Vehicle Sun Visor Blade Extension Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sun visors in vehicles often fail to adequately block sunlight due to insufficient coverage, and existing blade extension mechanisms are difficult to deploy and prone to sticking or damage, requiring manual effort and additional aftermarket solutions.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle visor design featuring a visor body with inner channels and a blade that slides between extended and retracted positions, utilizing a toothed adjustment knob with a gearingly engaged toothed track for controlled deployment, allowing for easy operation with minimal user input.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If a blade extension mechanism is added to increase sun blocking coverage, then the area coverage is improved, but the device complexity increases and the mechanism becomes difficult to operate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesun blocking coverage areaVSAvoidblade extension mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is nested within the visor body, specifically within channels formed in the visor body. The blade can slide between extended and retracted positions within these channels, allowing the extension mechanism to be compact and integrated into the visor structure rather than adding external complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

A toothed track is introduced as an intermediary component between the adjustment knob and the blade. The toothed track translates rotational motion of the adjustment knob into linear motion of the blade, providing controlled deployment while simplifying the user interface to a simple rotary knob operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If a manual deployment mechanism is used for blade extension, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates as the entire hand is required to deploy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment mechanism complexityVSAvoidblade deployment ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The toothed track acts as a mechanical intermediary that converts small rotational movements of the adjustment knob into the linear motion needed for blade deployment. This allows the user to operate the mechanism with minimal hand movement, improving ease of operation while maintaining a relatively simple overall mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment knob with toothed outer perimeter replaces complex manual deployment mechanisms with a simpler rotary interface. The gear engagement between the toothed knob and toothed track provides mechanical advantage, allowing easy single-handed or even single-finger operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Area of moving object

If existing blade extension designs are used, then the area coverage is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to inconsistent deployment mechanisms that become stuck or damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesun blocking coverage areaVSAvoidblade extension reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The toothed track provides a reliable intermediary mechanism that ensures consistent blade deployment. The gear engagement between the toothed adjustment knob and toothed track prevents slippage and ensures predictable, repeatable motion, eliminating the sticking and damage issues of previous designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having the blade directly engage with the adjustment mechanism, the invention inverts the approach by having the adjustment knob engage with a toothed track that is separate from the blade. This indirect engagement through the toothed track reduces stress on the blade and improves reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

The solution provides effective sunlight blocking with easy, controlled deployment of the blade extension, requiring only single-finger operation and minimizing the risk of damage or sticking, enhancing user convenience and functionality.

Implementation Method 1

An adjustment knob is mounted on the visor body and includes a toothed outer perimeter that gearingly engages a toothed track disposed on the blade within the inner cavity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGear engagement: Gear

Data Source

PatentUS10173499B1Mechanism for sun visor extension

Publication Date: 2019.01.08 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A vehicle visor includes a visor body having an inner cavity with first and second channels disposed therein. A blade is slideably mounted to the first and second channels between extended and retracted positions by first and second rails of the blade that are slideably received in the first and second channels of the visor body. An adjustment knob is mounted on the visor body and includes a toothed outer perimeter that gearingly engages a toothed track disposed on the blade within the inner cavity. The adjustment knob further includes an exposed portion that is disposed outside of the inner cavity and accessible to a user for incremental rotation resulting in deployment or retraction of the blade.