Vehicle Door Handle Inertial Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door handle safety systems fail to prevent door opening during violent lateral impacts due to varying stress on the handle support frame and vibrations affecting the rocker arm, leading to premature return to the rest position and potential door opening.
Innovation Solution
A door handle with a lever connected to a swivel wheel and a rocker arm with an inertial mass, featuring a resilient blade that engages with a lug to block the rocker arm in its active position, ensuring the swivel wheel is locked and preventing door opening during sudden pivoting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rocker arm is designed to pivot during sudden impact to lock the door, then the safety function is improved, but the rocker arm may return to rest position prematurely due to frame vibrations and stress variations
Solution Approach 1:
A resilient blade is introduced as an intermediary element between the rocker arm and the frame. This blade maintains continuous contact with the rocker arm's Lug during normal operation, preventing the rocker arm from returning to its rest position due to frame vibrations or stress variations. During actual impact, the blade allows the rocker arm to pivot sufficiently to engage the locking mechanism while preventing premature return.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient blade changes its mechanical properties based on the applied force. During normal vehicle operation, it maintains a prestressed state that contacts the Lug to prevent rocking. During violent impact, it deforms to allow the necessary pivot motion for locking, then returns to its prestressed state to maintain contact and prevent return to rest position.
2Ease of operation
If the handle lever is connected to the swivel wheel to enable door opening, then the door can be opened normally, but during lateral impact the lever may be pulled open if the element engaging the handle is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient blade acts as an intermediary that differentiates between normal opening forces and impact forces. During normal operation, it allows the handle lever to move freely for door opening. During impact, when the rocker arm pivots to engage the stop piece, the blade maintains contact with the Lug to prevent the handle lever from being pulled open by continued vehicle movement.
3Device complexity
If the rocker arm is hinged to the frame with little rigidity at the hinging zone, then the handle structure is simplified, but vibrations affect the handle and cause rapid displacement of the rocker arm
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient blade serves as a stabilizing intermediary between the rocker arm and the relatively rigid frame. Even though the hinging zone maintains simplicity with minimal structure, the blade provides continuous contact and restraint to the rocker arm, preventing excessive displacement caused by frame vibrations while requiring only simple structural elements.
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
Effectively prevents door opening during accidents by ensuring the swivel wheel is locked, even under violent lateral impacts, maintaining the safety function by blocking the rocker arm's return to its rest position.
Implementation Method 1
said blocking part consists of a resilient blade fastened to the frame and having an opening for engagement of said Lug, in the active position
Implementation Method 2
said locking element comprising a lever of the rocker arm type which is provided with an inertial mass
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a door handle which is intended, in particular, for a motor vehicle. The inventive handle comprises a lever (105) which can rotate around a first axis (107) in a frame (101) that is intended to be fixed to the door (102) and which is mechanically connected to a mobile fitting that can be intercepted by a locking element which is articulated to the frame (101) or a body which is solidly connected to the frame, such as to pivot around a third axis (117) from a rest position to an active position. In this way, if pivoted violently, the locking member (116) strikes the aforementioned mobile fitting and prevents same from moving. According to the invention, the handle also comprises a piece (200) for blocking the locking element in the active position thereof.