Vehicle Door Drive Spindle Conversion Gear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle door drive devices require coordinated control of multiple pneumatic actuators to achieve both longitudinal and transverse movements, which can be complex and inefficient, especially in ensuring the door remains flush with the vehicle's outer contour during opening and closing.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle door drive device incorporating a conversion gear with a spindle drive that converts longitudinal movement into transverse movement, utilizing a toggle lever mechanism to optimize the kinematic coupling and adjust the transmission ratio, allowing for efficient and coordinated door movement without the need for additional actuators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple pneumatic actuators are used to generate longitudinal and transverse movements, then the door movement functionality is achieved, but the control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor movement functionalityVSAvoidcontrol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the functions of multiple pneumatic actuators into a single linear actuator that works in conjunction with a conversion gear. The conversion gear integrates the longitudinal and transverse movement functions, eliminating the need for separate actuators and reducing control complexity while maintaining full door movement capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The conversion gear acts as an intermediary mechanism that transforms the linear motion from a single actuator into coordinated longitudinal and transverse movements. This intermediary device simplifies the control system by providing automatic kinematic coupling between movement directions without requiring complex coordinated control of multiple actuators.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a conversion gear with spindle drive is used to convert longitudinal movement into transverse movement, then the transmission ratio can be optimized, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission ratio optimizationVSAvoidconversion gear complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spindle drive mechanism automatically adjusts the transmission ratio based on the door's position and movement requirements. The threaded spindle converts linear actuator motion into rotational motion that drives the transverse movement, with the transmission ratio being inherently determined by the thread pitch and gear geometry, eliminating the need for external control adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The conversion gear utilizes the spindle thread pitch and gear ratios to provide variable transmission characteristics. By designing the spindle with specific thread parameters and configuring the associated gears, the system achieves optimized transmission ratios for different phases of door operation without requiring active parameter adjustment during movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the vehicle door is guided past the outer contour during opening movement, then the door opening functionality is achieved, but the door cannot remain flush with the vehicle contour when closed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening functionalityVSAvoiddoor flush alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a conversion gear that adds a transverse movement dimension to the primary longitudinal door opening motion. This allows the door to move laterally past the vehicle contour during opening while returning to a flush position when closed, effectively using a second dimension of movement to resolve the conflict between opening functionality and closed alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the door's position in both longitudinal and transverse directions based on the operational phase. During opening, the door is guided laterally past the contour; during closing, the mechanism returns the door to flush alignment. The conversion gear enables this dynamic repositioning automatically through its kinematic coupling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If coordinated control of multiple actuators is required, then both longitudinal and transverse movements can be generated, but the efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoordinated movement capabilityVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control of longitudinal and transverse movements into a single control system that actuates one linear actuator. The conversion gear automatically coordinates the movements, eliminating the inefficiencies of controlling multiple actuators separately while maintaining the capability to generate both movement types as needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This solution enables smooth and efficient longitudinal and transverse movements of the vehicle door, ensuring it remains flush with the vehicle's contour during operation, with enhanced control over opening and closing speeds and maintaining a self-locking closed position without additional holding forces.

Implementation Method 1

The conversion gear has a spindle drive (21). The spindle drive has a first spindle drive element (22) and a second spindle drive element (23). The second spindle drive element (23) is rotated relative to the first spindle drive element (22) as a function of the longitudinal movement of the holding and/or guiding element (19)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Implementation Method 2

The rocker is a toggle lever (38) of a toggle lever mechanism (41). The toggle lever mechanism (41) converts a rotational movement of the rocker (37), namely the first toggle lever (38), into a translatory movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectToggle lever mechanism: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP3205801B1Vehicle door drive device
Publication Date: 2020.05.13 IWN GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3205801B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3205801B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3205801B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a vehicle door drive device (6) with a longitudinal actuator (46) that causes a longitudinal movement of a vehicle door (4). A conversion gear (48) converts the longitudinal movement of the vehicle door (4) into a transverse movement of the vehicle door. According to the invention, a spindle drive (21) is used for the conversion gear (48), in which a spindle nut (22) is fixed to the vehicle door (4) to prevent rotation, while a spindle shaft (23) is rotatably mounted. The spindle drive (21) converts a longitudinal movement of the vehicle door (4) into a rotational movement of the spindle shaft (23), which is converted via a toggle lever drive (41) into a transverse movement of a slide (12). The invention is particularly suitable for use in vehicle doors of buses or rail vehicles.