Motor Vehicle Door Closure Foam Buffer Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle door lock systems face challenges in noise damping and overtravel mechanisms, leading to unwanted noises like the 'opening bang,' and are costly due to complex and expensive manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A two-part buffer unit consisting of a piston and a foam body, where the foam body and seal are made of the same plastic foam material, allowing for integrated production and reducing assembly and production costs, with adjustable damping and friction effects through varying Shore hardness and additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a chock made of plastic is used to dampen the rotary latch movement, then noise reduction is achieved, but an 'opening bang' occurs due to tension release
Solution Approach 1:
The foam body is pre-compressed by the piston during door closing, storing elastic energy. This beforehand cushioning allows the foam to gradually release tension through controlled relaxation, preventing the sudden tension release that causes the opening bang while maintaining noise reduction benefits
2Reliability
If complex plastic manufacturing processes are used to create buffer units, then damping performance is improved, but production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer unit is integrated with the existing seal structure by using the same foam material for both components. The seal and buffer unit are produced in the same manufacturing process, eliminating separate production steps and reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining effective damping performance
3Ease of manufacture
If the foam body and seal are made from the same material, then production costs are reduced through integrated manufacturing, but the foam body must maintain different functional properties
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the foam structure are designed with different properties: the seal portion provides sealing function through its positioning and geometry, while the buffer unit portion provides damping through controlled compression and relaxation. The same foam material achieves functional differentiation through local structural variations and positioning
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 solution effectively dampens movement and noise without causing the 'opening bang' and reduces production costs by integrating the foam body and seal production, providing a cost-effective and quiet operation.
Implementation Method 1
the piston compresses/relieves the foam body in accordance with a movement of the closing/actuating element
Implementation Method 2
the foam body and at least one seal are or will be made of the same material... made from a plastic foam
Implementation Method 3
for damping movement/noise of the closing/actuating element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle door closure fitted with at least one closing/latch element (1). Furthermore, an associated damping unit (4, 5, 6) made largely from a plastic foam is implemented for damping movement/noise of the closing/latch element (2). According to the invention, the damping unit (4, 5, 8) consists of at least two parts: a piston (4) acted upon by the closure/latch element (1), and a foam body (5, 6) which interacts with the piston (4).