Windshield Mirror Support Layout for Low-Pressure Cabin Packaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to reduce the feeling of pressure experienced by vehicle occupants when the total vehicle height is suppressed to be low, particularly due to the positioning of auxiliary devices on the windshield glass near the occupant's head.

Innovation Solution

An auxiliary structure for the vehicle windshield that includes a bracket fixed to the windshield glass, a mirror support structure, an electronic device, and a wire harness routed through an opening in the mirror support columnar portion, allowing for a compact design and reduced length of the auxiliary cover, thereby minimizing the feeling of pressure on the occupant.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the total vehicle height is suppressed to be low, then the vehicle height is reduced, but the auxiliary device positioned near the occupant's head gives the occupant a feeling of pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle heightVSAvoidfeeling of pressure to occupant
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wire harness is routed through the mirror support columnar portion, nesting the harness path within the existing structural column. This eliminates the need for the auxiliary cover to extend far forward to accommodate the harness, thereby reducing the cover's length in the vehicle width direction and minimizing the feeling of pressure on the occupant while maintaining low vehicle height

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The wire harness routing is changed from a horizontal path (across the vehicle width) to a vertical path (through the columnar portion in the vehicle front-rear direction). This dimensional change allows the harness to pass through the opening in the columnar portion, eliminating the need for a large auxiliary cover extension and reducing the feeling of pressure on the occupant

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the wire harness is routed horizontally outside the mirror support columnar portion, then the electronic device can be connected, but the auxiliary cover becomes longer in the vehicle width direction increasing the feeling of pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire harness routingVSAvoidfeeling of pressure to occupant
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wire harness routing path is nested within the mirror support columnar portion by utilizing the opening formed in the columnar structure. This allows the harness to be routed vertically through the column rather than horizontally outside it, eliminating the need for the auxiliary cover to extend far in the vehicle width direction and thereby reducing the feeling of pressure on the occupant

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The wire harness routing is transitioned from a horizontal dimension (across vehicle width) to a vertical dimension (through the columnar portion in the front-rear direction). This dimensional reorientation allows the harness to pass through the opening in the columnar portion, eliminating the need for a long auxiliary cover extension and reducing occupant pressure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4686608A1Auxiliary structure for vehicle windshield
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 MAZDA MOTOR CORP
  • EP4686608A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4686608A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4686608A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem]To provide an auxiliary structure for a vehicle windshield capable of reducing a feeling of pressure given to an occupant seated on a front seat even when a total height of a vehicle 1 is suppressed to be low. [Solution] The auxiliary structure for the vehicle windshield includes: a mirror support structure 20 supporting a rear-view mirror 5; a camera unit 31 disposed on a vehicle front side of the mirror support structure 20; an auxiliary cover 60 covering the mirror support structure 20 and the camera unit 31; and a camera wire harness 42 connected to the camera unit 31 from a vehicle rear side. The mirror support structure 20 includes a mirror support columnar portion 21 extending in a vehicle down direction from an upper end fixed to a bracket 10, the mirror support columnar portion 21 has an opening 21a penetrating along a vehicle front-rear direction, and the camera wire harness 42 is routed from a vehicle front side of the mirror support columnar portion 21 to a vehicle rear side of the mirror support columnar portion 21 through the opening 21a.