Vehicle Door Handle Electronic Unit Cable-Free Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of vehicle door handles with integrated electronic components is costly and complicated due to the difficulty of routing electric cables from the handle's cavity to the vehicle's electronics, requiring manual and time-consuming processes.
Innovation Solution
A door handle design featuring an electronic unit with a material-locking connector element, allowing for a cable-free setup where the connector forms a male plug part integrated within the handle, enabling easy mounting and connection to a bearing coupling with a detachable socket and cable, simplifying assembly and automation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cable is attached to the circuit board and led out through an opening in the door handle cavity, then the electronic components can be connected to vehicle electronics, but the production becomes very costly and complicated and requires manual assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle is divided into modular components: a housing forming a cavity, an electronic unit with circuit board that can be pre-assembled separately, and a bearing coupling that interfaces with the housing. This segmentation allows the electronic unit to be manufactured and tested independently, then integrated into the final assembly, significantly reducing production complexity and enabling automated manufacturing while maintaining connection reliability.
2Reliability
If the cable is led manually through the cavity opening, then the electronic connection can be established, but the assembly process becomes very time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic unit with the circuit board is pre-assembled and prepared before integration into the door handle housing. The bearing coupling is also pre-configured with its bearing element. This preliminary preparation allows these components to be quickly inserted and secured into the housing in a single automated operation, dramatically increasing assembly speed while ensuring reliable electric connections are established from the outset.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional electronic components are integrated into the door handle cavity, then the door handle can detect actuation and activate security systems, but the production cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic unit is designed as a universal module that can be integrated into the door handle housing to provide multiple functions: detecting actuation (push/pull actions), activating security systems, and enabling keyless entry. This multi-functional electronic unit is manufactured as a standardized component that can be applied across different door handle models, reducing per-unit production costs and complexity through economies of scale while significantly enhancing door handle versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a door handle (10) for a vehicle (1), in particular an external door handle (10) for a movable part (2) of the vehicle (1), comprising:a cavity (11) which is at least partially formed by a housing (12) of the door handle (10), andan electronic unit (20), which is received in the cavity (11),wherein the electronic unit (20) comprises a carrier unit (21), in particular an electric circuit board, such as a printed circuit board or a printed circuit,an electric connector unit (30) which comprises at least one electrically conductive connector element (31), in particular comprising at least one contact pin,wherein the at least one connector element (31) is fixed, in particular soldered, welded or glued, to the carrier unit (21) in a material-locking manner.