Charge Port Cover Assembly With Ice-Breaking Opening Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional charge port systems fail to open when ice builds up at the outer surface, requiring higher torque motors that are costly or additional components, and manual deployment is also hindered by ice, leading to user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular closure system with a secondary ice-breaking mechanism, including a spiral cam and ice knife, and optional vibration devices to loosen or break ice, allowing the cover panel to move from a closed to an open position, and a deployable string or cord for manual ice removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high-torque motor is used to break ice, then the charge port can open reliably, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ice-breaking function is segmented from the main actuator system into a separate, dedicated ice-breaking mechanism. This allows the primary actuator to be smaller and less expensive, while the ice-breaking mechanism uses a simple high-torque motor specifically for ice removal tasks, reducing overall system cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A string or cord is introduced as an intermediary mechanical element that transmits force from the ice-breaking mechanism to the cover panel. This simple intermediary allows the system to overcome ice adhesion forces without requiring the main actuator to have high torque capability, thus reducing cost while maintaining opening reliability.
2Device complexity
If manual deployment is used, then the system is simple, but ice build-up prevents opening
Solution Approach 1:
A string or cord serves as a mechanical intermediary that connects the user's manual input to the cover panel while incorporating an ice-breaking element. When the user pulls the string, it activates the ice-breaking mechanism to remove ice build-up, then transmits force to open the panel, thus maintaining simplicity while enabling operation in icy conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice-breaking mechanism is designed to be self-activating through the user's natural opening action. When the user pulls the string to open the cover, the mechanism automatically engages with the ice and breaks it through mechanical action, eliminating the need for separate ice removal steps and maintaining ease of operation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If additional ice-breaking components are added, then ice removal capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ice-breaking function is extracted as a separate, dedicated mechanism rather than being integrated into the main actuator system. This extraction allows the use of a simple, purpose-built ice-breaking component (such as a high-torque motor with a string mechanism) without complicating the primary deployment system, thus improving ice removal capability while minimizing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice-breaking mechanism uses simple, inexpensive components such as a basic high-torque motor, string, and cam mechanism rather than complex electronic or thermal systems. These simple components effectively break ice through mechanical action and can be easily replaced if needed, providing cost-effective ice removal without significant complexity increase.
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 efficient and cost-effective ice removal, allowing the charge port to open quickly and reliably, reducing user wait times and eliminating the need for high-torque motors, while providing a simple and modular solution for ice-breaking.
Implementation Method 1
A vehicular closure system with a secondary ice-breaking mechanism, including a spiral cam and ice knife, and optional vibration devices to loosen or break ice
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular charge port closure system includes a cover panel disposed at a vehicle. The cover panel is movable between a closed position, where the cover panel conceals a charge port of the vehicle, and an opened position, where the cover panel is positioned to allow access to a charging connector of the charge port. A deployment mechanism is operable to move the cover panel between the closed and opened positions. An ice breaking mechanism is disposed at the cover panel and, when ice is present at the peripheral edge of the cover panel, the ice breaking mechanism is operable to break the ice from the peripheral edge of the cover panel so that the cover panel is movable from the closed position toward the opened position.