Motor Vehicle Door Handle Anti-Activation Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing door handle arrangements for motor vehicles are prone to unwanted operation during car washes, where rotating brushes or textile strips can accidentally activate the handle, leading to undesired opening of the vehicle door.

Innovation Solution

A handle securing element is mounted on the handle carrier to cover the rear surface section of the handle element in the ready position, with a safety stop and spring element ensuring it remains in place, preventing unwanted movement and activation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the handle element is extended to the ready position for easy operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of unwanted actuation by car wash components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidunwanted actuation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A handle locking element is introduced as an intermediary component between the handle element and the car wash environment. This locking element covers the rear surface section of the handle element in the ready position, acting as a mediator that prevents direct contact between harmful car wash components (brushes, foam strips) and the handle element, thereby blocking the harmful effect while maintaining operational readiness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The handle locking element is positioned in advance to cover the rear surface section of the handle element before any unwanted contact can occur. This preliminary protective action prevents car wash components from reaching and actuating the handle element, countering the potential harmful effect before it can manifest

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Reliability

If a handle locking element is added to prevent unwanted actuation, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of implementing a complex locking mechanism for the entire handle assembly, the solution applies protection only to the specific rear surface section of the handle element that is vulnerable to car wash components. This localized approach provides the necessary reliability improvement while minimizing the increase in device complexity by focusing protection only where needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3985214B1Door handle assembly for a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.04.12 HUF HÜLSBECK & FÜRST GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3985214B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3985214B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7
  • EP3985214B1 patent drawingFigure 8~10

AI summary

The invention relates to a door handle arrangement (3) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising a handle carrier (9) and a handle element (4) mounted on the handle carrier (9) so as to be movable from a rest position to a ready position, wherein a first movement mechanism (17) and a second movement mechanism (18) are mounted on the handle carrier (9) and are coupled to the handle element (4) in terms of movement, wherein the handle element (4) is arranged flush with the outside (7) of a vehicle door (2) in the rest position, and wherein the handle element (4) is arranged in the ready position projecting in an opening direction (14) relative to the outside (7) of the vehicle door (2) and a rear side (37) of the handle element (4) facing the handle carrier (9) is arranged to be grasped by an operator for actuation.A handle locking element (22) is mounted on the handle carrier (9), which in the ready position of the handle element (4) covers at least a surface section (23) of the rear side (37) of the handle element (4) facing the handle carrier (9).