and regulate opening movement. This functional merging achieves reliable attachment without proportionally increasing design complexity, as the added features are integrated into a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The shade stopper is designed as a multi-functional component where the retaining pieces provide both attachment and positioning functions, and the engaging projections provide both detachment prevention and movement regulation functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, achieving reliable attachment with moderate complexity increase rather than requiring multiple separate parts.
Data Source
AI summary
A sunshade device includes guide rails slidably supporting a shade panel so as to open and close an opening formed on a vehicle roof; and a shade stopper attached to each guide rail, regulating an opening action by allowing the shade panel to abut on the shade stopper, wherein the guide rail includes a rail-side flange or flanges arranged side by side in a height direction which extend toward an inner side in a width direction, the shade stopper includes retaining pieces extending toward an outer side in the width direction and sandwiching the rail-side flange in the height direction, and rail-side and retaining-piece side engaging projections projecting in the height direction to face each other and regulating a movement of the retaining piece in the inner side in the width direction are respectively formed in the rail-side flange and the retaining piece in one side.