Curved Latch Bolt Guide Surface for Reduced Opening Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door opener units often require high opening forces and can be noisy due to constant friction conditions and non-adaptive latch pressing speeds, leading to a difficult and unpleasant opening experience.
Innovation Solution
A door opener unit with a curved lock latch guide surface that adapts friction conditions and latch pressing speed by featuring multiple sliding sections with varying curvatures and slopes, ensuring smooth transitions and reduced noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a flat lock latch guide surface is used, then the structure is simple, but the door requires high opening forces and generates noise due to constant friction conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The lock latch guide surface is designed with a curved profile instead of a flat surface. The curvature varies along the sliding path, creating zones with different friction characteristics. This allows the latch to slide smoothly during door opening while maintaining simplicity in the overall guide surface structure.
2Ease of operation
If a curved lock latch guide surface is used, then the friction conditions are adapted and opening is easier, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The curved guide surface is divided into multiple sliding zones with different curvature radii. The first zone has a larger radius for initial engagement, while subsequent zones have progressively smaller radii to increase friction and pressing force. This segmentation allows complex friction adaptation without requiring an entirely complex guide surface structure.
3Device complexity
If constant latch pressing speed is used, then the mechanism is simple, but the opening process is noisy and requires high forces
Solution Approach 1:
The latch pressing speed is made variable through the curved guide surface design. As the door opens, the changing curvature dynamically adjusts the pressing force - starting with gentle engagement and progressively increasing the pressing speed and force. This dynamic adaptation reduces noise and required opening forces without complex additional mechanisms.
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
The adapted friction conditions and variable latch pressing speed enhance the ease and smoothness of door opening, reducing noise and the subjective effort required, providing a harmonious opening process.
Implementation Method 1
friction phenomena occurring here
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The opener unit (101) has a retaining area (105) engaged with a lock latch (S) of a door lock. The retaining area is partially limited by a lock latch guiding surface (106) in a door opening direction (O). The lock latch slides on the guiding surface during opening of a door until the lock latch is withdrawn from the retaining area. The guiding surface is formed to be curved along individual sliding sections for the lock latch. A curving axis extends perpendicular to the opening direction and to an engaging direction (E) of the latch.