Bidirectional Cable Actuator for Compact Vehicle Door Locks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle actuators for door locks have complex brake structures with many components, leading to high costs and large sizes, offering room for simplification and miniaturization.
Innovation Solution
An actuator design featuring a housing with a driver and an output rotor that can rotate forward or backward, allowing one cable to move while the other remains stationary, reducing the number of components and simplifying the structure, with a fitting part and cable spaces for efficient cable management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional brake structure with multiple gears is used to drive cables, then the actuator can achieve door locking and unlocking functions, but the structure becomes complex with many components and large size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of multiple gears into a single output rotor that can rotate in two directions. The output rotor integrates what would traditionally require separate gears for driving different cables, eliminating the need for complex brake structures while maintaining the ability to lock and unlock doors through bidirectional rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The output rotor serves multiple functions: it can rotate forward to drive the first cable for locking, rotate backward to drive the second cable for unlocking, and maintains structural simplicity. This multi-functional component replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized gears and brake mechanisms.
2Reliability
If multiple gears and brake components are used in the actuator, then the door lock functions can be achieved, but the actuator size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple gear functions into a single bidirectional output rotor, the patent significantly reduces the volume required for the actuator. The single rotor design eliminates the space needed for multiple gears, brake components, and associated mounting structures, resulting in a compact actuator that fits within tighter vehicle door assemblies.
3Reliability
If a complex brake structure with many components is used, then the actuator can drive cables for door locking, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces manufacturing costs by combining multiple components into fewer parts. The output rotor replaces what would traditionally require multiple gears, brake shoes, springs, and adjusters, reducing both the number of parts to manufacture and assemble. This simplification lowers tooling costs, material costs, and assembly labor while maintaining reliable door locking functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An actuator includes: a housing having a cable outlet, a driver, an output rotor, a first cable and a second cable. The driver is disposed inside the housing. The output rotor is configured to be driven to rotate forward or backward by the driver, and has a fitting part. A first end of the first cable and a first end of the second cable fit to the fitting part, and a second end of the first cable and a second end of the second cable extend out of the housing through the cable outlet. The output rotor is configured to rotate forward to drive the first cable through the fitting part, and is configured to rotate backward to drive the second cable through the fitting part.