Vehicle Door Counterforce System for Parking Exit Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle exit assist systems during parking primarily focus on passenger safety but fail to adequately address the risk of damage to vehicles or surrounding objects, as they do not consider the weight and space requirements for all occupants and objects within the vehicle effectively.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle exit assist system that senses the presence and weight of passengers and objects, determines the minimum required door space, and activates a counter force device, such as a door lock or friction generator, to prevent door opening if the available space is insufficient, thereby preventing damage during exit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the vehicle door is opened without checking available space, then the exit process is quick and simple, but the risk of damage to the vehicle or surrounding objects increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of door openingVSAvoidrisk of damage to vehicle
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of available door space and calculation of minimum required space before the door opening action. Sensors detect obstacles and the control unit determines whether sufficient space exists, preventing harmful door opening actions in advance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors door space availability through sensors and provides feedback to the control unit, which then activates counterforce devices or alerts based on the detected conditions, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a counter force device is activated to prevent door opening, then the risk of damage is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverisk of damage to vehicleVSAvoidcomplexity of door control system
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the vehicle's existing door lock mechanism as a counterforce device, leveraging already-available components rather than introducing entirely new mechanical systems. The control unit activates existing locking mechanisms to prevent door opening when necessary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The door lock mechanism serves dual functions: its traditional security function and the new function of preventing door opening when insufficient space is detected. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated counterforce devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the system considers weight and space requirements for all occupants and objects, then the exit optimization is improved, but the measurement precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexit optimizationVSAvoidprecision of weight and space detection
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system detects the presence and weight of occupants and objects, but uses predetermined minimum space requirements rather than calculating exact optimal space for each scenario. This approach provides sufficient optimization without requiring extremely precise measurement and calculation for every variable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3081731B1Vehcile exit assist system for optimizing exit from the vehicle during parking
Publication Date: 2019.09.25 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP3081731B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3081731B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP3081731B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~2d

AI summary

Method performed by a vehicle exit assist system (100) for optimizing the exit of a driver/passenger or objects from the vehicle (270) during parking, the method comprising: sensing the presence of driver/passengers and/or objects in the vehicle (270), determining driver/passenger and/or object location data in the vehicle based on sensed presence (270), transmitting driver/passenger and/or object location data to a park assist system (200) for determining optimal parking route and parking position data, receiving the optimal parking position data from the park assist system, requesting available vehicle door space for each vehicle door having an associated driver/passenger or object based on the parking position data, receiving available vehicle door space for each vehicle door having an associated passenger or object based on the parking positon data, determining a minimum required vehicle door space for each vehicle door having an associated driver/passenger or object, activating a vehicle door counter force device (300) for creating a force against opening the vehicle door if the available vehicle door space is less than a minimum required vehicle door space for each vehicle door having an associated driver/passenger or object.