Vehicle Windscreen Height Adjustment With One-Sided Shaft Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing windscreen devices require both hands to adjust the height due to the need for simultaneous operation of lock release mechanisms on both sides, making it inconvenient for users.
Innovation Solution
A windscreen device with a single operating part on one side of the shaft that switches between locked and unlocked states, allowing one-handed adjustment of the windscreen height through a mechanism involving a shaft, fitting members, and lock actuating parts that can be biased by an elastic member for easy return to the locked state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operating parts are provided on both left and right sides of the shaft for lock release, then the locking mechanism is stable and reliable, but the user must use both hands to operate, reducing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lock release functions of both left and right sides into a single operating part. When the user operates this single part, it simultaneously releases both left and right locking mechanisms through the shaft connection, eliminating the need for two separate operating parts while maintaining reliable locking on both sides.
Solution Approach 2:
The single operating part serves multiple functions: it controls both the left and right lock actuating parts, and through the shaft mechanism, simultaneously operates both locking systems. This multi-functional design reduces the number of components while ensuring balanced operation of both sides.
2Reliability
If multiple lock actuating parts are provided on both sides, then the locking is secure, but the number of parts increases, increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the operating parts into one unified component while maintaining separate lock actuating parts on both sides. The single operating part connects to both left and right lock actuating parts through the shaft, reducing the total number of operating components while preserving the dual-side locking security.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is segmented into independent left and right lock actuating parts that can be controlled by a single operating part. This segmentation allows each side to function independently for secure locking while being operable through one unified control point, reducing overall complexity.
3Reliability
If fitting members are provided on both sides for lock actuation, then the locking mechanism is balanced and reliable, but the alignment precision required increases, increasing manufacturing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric elements through the shaft design, where the shaft has an asymmetric cross-section or positioning features that guide the fitting members into correct alignment. This asymmetric guidance reduces the precision required during manufacturing by providing built-in alignment references, while still maintaining balanced locking on both sides.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft acts as an intermediary element between the single operating part and the two lock actuating parts. It transmits the operating force uniformly to both sides and provides alignment guidance through its structural design, reducing the direct alignment requirements between the fitting members and fitting concave portions while ensuring balanced operation.
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
Enables one-handed adjustment of the windscreen height, reducing the number of parts and improving operability by ensuring secure fitting and easy alignment of components, even with slight misalignment, and maintaining a comfortable angle after adjustment.
Implementation Method 1
the fitting members (46L, 46R) are biased toward the other side in the vehicle leftward/rightward direction by an elastic member (57)
Data Source
AI summary
This windscreen device includes a windscreen, a holder configured to support the windscreen, a bracket configured to vertically movably support the holder together with the windscreen and fixed to a vehicle body, and a shaft extending in a vehicle leftward/rightward direction and configured to pass through and connect first connecting parts of the holder and second connecting parts of the bracket in the vehicle leftward/rightward direction, one of the first connecting parts and the second connecting parts is shaft holding parts configured to relatively immovably hold the shaft when seen in the vehicle leftward/rightward direction, the other of the first connecting parts and the second connecting parts is slide groove forming parts that form a slide groove extending in a vehicle upward/downward direction and allow the shaft holding parts to slide in a groove length direction of the slide groove, a height of the windscreen is adjustable together with the holder by sliding the shaft holding parts along the slide groove, the slide groove forming parts are provided with fitting members that are supported by the shaft and able to move integrally with the shaft in the vehicle leftward/rightward direction, and fitting concave portions that partially expand lateral grooves and allow the fitting members to fit are formed at a plurality of places at intervals in the groove length direction of the slide groove, the fitting members and the fitting concave portions constitute lock actuating parts configured to switch between a locked state in which the shaft holding parts are unable to slide with respect to the slide groove forming parts and a lock released state in which the shaft holding parts are able to slide with respect to the slide groove forming parts, the shaft is provided with an operating part configured to move the shaft and the fitting members in the vehicle leftward/rightward direction and switch between the locked state and the lock released state of the lock actuating parts, and the operating part is provided only on one side of the shaft in the vehicle leftward/rightward direction.