Vehicle Door Handle Assembly Mechanical Return Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle door handle assemblies with translative movement are expensive and not suitable for entry-level vehicles, and they can be unusable in case of electrical power supply failure.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door handle assembly with a bracket and a handle, featuring a first lever connected to an opening lever and a second lever with an elastic device, allowing for translative movement without the need for electric actuators, and incorporating a return lever with an elastic device and a delay element for controlled movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If an electric actuator is used to translate the handle between rest and deployed positions, then the door handle assembly achieves automated operation, but the cost increases and reliability decreases in case of power failure
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle assembly uses a spring-loaded return mechanism that automatically returns the handle to its retracted position without requiring external power or control systems. The spring stores energy during handle deployment and releases it to automatically reset the handle, making the system self-sufficient and operational during power failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electric actuator system with a purely mechanical spring-based return mechanism. This substitution eliminates dependence on electrical power while maintaining the essential functionality of handle deployment and retraction, improving reliability in power failure scenarios.
2Extent of automation
If an electric actuator is used to translate the handle, then automated operation is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases making it unsuitable for entry-level vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs simple, inexpensive mechanical components such as springs, levers, and linkages instead of costly electric actuators. These basic mechanical elements are inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, making the door handle assembly suitable for entry-level vehicles while maintaining automated operation through spring-based mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the expensive electric actuator component from the system, retaining only the essential mechanical elements needed for handle operation. This removal of complex electrical systems significantly reduces manufacturing costs while preserving the core functionality through simplified mechanical means.
3Ease of operation
If the handle is designed with translative movement between retracted and deployed positions, then ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle assembly is divided into distinct functional segments: the handle body, the spring mechanism, the linkage system, and the door connection components. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design and making the complex translative movement achievable through coordinated simple components rather than a single complex mechanism.
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 solution provides an economic and mechanical alternative for vehicle door handle assemblies, ensuring functionality even in power failures, and offering a cost-effective option for entry-level vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The return lever includes an elastic device passively bringing back the return lever to its first position
Implementation Method 2
the return lever may be connected to a delay element which slows down the passive rotation of the return lever from its second to its first position
Data Source
AI summary
In a vehicle door handle assembly, a first lever rotates between a rest position where a first extremity is in a rest position, a deployed position where the first extremity is outside a bracket, and an opening position where the first lever actuates an opening lever. A second lever rotates between a rest position where a second extremity is in a rest position, an activation position where the second extremity lowers the second lever into the bracket, and a deployed position where the second extremity is outside the bracket. A return lever includes an elastic device biasing it to a first position. Rotation of the second lever to an activation position actuates rotation of the return lever from its first to a second position. Rotation of the return lever from its second to its first position actuates rotation of the second lever from its deployed position to its rest position.