Vehicle Tray Assembly Integrated Cam Hinge Mechanism

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle tray assemblies require separate mechanisms for each tray, leading to increased space occupation and weight due to the need for individual opening and closing mechanisms for electronic appliance trays, which is inefficient as the number of electronic appliances increases.

Innovation Solution

A tray assembly that integrates a guide slot and a cam-shaped hinge arm, allowing a single mechanism for both the electronic appliance tray and the main tray to cooperate, with a guide pin that slides along the guide slot and engages with the cam-shaped portion of the hinge arm to open and close the cover, optimizing space and weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If separate mechanisms are provided for each tray (conventional approach), then each tray can be opened and closed independently, but the space occupation and vehicle weight increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndependent opening and closing of each trayVSAvoidVehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent tray mechanisms into a single integrated mechanism. The guide pin with multiple rollers interacts with a shared cam-shaped hinge arm that controls both the electronic appliance tray and the main drawer tray. This allows both trays to be opened and closed simultaneously through one operational action, eliminating the need for separate mechanisms and thereby reducing vehicle weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cam-shaped hinge arm serves multiple functions: it controls the opening and closing of both the electronic appliance tray and the main drawer tray, and it provides cam-shaped engagement to guide the movement of multiple guide pins. This multi-functional component replaces what would traditionally require separate dedicated mechanisms for each tray, achieving weight reduction while maintaining operational capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If separate mechanisms are provided for each tray (conventional approach), then each tray can be opened and closed independently, but the space occupation in the vehicle increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndependent opening and closing of each trayVSAvoidSpace occupation in vehicle

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent tray mechanisms into a single integrated mechanism. The guide pin with multiple rollers interacts with a shared cam-shaped hinge arm that controls both the electronic appliance tray and the main drawer tray. This allows both trays to be opened and closed simultaneously through one operational action, eliminating the need for separate mechanisms and thereby reducing vehicle weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cam-shaped hinge arm serves multiple functions: it controls the opening and closing of both the electronic appliance tray and the main drawer tray, and it provides cam-shaped engagement to guide the movement of multiple guide pins. This multi-functional component replaces what would traditionally require separate dedicated mechanisms for each tray, achieving weight reduction while maintaining operational capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Weight of moving object

If a single integrated mechanism is used for multiple trays (proposed solution), then space and weight are optimized, but the mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveVehicle weightVSAvoidMechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated mechanism is segmented into distinct functional modules: guide pins with rollers for smooth movement, cam-shaped portions for controlled engagement and disengagement, and hinge arms for rotational motion. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function clearly, making the complex mechanism easier to manufacture, assemble, and maintain while achieving the goal of weight reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanism employs dynamic elements including rollers that rotate along guide slots, cam-shaped portions that provide variable engagement forces, and hinge arms that rotate to control tray movement. These dynamic components enable smooth, controlled operation of multiple trays through a single mechanism, reducing the need for additional static structural elements and thereby reducing overall weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 integrated mechanism allows for efficient use of space and reduces vehicle weight by enabling multiple trays to share a common opening and closing mechanism, thus addressing the inefficiencies of conventional systems.

Implementation Method 1

a roller 10 is equipped to a guide pin 22 of a holding tray 20... due to the rolling of the roller 10

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRolling: Roller

Data Source

PatentUS8403190B2Tray assembly for vehicle

Publication Date: 2013.03.26 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is a tray assembly. The tray assembly may include a tray having a guide slot, a hinge arm including a cam-shaped portion and rotably coupled to the tray, a cover fixed to an end portion of the hinge arm, a drawer box storable in the tray and having a guide pin at a side portion thereof, the guide pin passing through the guide slot of the tray and being movable along the guide slot by selectively engaging with the cam-shaped portion of the hinge arm.