Vehicle Door Handle Holding Element Form-Fit Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door handle supports in vehicles, made from plastic injection molding, can break during accidents, leading to false alarms and unintended door opening due to material failure, compromising safety.
Innovation Solution
A holding element with first and second retaining means for secure fastening to the door handle support, and a fastening means for connecting the door lock, providing increased break resistance and preventing malfunctions by form-fitting engagement and reinforcement, ensuring the connecting element remains stable under force applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the door handle support is made from plastic injection molding with integrated acceptance for connecting element, then the manufacturing is simplified and cost-effective, but the break resistance decreases and false alarms increase during vehicle accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle support system is divided into separate components: the door handle support body and the holding element. The holding element is a separate injection-molded plastic component that is inserted into and retained by the door handle support, rather than being integrally molded with it. This segmentation allows the holding element to be specifically designed for connecting element retention with reinforced features, while the door handle support provides structural mounting functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution combines plastic injection molding for the holding element with metal retaining means (such as screws, clips, or snap-fit metal elements) to create a composite structure. The metal retaining means provide enhanced mechanical strength and break resistance at critical retention points, while the plastic injection-molded holding element provides cost-effective mass production and complex geometry capability.
2Device complexity
If the acceptance for connecting element is integrated into the door handle support from one material, then the device complexity is reduced, but the positioning stability decreases under exceptional forces
Solution Approach 1:
The holding element is separated from the door handle support as an independent component. This segmentation enables the holding element to be specifically optimized for connecting element retention with dedicated retention features (such as recesses, slots, or engagement points), while the door handle support focuses on structural mounting functions. The separation allows each component to be independently optimized for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding element incorporates localized reinforcement features specifically at the connecting element retention area, such as thickened walls, ribs, or integrated metal retaining means. These local quality enhancements provide exceptional force resistance and positioning stability where needed, while other areas of the holding element maintain standard wall thicknesses for cost-effective manufacturing.
3Productivity
If a single-component door handle support is used, then the assembly process is simplified, but the break resistance during accidents decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The holding element is pre-assembled with the connecting element or pre-equipped with retention features (such as pre-installed metal clips or screws) before installation into the door handle support. This preliminary action ensures that critical retention components are properly positioned and secured before final assembly, enhancing break resistance without significantly complicating the overall assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution uses composite construction combining plastic injection-molded holding element with metal reinforcement elements. The metal components (such as screws, clips, or embedded metal inserts) provide enhanced mechanical strength and break resistance at critical retention points, while the plastic portions maintain assembly efficiency through injection molding capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A holding element includes a door handle that actuates a door lock and the door handle support at a vehicle with at least a first and second retainer that fixes the holding element at the door handle support and at least a fastener that fastens a mechanical connection element for the actuation of the door lock wherein at least the first retainer serves for the form-fitting fixation of the holding element at the door handle support.