Vehicle Door Handle Assembly With Dual Restoring Force Lever
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door handle arrangements for vehicles are complex, require additional space, and lack clear differentiation between electrical and mechanical actuation, leading to potential user confusion and unsafe emergency opening due to high emergency opening forces.
Innovation Solution
A door handle arrangement with a pivotable mounting system featuring a reversing lever acted upon by a first restoring force for electrical actuation and a second, higher restoring force for mechanical actuation, providing clear feedback and mechanical redundancy, ensuring safe emergency opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex handle construction with separate actuating part and base part is used, then the switching element can respond to opening force, but the handle construction becomes complex and requires additional space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the actuating part and base part into a single integrated handle body. The handle body itself is designed with an integrated pivotable mounting system that directly actuates the reversing lever, eliminating the need for separate engaging components and reducing structural complexity while maintaining the switching response capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the structural component, the pivoting mechanism, and the actuating element for the reversing lever. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall construction.
2Ease of operation
If gaps between actuating part and base part are created, then the handle can pivot, but moisture ingress can cause malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the actuating part and base part into a single piece, the patent eliminates gaps between components. The handle body is designed as a monolithic structure that pivots as a whole, preventing moisture ingress while maintaining full pivoting capability.
3Extent of automation
If the handle construction is changed, then electrical actuation can be achieved, but the familiar pivoting behavior is lost and user behavior must change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical connection between handle and lock with an electrical actuation system. A sensor detects handle pivoting and triggers an electric motor to actuate the door lock, enabling automated electrical actuation while preserving the mechanical pivoting motion that users are familiar with.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sensor and control system as intermediaries between the mechanical handle motion and the electrical lock actuation. The sensor detects the mechanical pivoting behavior and converts it to an electrical signal, which then controls the motor-driven lock actuator, bridging mechanical and electrical domains.
4Ease of operation
If a single restoring force is used, then the handle can reset, but clear feedback between electrical and mechanical actuation modes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the restoring force into two distinct segments: a first restoring force that operates during normal electrical actuation range, and a second restoring force that engages when mechanical actuation is required. This segmentation provides clear tactile feedback to the user about the transition between actuation modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different restoring force characteristics to different angular ranges of handle rotation. The first restoring force operates in the normal operating range, while the second, distinct restoring force operates in the mechanical actuation range, providing location-specific feedback about the actuation mode.
5Reliability
If high emergency opening force is required, then mechanical redundancy is achieved, but safe emergency opening is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the restoring force dynamic by switching between two different restoring force characteristics based on the angular position of the handle. The system transitions from a first restoring force during normal operation to a second restoring force when mechanical actuation is needed, optimizing both safety and ease of emergency opening.
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 simplifies the design, provides clear feedback during actuation mode changes, and reduces the required force for emergency opening, ensuring safe and intuitive operation.
Implementation Method 1
a first restoring element (4) with a first restoring force acting in the direction of an initial position on the reversing lever (3)
Implementation Method 2
a second restoring element (5) with a second restoring force, which is greater than the first restoring force, acting in the direction of the starting position on the reversing lever (3) during a transition area
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
The arrangement has a door lock electrically or electromechanically actuated at a rotation angle of a deflection lever (3), where the rotation angle follows a basic position. The door lock is mechanically actuated by a transfer unit (7) at another rotation angle, which is consequent to the former rotation angle. The deflection lever is pressurized with restoring force in a direction of the basic position by a reset element (5) while covering a transition region between the two rotation angles. The restoring force is larger than another restoring force. : The arrangement comprises a spring leg that is coated with a grommet. USE : Door handle arrangement for an outer door handle for electrical actuation of a door lock of a motor vehicle. ADVANTAGE : The deflection lever is pressurized with the restoring force in the direction of the basic position by the reset element while covering the transition region between the two rotation angles, where the restoring force is larger than another restoring force, thus providing the handle arrangement with simple and robust structure, and ensuring clear sensible exchange between electrical and mechanical door lock actuation, and ensuring safe emergency opening of the door lock. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a sectional perspective view of a deflection lever at a bearing bracket. 1 : Bearing bracket 3 : Deflection lever 5 : Reset element 7 : Transfer unit 9 : Grommet.