Bi-directional Roof-Mounted Door Drive With Differential Gear
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a bi-directional door opening structure that allows simultaneous or selective opening of a front door and a rear door in a vehicle, particularly for easy access to the interior, especially with the development of autonomous vehicles where traditional driver seat criteria are weakened.
Innovation Solution
A bi-directional door opening structure is implemented, where both doors are rotatably opened with respect to hinge parts positioned in the vehicle's roof, utilizing a drive unit with a spindle unit and differential gear to apply an opening force, and a clutch unit for selective unlocking and locking, allowing both doors to be opened by a single driving part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate driving parts are used for front door and rear door, then each door can be controlled independently, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate driving parts into a single driving part that controls both the front door and rear door. The driving part is connected to both doors through a differential mechanism, allowing one driving part to simultaneously control the opening and closing of both doors, thereby reducing component complexity while maintaining operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The single driving part is designed to perform multiple functions: it can control both the front door and rear door independently or simultaneously. The differential mechanism enables the driving part to distribute torque to both doors, providing universal control capability from a single actuator.
2Device complexity
If a single driving part controls both doors, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to selectively open individual doors is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the torque transmission path through the differential mechanism, allowing the single driving part to selectively engage with either the front door or rear door. The differential gear system can direct power to one door or both doors independently, providing selective opening capability despite using a single driving part.
Solution Approach 2:
The differential mechanism provides dynamic torque distribution, enabling the system to adaptively allocate driving force to different doors based on operational requirements. This dynamic capability allows selective opening of individual doors or simultaneous opening of both doors from a single driving part.
3Device complexity
If traditional swing structure is used, then door opening mechanism is simple, but accessibility for autonomous vehicles is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension of motion by combining the traditional swing rotation with a lifting motion. The door structure includes a lifting mechanism that raises the door vertically while it swings open, creating a bi-directional opening motion that enhances accessibility for autonomous vehicles where traditional driver seat criteria are weakened.
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 simplifies the door opening mechanism, enabling interlock opening of both doors based on user request, and allows for sequential unlocking and opening of doors, enhancing accessibility and structural simplicity.
Implementation Method 1
a differential gear configured to deliver the driving force between the spindle unit and the driving part
Implementation Method 2
a spindle unit configured to open at least one of the front door and the rear door, which have been unlocked by a driving force applied from a driving part
Data Source
AI summary
A bi-directional door opening structure includes a front door configured to be rotatably opened with respect to a front hinge part positioned in a roof of a vehicle, a rear door configured to be rotatably opened with respect to a rear hinge part positioned in the roof of the vehicle, and a drive unit positioned in the roof at a point where the front door and the rear door are adjacent to each other, and configured to apply an opening force to the front door and the rear door, wherein the drive unit includes a spindle unit configured to open at least one of the front door and the rear door, which has been unlocked by a driving force applied from a driving part, and a differential gear configured to deliver the driving force between the spindle unit and the driving part.