Vehicle Door Handle Reversible Inertial Security System
Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle door handles can inadvertently open during a collision due to undesired movement of the gripping element, which can lead to safety issues, despite the presence of reversible inertial security systems.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door handle assembly with a reversible inertial security system featuring a rocker arm that blocks both the handle lever and latch lever movements during collisions, ensuring the door remains closed by positioning a first blocking portion with a first abutment on the handle lever and a second blocking portion with a second abutment on the latch lever, with the rocker arm rotating around a third axis parallel to the handle lever's axis and perpendicular to the latch lever's axis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reversible inertial security system with a single blocking mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of preventing door opening during collision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The inertial security system is segmented into two independent blocking mechanisms: a first blocking mechanism that blocks the handle lever and a second blocking mechanism that blocks the latch lever. This segmentation allows each mechanism to independently prevent door opening, thereby improving reliability without requiring a single complex blocking system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element (the second blocking mechanism on the latch lever) that mediates between the handle lever and the door opening action. Even if the first blocking mechanism fails or the handle lever deforms, the intermediary blocking mechanism on the latch lever prevents door opening, thus improving reliability.
2Reliability
If the rocker arm blocks both handle lever and latch lever movements, then the door security during collision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rocker arm is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a first blocking mechanism for the handle lever and as a second blocking mechanism for the latch lever. This universal design allows a single component to perform multiple blocking functions, improving door security during collision while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the first blocking mechanism and the second blocking mechanism into a single integrated rocker arm structure. By combining these two blocking functions into one component, the patent reduces the overall complexity that would otherwise result from having separate blocking mechanisms, while still achieving enhanced door security.
3Volume of moving object
If the rocker arm rotates around an axis parallel to the handle lever's axis, then the assembly compactness is improved, but the mechanical design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rocker arm rotates around an axis that is parallel to the handle lever's rotation axis, utilizing a different spatial dimension for the blocking action. This dimensional arrangement allows the blocking mechanism to operate in a compact space without interfering with the handle lever's normal operation, achieving compactness while managing design complexity.
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 double blocking mechanism effectively prevents the door from opening even if the handle lever deforms and tries to transmit energy to the latch lever, enhancing safety and compactness by ensuring the door remains secure during collisions.
Implementation Method 1
a reversible inertial security system comprising a rocker arm movable between a rest position allowing the handle lever to actuate the latch lever, and a blocking position, reaching in case of collision or acceleration
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Vehicle door handle assembly, comprising: - a gripping element (2) movable an inactive position and an active position in which it allows to open a vehicle door, - a movable handle lever (4) configured to actuate a movable latch lever (6) when the gripping element (2) is in the active position, the latch lever (6) being configured to unlatch the vehicle door when the gripping element (2) is in the active position, - a reversible inertial security (8) system movable between a rest position and a blocking position wherein the reversible inertial security (8) avoid any movement of the handle lever (4) and of the latch lever (6), wherein the handle lever (4) is arranged for pivoting around a first rotation axis (A) perpendicular to a second rotation (B) axis of the latch lever (6), the inertial security system (8) being movable in rotation around a third rotation axis (C) parallel to the first rotation axis (A).