Windscreen Link Lock Mechanism for One-Handed Height Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional windscreen devices require users to operate both hands to adjust the height of the windscreen, making it cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A windscreen device with a link mechanism and a lock mechanism that allows for one-handed operation, where the link mechanism connects the windscreen holder to the vehicle body via link members and a shaft, and the lock mechanism regulates the rotation of the engagement members to facilitate easy height adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operation portions are provided on both left and right sides of the screen support mechanism, then the windscreen height adjustment is stable and reliable, but the user must use both hands to operate, increasing the complexity of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the operation portions from both left and right sides into a single operation portion located on the left side. This merging allows the user to operate the windscreen height adjustment with one hand, improving ease of operation while maintaining the functional reliability through the integrated lock mechanism that engages both link members simultaneously
2Manufacturing precision
If a lock mechanism is added to regulate rotation of engagement members, then the windscreen height adjustment precision is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism is designed to automatically engage and disengage through the relative rotation of the link side engagement member and bracket side engagement member. The rotation regulation portions enable the mechanism to self-lock at desired heights without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems, achieving precision while minimizing added complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The lock mechanism is integrated within the existing link member structure, with the engagement members nested within the link mechanism assembly. This nesting approach allows the lock function to be incorporated without significantly increasing the overall device footprint or complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A shaft that connects an upper link member supporting a windscreen in a vertically swingable manner and a bracket is included, one side of the shaft in a vehicle left-right direction has a bracket side gear supported by the bracket in a relatively non-rotatable manner, and a link side gear supported by the upper link member in a relatively non-rotatable manner, rotation regulation portions (uneven shapes) capable of regulating relative rotation are provided at axially facing portions of the bracket side gear and the link side gear, respectively, and the rotation regulation portions are pressed by a gear lock mechanism to regulate relative rotation between the bracket side gear and the link side gear, and can release regulation on the relative rotation between the bracket side gear and the link side gear when pressing by the gear lock mechanism is released.