Motor Vehicle Door Handle Potted Electronics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle door handle arrangements lack flexibility in electronic component arrangement and insufficient protection against environmental influences such as moisture and vibrations.

Innovation Solution

A motor vehicle door handle arrangement with a handle support and outer shell, featuring at least two chambers for electronic components, where both chambers are filled with casting compound after component insertion, providing protection and flexibility in component placement, and using a reversible hardening compound for impact and vibration damping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single chamber is used for electronic components, then the structure is simple, but the flexibility in arranging electronic components is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in arranging electronic componentsVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The handle support is divided into multiple chambers (first chamber and second chamber) to accommodate different electronic components separately. This segmentation allows flexible arrangement of electronics while maintaining a unified structural design, resolving the contradiction between component arrangement flexibility and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If electronic components are exposed without casting compound, then the structure is simple and access is easy, but protection against moisture and vibrations is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against moisture and vibrationsVSAvoidproduction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The casting compound is introduced into the chambers through openings in the handle support before final assembly completion. This preliminary action allows the casting compound to fill and protect electronic components early in the manufacturing process, ensuring protection against moisture and vibrations while simplifying subsequent assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The casting compound acts as an intermediary material that fills the chambers and provides protective encapsulation for electronic components. This intermediary substance creates a protective barrier against environmental influences while allowing the manufacturing process to remain efficient through the use of integrated openings in the handle support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If the outer shell is attached before filling chambers with casting compound, then the structural integrity is maintained, but access for filling the second chamber becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess for filling chambersVSAvoidstructural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The handle support incorporates openings that segment the filling process, allowing the casting compound to be introduced into both chambers even after the outer shell is attached. These openings maintain structural integrity while providing necessary access for the filling operation, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and structural strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enhances protection of electronic components against moisture, shocks, and vibrations, simplifies production, and ensures reliable operation by encapsulating components within the handle arrangement.

Implementation Method 1

both chambers formed between the handle support and the outer shell for accommodating electronic components are each filled with casting compound after the electronic components have been inserted into the two chambers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEncapsulation:

Implementation Method 2

The casting compound can be a hardening casting compound that can be reversibly deformed after hardening and is therefore suitable for damping impacts and vibrations

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3679211B1Motor vehicle door handle arrangement with potted electronics
Publication Date: 2021.05.26 HUF HÜLSBECK & FÜRST GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3679211B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3679211B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3679211B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door handle arrangement comprising a handle support (80) and an outer shell (90) which is fastened to the handle support (80), wherein at least one electronics assembly comprising electronic components is arranged between the handle support (80) and the outer shell (90), wherein the handle support (80) has at least one first chamber for receiving electronic components which are potted with potting compound after the electronic components are inserted, wherein a second chamber for receiving electronic components is formed between the handle support (80) and the outer shell (90) and the handle support (80) has at least one aperture (87) through which the second chamber can be filled with potting compound after the outer shell (90) is fastened to the handle support (80). The invention further relates to a method for producing a motor vehicle door handle arrangement of this kind.