Vehicle Door Handle Lever Return Damping for Quiet Switch Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle door handle structures experience erroneous operation and deteriorated visual/auditory quality due to hard returning action of the door handle lever, which can cause hitting noise when the lever returns to its storage position, improperly pushing the switch and resulting in malfunction.
Innovation Solution
A door handle structure with a hinge arm and rotational support axis, utilizing a motor-driven unit that transmits force via an output axis to control the lever's movement, applying a braking torque to counteract the biasing force, reducing the returning speed and load on the switch, thus preventing erroneous operation and improving operational smoothness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the door handle lever is biased by a spring to return to storage position, then the lever automatically returns to flush position, but the returning action becomes too hard causing erroneous switch operation and hitting noise
Solution Approach 1:
A damper is introduced as an intermediary component between the door handle lever and the switch. The damper absorbs and dissipates the kinetic energy of the returning lever through viscous damping, reducing the impact force on the switch and eliminating hitting noise while maintaining reliable switch operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper provides beforehand cushioning by continuously resisting the motion of the door handle lever during its return trip. This prior cushioning effect prevents the lever from gaining excessive speed and reduces the impact before it reaches the switch, thereby preventing erroneous operation and hitting noise.
2Speed
If the door handle lever returns quickly to storage position, then the operation speed is high, but the impact on switch increases causing malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The damper acts as a mediator that allows the lever to maintain relatively high return speed while simultaneously reducing the impact on the switch. The viscous damping mechanism dissipates energy progressively, enabling fast return without harmful impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper changes the dynamic parameters of the lever system by introducing velocity-dependent resistance. This modifies the return motion characteristics, reducing peak impact forces while maintaining acceptable return speed through controlled energy dissipation.
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 effectively reduces the returning speed of the lever and the load on the switch, preventing erroneous operation and enhancing the visual/auditory quality by minimizing noise and vibration during the operational state.
Implementation Method 1
the motor is rotated, thereby generating an electrical brake force
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided a hinge arm having a lever and a rotational support axis to rotate the lever so as to be projected from the door panel, and a driving unit to transmit a drive force to the hinge arm so as to project the lever from the door panel. The driving unit comprises a motor and an output axis connected to the motor and the hinge arm so as to transmit a motor output to the hinge arm in a region from a storage position to an open position, wherein the drive force is transmitted from the motor to the hinge arm via the output axis when the lever is moved from the storage position to a gripping position and the drive force is transmitted from the hinge arm to the motor via the output axis when the lever is moved from the open position to the gripping position.