Wind Deflector Joints for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wind deflectors for passenger vehicles require at least half the space in their storage position as when installed, limiting storage efficiency and convenience.
Innovation Solution
The wind deflector design incorporates additional joints in the second struts with axes of rotation outside the plane of the frame and flat material, allowing the first strut sections to rotate into a triangular or V-shaped storage position, reducing the overall space requirement by approximately 40%.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the wind deflector is designed with conventional folding joints only in the first struts, then the frame can be folded to half its original dimensions, but the storage space requirement remains at least half of the installed size
Solution Approach 1:
The second struts are divided into two second strut sections by additional folding joints, creating more segmented sections that can be folded and rotated independently. This segmentation allows the frame to be reduced to a triangular or V-shaped configuration, achieving approximately 40% space reduction compared to conventional designs that only fold to half size.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding joints in the second struts have axes of rotation that extend outside the plane spanned by the frame and flat material. This three-dimensional joint configuration enables the first strut sections to rotate relative to one another, transitioning from a planar folded state to a triangular or V-shaped spatial configuration, thereby achieving more compact stowage.
2Area of stationary object
If additional joints with axes of rotation outside the plane are added to the second struts, then the storage space requirement is reduced by approximately 40%, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple folding joints and strut sections are configured to nest together in a triangular or V-shaped storage position. The first strut sections rotate and nest within the overall frame structure, allowing compact stowage that fits within approximately 40% of the original footprint while maintaining structural integrity.
3Volume of moving object
If the axis of rotation of the further joints extends perpendicular to the plane spanned by the frame and flat material, then the space-saving storage position is achieved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The joint axes are designed with specific orientation parameters (acute angles up to 20° with respect to the perpendicular, or completely perpendicular) that optimize the storage configuration. These parameter specifications enable predictable folding behavior and compact triangular or V-shaped storage positions while providing clear manufacturing guidelines.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The deflector (1) has upper and lower frames (2b, 2a) comprising two sets of props, where a folding joint (8) is arranged in one of the sets of props that is divided into a set of prop portions such that the frames are foldable about a folding axis. A joint (10) is arranged in the other set of props that is divided into another set of prop portions. A rotational axis (11) of the joint extends outside a plane stretched by the frames and a flat material such that the former set of prop portions are rotatable into a stored position around the rotational axis after folded around the folding axis.