Telescopic Reaching Device for Driver-Seat Passenger Mirror Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reaching devices for passenger side mirror assemblies do not allow for easy folding without exiting the vehicle, particularly posing a risk of damage during garage parking and being inconvenient in inclement weather or for physically challenged users.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible reaching device with a selectively extensible rod and a pivotally coupled hook, coated with rubber or silicone, enables users to manipulate the mirror assembly between extended and folded configurations without exiting the vehicle, using a handle and grip for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a reaching device is used to fold passenger side mirrors, then the mirror assembly can be manipulated between extended and folded configurations, but the device structure becomes complex requiring multiple components (rod, hook, handle, grip)
Solution Approach 1:
The reaching device employs a telescopic rod with nested sections that can extend and retract. The inner sections are inserted within outer sections, allowing the rod to vary in length while maintaining a compact form when retracted. This nesting principle reduces the overall device size when not in use while providing sufficient reach when extended, thereby managing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a telescopic rod for reaching, a hook for engaging the mirror assembly, a handle for gripping, and a grip section for hand placement. Each segment serves a specific function, allowing the device to be操作ated intuitively while maintaining manageable complexity through functional modularity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the rod is made extensible to reach the mirror assembly, then the user can operate the device from the driver's seat, but the device length varies requiring extension and retraction mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic rod utilizes a nested construction where multiple sections of decreasing diameter are inserted one within another. This allows the rod to extend to sufficient length for reaching the passenger side mirror from the driver's seat, then retract to a compact size for storage, achieving adaptability without excessive complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the hook is coated with rubber or silicone to prevent scratching, then the mirror assembly is protected from damage, but the coating material adds manufacturing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The protective coating of rubber or silicone is applied only to the hook surface that contacts the mirror assembly. This localized treatment protects the mirror from scratching while avoiding the need to coat the entire device, thereby minimizing additional manufacturing steps and maintaining ease of production.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible reaching device for folding a passenger side mirror assembly includes a rod that comprises a plurality of nested sections so that the rod is selectively extensible. A hook is coupled to and extends from a first end of the rod, positioning a second end of the rod to be grasped in a hand of a user who is positioned in a driver's seat of a vehicle. The user can then position the hook on a mirror assembly that is coupled to a passenger side of the vehicle to selectively manipulate the mirror assembly between an extended configuration and a folded configuration.