Vehicle Door Handle Sensor Anticipatory Unlocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic assemblies for vehicle doors often cause a 'wall effect' due to the simultaneous handling of unlocking and opening functions, resulting in a delay between input and door opening.
Innovation Solution
An assembly with a handle and bracket system that includes a sensor to detect the user's hand before it reaches the electronic switch, allowing for anticipatory unlocking and avoiding the delay by positioning sensors to extend the unlocking range and include both unlocking and locking detection parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If electronic means are used to implement both unlocking and opening functions simultaneously, then the device complexity is reduced, but a wall effect occurs causing delay between user input and door opening
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor detects the user's hand approaching the electronic switch before the user actually touches it. This preliminary detection triggers the unlocking function in advance, so that when the user touches the switch to initiate opening, the door is already unlocked and opens immediately without delay. The sensing range is positioned to detect the hand at an optimal distance upstream from the switch.
2Loss of time
If the sensor detection range is extended upstream to detect the user's hand earlier, then the wall effect is avoided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor acts as an intermediary between the user's hand and the electronic switch. Instead of directly modifying the switch or adding complex control systems, the sensor mediates by detecting the hand's approach and triggering the unlocking sequence in advance. This intermediary approach achieves the desired timing effect with relatively simple sensor technology.
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 anticipates the unlocking of the vehicle door by a few seconds, eliminating the 'wall effect' and ensuring smooth operation by allowing the door to open without delay when the user's hand is detected.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one sensor is a capacitive sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly includes a handle comprising a cover member and at least one sensor. The cover member includes a frame part and an inner wall part allowing an access by the user's hand to at least one electronic switch of a bracket. The at least one sensor is configured to detected a user's hand so as to allow a locking and/or an unlocking of the door when the user's hand is detected, positioned such that, when the user's hand is inserted in the cover member in order to reach the at least one electronic switch, the user's hand is detected by the at least one sensor before the user's hand reaches the at least one electronic switch.