Collapsible Carrier Module for Vehicle Door Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle door assemblies face challenges in manufacturing and assembly due to the thickness added by carriers and side impact beams, which complicate the installation of carriers through openings in the inner door panel without damaging hardware components.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible carrier module with a plate that transitions from a collapsed configuration for easy installation through the opening to an expanded configuration for secure mounting within the door cavity, featuring interconnected carrier members with sliding or pivot mechanisms and locking systems to facilitate assembly and reduce complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a carrier is mounted to the inner door panel within the internal door cavity, then the door assembly provides required occupant protection and hardware component organization, but the thickness of the door assembly increases and pre-assembly to the inner door panel is required prior to connection to the outer door panel
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be collapsed together to form a compact configuration for installation through the opening in the inner door panel. After installation, these segments are separated and expanded to provide the full functional carrier structure for mounting hardware components.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier is designed with movable and adjustable components that allow it to transition between a collapsed state during installation and an expanded state for operational use. This dynamic transformation enables the carrier to pass through the limited opening space and then expand to provide adequate mounting surface area.
2Reliability
If an impact beam extends across an opening in the inner door panel to resist deformation during side impact collision, then occupant protection is improved, but the mounting of the carrier through the opening is interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is segmented into collapsible sections that can be compressed to a smaller profile, allowing it to be installed through the opening in the inner door panel without requiring the impact beam to be removed or repositioned. After installation, the segments are expanded to form the complete carrier structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier components are designed to nest within each other in a collapsed configuration, similar to nested dolls, enabling the carrier to pass through the constrained opening space defined by the impact beam structure. Once installed, the nested components are separated and expanded to provide the full carrier functionality.
3Area of stationary object
If the carrier plate is designed in a fixed expanded configuration, then it provides adequate mounting surface for door hardware components, but it cannot be installed through the opening in the inner door panel without damaging hardware components
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plate is designed with dynamic transformation capabilities, allowing it to change from an expanded configuration with adequate mounting surface area to a collapsed configuration for installation through the opening. After the carrier is properly positioned, the plate is expanded to its full size to provide the necessary mounting surface for door hardware components.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier plate is preliminarily collapsed to a compact form to facilitate installation through the opening in the inner door panel. After successful installation and positioning, the carrier plate is then expanded to its full operational size to provide adequate mounting surface area for the door hardware components.
Data Source
AI summary
A door assembly for a motor vehicle comprised of an outer door panel and an inner door panel interconnected to define a door panel structure having an internal door cavity. A collapsible carrier module is configured to be oriented in a collapsed arrangement to facilitate installation into the door cavity through an opening in the inner door panel. The collapsible carrier module can be moved from its collapsed arrangement into an expanded arrangement upon installation within the door cavity to facilitate subsequent mounting to the door panel structure. The collapsible carrier module includes a two-piece carrier plate formed to integrally include a pair of laterally-spaced glass run channels and a pair of laterally-spaced slider rails.