Automobile Handle Inertial Blocking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle door, trunk, or tailgate opening control systems face challenges in managing inertial forces during impacts, particularly when successive inertial forces direct inward and outward, causing the counterweight to lose effectiveness and allowing the transmission lever to freely open the vehicle door.

Innovation Solution

The system incorporates a counterweight and an inertial blocking mass, where the counterweight is elastically biased against the transmission lever and an inertial blocking mass with a rocker mechanism, ensuring the locking finger engages the transmission lever to prevent unwanted opening, and the counterweight's position is adjusted to maintain its effectiveness across changing inertial forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the counterweight is allowed to move freely relative to the transmission lever during incoming inertia force, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because the counterweight cannot immediately cooperate with the transmission lever when outgoing inertia force appears

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The counterweight is designed to dynamically change its state between free movement and engagement with the transmission lever based on the direction of inertial force. During incoming inertia force, it moves freely; during outgoing inertia force, it engages to block the transmission lever, providing time-dependent functional adaptation that resolves the contradiction between operational simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The blocking member is pre-positioned on the counterweight before any inertia force occurs. When outgoing inertia force appears, the counterweight with the pre-positioned blocking member can immediately engage the transmission lever without requiring active control or additional actuation, ensuring reliable timing while maintaining simple operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the inertial blocking mass moves rapidly to block the transmission lever, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for slowing mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The counterweight with blocking member acts as an inertial counterbalance that naturally slows the transmission lever through its mass and engagement geometry. This passive inertial resistance provides the necessary slowing effect without requiring active control systems, feedback mechanisms, or complex actuation devices, thus maintaining simplicity while ensuring reliable blocking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

3Reliability

If the counterweight is positioned at a greater distance from the transmission lever to improve blocking effectiveness, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to increased device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The blocking member is integrated directly onto the counterweight structure, merging the counterweight's inertial function with the blocking function into a single unified component. This eliminates the need for separate positioning mechanisms, adjustment devices, or complex mounting arrangements, thereby maintaining operational simplicity while achieving reliable blocking through the combined functional design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This configuration effectively slows down the transmission lever during outward inertial forces and maintains the counterweight's role in preventing premature opening, ensuring the door remains closed during impacts by ensuring the locking finger engages promptly and the counterweight continues to balance the inertial forces.

Implementation Method 1

a counterweight able to oppose inertial forces acting on a gripping part of the handle in case of shock

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInertia: Inertia

Implementation Method 2

the counterweight is elastically biased against the transmission lever

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2640915B1Automobile handle having a blocking inertial body actuated by a counterweight
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 U SHIN ITALIA SPA
  • EP2640915B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2640915B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2640915B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a handle for opening a movable panel of an automobile, including a gripping portion (10), and a counterweight member (40) opposing the inertia of the gripping portion (10), wherein said counterweight member (40) is mounted so as to be separable, with respect to the opening control, in an inertial direction of reentering the vehicle, wherein the handle also includes a blocking member (54) capable of assuming a position for blocking the opening control, characterized in that said handle includes a fitting (42) driving the blocking member (54) toward the blocking position thereof as a result of the counterweight (40) being separated with respect to the opening control.