Thin Vehicle Sunvisor with External Detent and Pivot
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to design a sunvisor for vehicles that integrates thinness with high functionality, such as frontal and lateral screening, an illuminated vanity mirror, and the Slip-On-Rod Function, while maintaining a thickness of 15 mm or less, which is difficult with standard components due to the increasing demand for thinner sunvisor bodies.
Innovation Solution
The sunvisor features a hinging arrangement with a detent member located outside the sunvisor body, integrated pivot means within the detent member, and a Slip-On-Rod Function, allowing the sunvisor body to be tilted and slid along the upper rod, incorporating a detent clip with a sleeve member for enhanced friction torque resistance and a spiral spring braking arrangement to maintain thinness while enabling multiple positions and functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If standard components (detent member, vanity pack, cover) are used in a standard structure, then the sunvisor body can achieve required functionality, but the thickness cannot be reduced to 15 mm or less
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pivot means with the detent member into a single integrated component. The detent member is rotatably coupled to the upper rod and provides both the detent function (selectively retaining the sunvisor body in first and second positions) and the pivot function (enabling rotation between screening positions). This integration eliminates the need for separate pivot mechanisms, reducing overall thickness while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The detent member serves multiple functions: it acts as a detent mechanism to retain the sunvisor body in specific positions, serves as the pivot point for rotation between windshield and side window screening, and provides structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, enabling thinner sunvisor body design.
2Length of moving object
If the sunvisor body is made thinner to increase upper free space, then headroom is improved, but it becomes difficult to integrate standard components like detent members and vanity packs
Solution Approach 1:
The vanity pack and illumination means are integrated within the sunvisor body structure in a nested arrangement. The vanity mirror is positioned in the rear surface of the sunvisor body, with the illumination means arranged to illuminate the mirror when the sunvisor is in the first screening position. This nested integration allows multiple functions to coexist in a compact, thin profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the depth dimension efficiently by positioning components in three-dimensional space within the limited thickness. The upper rod extends laterally from the sunvisor body, and the detent member is rotatably coupled to this rod, allowing the pivot mechanism to operate in a dimension that does not increase the front-to-back thickness of the sunvisor body.
3Device complexity
If the detent member is located inside the sunvisor body, then the structure is compact, but the pivot means cannot be effectively integrated without increasing thickness
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of locating the detent member inside the sunvisor body as in conventional designs, the patent inverts the arrangement by positioning the detent member outside the sunvisor body and rotatably coupling it to the upper rod. This inverted configuration allows the pivot means to be effectively integrated while maintaining a thin profile, as the rotation axis is positioned laterally rather than within the thickness of the sunvisor body.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for a very thin sunvisor body that integrates multiple functions without increasing thickness, providing effective screening, illumination, and positional adjustment, while being easily implementable in existing vehicle manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a detent member rotatably coupled to the upper rod and designed to selectively retain the sunvisor body in at least said first screening position and in said inoperative position
Implementation Method 2
swing the sunvisor body against a resistance exerted against pivoting by a braking arrangement
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A sunvisor with for a vehicle, comprising a sunvisor body (1) comprising a front surface and a rear surface, a hinging arrangement for hinging the sunvisor body (1) to a roof structure (4) of a vehicle body, the hinging arrangement comprising a hook member (5) located above an upper side portion of the sunvisor body (1), an upper rod (8) unrotatably connected to the sunvisor body (1), a detent member (7) rotatably coupled to a lateral end portion (8a) of the upper rod (8) outside the sunvisor body and to the roof structure (4) and includes pivot means to swing the sunvisor body (1) between a first screening position and a second screening position.