Vehicle Charge Port Door With Pressure-Triggered Spring Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging port doors for vehicles require complex mechanisms or manual operation, lacking a simple and consistent method for opening and closing under external pressure.
Innovation Solution
A charging port door mechanism that includes a switch, a housing rim, a door panel, a spring, and a spring cover, allowing the door to be opened and closed by external pressure through a trigger and spring mechanism, with a sealing member to maintain consistent pressure requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a complex mechanism is used to open and close the charging port door, then the door can be opened and closed, but the device complexity increases and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The door panel itself serves as the actuator by utilizing external pressure applied directly to it. The panel moves under pressure to operate the switch, eliminating the need for separate actuators, motors, or complex mechanical linkages. This self-service approach allows the door to open and close itself through simple pressure application, greatly simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If manual operation is used to open and close the charging port door, then the door can be opened and closed, but it lacks consistency in pressure requirement across multiple operations
Solution Approach 1:
The switch provides feedback by detecting when the door panel has moved to the opened position. This feedback mechanism ensures that the door opens completely and consistently each time, regardless of variations in applied pressure. The switch signals the control unit to execute the opening action only when the panel reaches the correct position, maintaining operational consistency across repeated use.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism changes the pressure parameter dynamically during operation. When the door is closed, the spring is compressed and stores energy. As the door opens, the spring expands and provides assisting force, reducing the pressure required from the user. This parameter change ensures consistent operation across multiple cycles while maintaining reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the charging port door is sealed to protect from external elements, then protection is provided, but the sealing must maintain consistent pressure requirements across multiple operations
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is pre-compressed between the door panel and housing rim to create an effective seal before the door is opened. This beforehand cushioning ensures that the sealing contact is maintained consistently across multiple operations. The spring mechanism provides continuous pressure to keep the sealing member compressed, ensuring reliable protection from external elements while maintaining consistent pressure requirements during repeated opening and closing cycles.
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
Enables easy and consistent operation of the charging port door with minimal effort, maintaining a constant pressure requirement for repeated openings and closings, enhancing user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a spring that applies a pushing force to the door panel with respect to the housing rim
Implementation Method 2
a sealing member made of a material deformable by a pressure applied via the stud such that the sealing member may seal the housing aperture
Data Source
AI summary
A door for a charging port of a vehicle includes a switch that transmits a control signal, a housing rim that is fixed to the vehicle and accommodates the switch, a door panel configured to open or close the housing rim based on the control signal, a spring that applies a pushing force to the door panel with respect to the housing rim, and a spring cover configured to be seated on the housing rim, accommodating the spring. When the door panel is moved toward the housing rim by an external pressure, the switch is operated.