Vehicle Door Handle Cam Damper Speed Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mechanical vehicle door handle assemblies with translative movement suffer from excessive speed due to spring-based mechanisms, leading to potential interlocking of teeth gears and blocking issues, which the existing damping means fail to prevent effectively.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle door handle assembly featuring a resilient return mechanism with a damper system utilizing a movable cam that engages and disengages with the mechanism to control the handle's movement, slowing it down and preventing locking, comprising a camwheel and push lever with indexes to manage the angular position and speed of the handle's transition between positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If spring means are used to enable mechanical translative movement of the handle, then the assembly is less expensive and avoids electric power failure, but the motion speed becomes excessive which may trigger interlocking of teeth gears and blocking of the handle assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidmotion speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

A damper is introduced as an intermediary element between the spring means and the handle mechanism. The damper comprises a movable cam that engages with a fixed cam on the push lever, creating a controlled interaction that slows down the handle's motion during the return stroke without requiring complex electric control systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The damper changes the motion parameters of the handle by converting the excessive speed generated by the spring into a controlled, slower motion. The movable cam's engagement with the fixed cam creates variable resistance throughout the motion cycle, effectively adjusting the speed parameter dynamically during operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If teeth gears are used as damping means to slow down motion speed, then the excessive speed is controlled, but the teeth tend to wear out and may interlock undesirably, leading to blocking of the handle assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotion speedVSAvoidblocking risk
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional teeth gear damping mechanism with a cam-based damping system. The movable cam and fixed cam interaction provides the necessary speed control through surface contact and geometric constraints, eliminating the teeth engagement that causes wear and interlocking problems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The cam surfaces are designed with curved profiles that guide the motion and provide smooth contact throughout the engagement cycle. The curvature of the cam surfaces ensures continuous, controlled interaction between the movable and fixed cams, preventing sudden impacts and reducing wear compared to straight-toothed gears

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 ensures smooth and controlled movement of the handle between extended and retracted positions, preventing unwanted locking and maintaining operational reliability by gradually slowing down the handle's return to the retracted position, thus enhancing the mechanical door handle assembly's functionality and durability.

Implementation Method 1

resilient return means able to apply a driving force to the mechanism to ensure the return of the handle from the extended position to the retracted position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a damper engaged with the resilient return means, capable of resisting the driving force by reducing the speed of the handle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP4414526A1Vehicle door handle assembly
Publication Date: 2024.08.14 MINEBEA ACCESSSOLUTIONS ITALIA SPA
  • EP4414526A1 patent drawingFigure 1~6
  • EP4414526A1 patent drawingFigure 7~10
  • EP4414526A1 patent drawingFigure 11~12

AI summary

The present invention relates to a vehicle door handle assembly comprising a handle (2), a bracket (10) for accommodating said handle (2), a mechanism (3, 4, 7) enabling the handle (2) to assume an extended position outside the bracket (10) where a user can grab it, and a retracted position in which the handle (2) is mainly contained by said bracket (10), the vehicle door handle assembly comprising: -resilient return means (5, 8, 9) able to apply a driving force to the mechanism (3, 4, 7) to ensure the return of the handle (2) from the extended position to the retracted position when not subjected to any further action, -a damper (6) engaged with the resilient return means (5, 8, 9), capable of resisting the driving force by reducing the speed of the handle (2) when it leaves the extended position. The damper (6) comprises a movable cam (61) and is engageable with the resilient return means (5, 8, 9) via said movable cam (61), said movable cam (61) being configured so that while the handle (2) is between its extended position and an intermediate position, it engages the damper (6) resilient return means (5, 8, 9), and when the handle (2) is between the intermediate position and its retracted position, it disengages the damper (6) from the resilient return means (5, 8, 9).