Commercial Vehicle Cab Door Lock with Elevated Actuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial vehicles, particularly construction vehicles, face challenges in allowing easy descent from elevated standing areas while maintaining a closed driver's cab door, as the door lock handle is often out of reach, leading to safety issues and exposure of the cab interior to environmental conditions.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of additional actuating means, such as upper and foot-operated handles or remote controls, allows easy operation of the door lock from an elevated position, ensuring the door can be opened without straining or exposing the cab to environmental influences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the driver's cab door is closed while a person is on the elevated standing area, then the cab interior is protected from environmental influences and energy loss is reduced, but the person cannot easily open the door because the actuating handle is out of reach

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor lock operation reliabilityVSAvoiddoor opening ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a second actuating handle at a different vertical position (upper region) compared to the conventional lower handle. This spatial dimensionality change allows persons on elevated standing areas to operate the door lock without reaching down, resolving the contradiction between door protection and ease of opening.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The door actuation system is segmented into multiple independent actuating handles at different positions. The conventional lower handle remains for ground-level operation, while an additional upper handle serves elevated positions, allowing both functions to coexist without interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the driver's cab door is left open to allow easy access for persons on elevated standing areas, then door opening ease is improved, but the cab interior is exposed to environmental influences and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening easeVSAvoidcab interior energy loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

By positioning an additional actuating handle in the upper region, the patent enables persons on elevated standing areas to open the door without requiring it to be left open for extended periods, thereby reducing energy loss while maintaining ease of operation.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The upper actuating handle allows persons to open the door immediately upon reaching the elevated standing area without needing to maintain door-open access routes, enabling quick door operation that minimizes energy exposure time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3231971B1Commercial vehicle, in particular construction vehicle, with a driver's cab with at least one cab door
Publication Date: 2020.09.02 MAN TRUCK & BUS SE
  • EP3231971B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3231971B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3231971B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a commercial vehicle (1), in particular a construction vehicle, with a driver's cab (2) having at least one cab door (3), and with an elevated standing platform (5) for a person (7), in particular on a construction access ladder or a loading platform (10) laterally behind the at least one cab door (3), approximately in the area and/or at the height of an operating handle (4) of an associated door lock for opening the cab door (3), preferably within the reach of a person (7') standing on the ground next to the vehicle (1). According to the invention, the door lock for opening the cab door (3) can also be operated by means of at least one additional actuating means (11; 13; 15; 18), which is or can be arranged in the area of ​​the elevated standing platform (5) in addition to the operating handle (4).It is preferably provided that the additional fastening means (11; 13; 15; 18) is arranged or can be arranged at a distance from the operating handle (4) in the area of ​​the raised standing position (5) and/or is arranged or can be arranged as a supplementary element on the operating handle (4) itself.