Door Handle Movement Arrangement Spring Decoupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing door handle systems for vehicles require additional power to tension return springs with each movement into the use position, leading to unnecessary losses and increased wear, which shortens the service life of both the drive and return spring.

Innovation Solution

A movement arrangement that decouples the return spring from tensioning during the transition from the retracted to the use position, allowing the counter bearing to move without tensioning the spring, thus reducing the load on the electric motor and preventing unnecessary wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the return spring is tensioned during movement of the door handle into the use position, then the door handle can be reliably returned to the retracted position, but additional power is required and wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor handle return functionVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The return spring is pre-tensioned in the retracted position before movement begins. The coupling between the door handle and return spring is established in advance, so when the door handle moves to the use position, the spring is already prepared to provide the return force without requiring additional tensioning during movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling between the door handle and return spring is dynamically adjusted based on position. The return spring is coupled to the door handle in the retracted position and decoupled in the use position, allowing the system to adapt its mechanical connection according to the operational phase, reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the return spring is tensioned during movement into the use position, then the door handle return mechanism functions, but wear on the drive and return spring increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereturn mechanism functionVSAvoidservice life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The return spring is pre-tensioned in the retracted position before movement begins. The coupling between the door handle and return spring is established in advance, so when the door handle moves to the use position, the spring is already prepared to provide the return force without requiring additional tensioning during movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling between the door handle and return spring is dynamically adjusted based on position. The return spring is coupled to the door handle in the retracted position and decoupled in the use position, allowing the system to adapt its mechanical connection according to the operational phase, reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Power

If a larger electric motor is used to tension the return spring, then the door handle can be moved into the use position, but the device complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor powerVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling between the door handle and return spring is dynamically adjusted based on position. The return spring is coupled to the door handle in the retracted position and decoupled in the use position, allowing the system to adapt its mechanical connection according to the operational phase, reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The return spring is pre-tensioned in the retracted position before movement begins. The coupling between the door handle and return spring is established in advance, so when the door handle moves to the use position, the spring is already prepared to provide the return force without requiring additional tensioning during movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This solution reduces wear and increases the service life of the door handle system by avoiding additional tensioning of the return spring, allowing a smaller electric motor to be used and minimizing energy losses during operation.

Implementation Method 1

a return spring (4), in particular for returning the door handle (3) from the use position into the retracted position or at least for assisting this returning

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4006275B1Movement arrangement for a door handle assembly
Publication Date: 2023.07.12 WITTE AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
  • EP4006275B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4006275B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4006275B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a movement arrangement (1) comprising a connecting lever (5), a spring tension lever (6), a return spring (4), and an eccentric unit (7). The connecting lever (5) and the spring tension lever (6) are pivotable relative to each other about a common pivot axis (9). The return spring (4) is coupled to a spring contact area (10, 11) of the connecting lever (5) and the spring tension lever (6) such that it can be released and compressed in the opposite direction by the pivoting movement of the spring contact area (11) of the spring tension lever (6) in the direction of the spring contact area (10) of the connecting lever (5).The eccentric unit (7) is rotatably mounted and has eccentric cams (12, 13) for guiding the connecting lever (5) and the spring tensioning lever (6), which are designed such that by rotating the eccentric unit (7) the movement arrangement (1) can be moved from a retracted position to an extended position, the connecting lever (5) and the spring tensioning lever (6) are positioned relative to each other in the retracted and extended positions such that the return spring (4) is partially tensioned, the connecting lever (5) bears against the connecting lever eccentric cam (12) during the rotation of the eccentric unit (7), and the spring tensioning lever (6) bears against the spring tensioning lever eccentric cam (13) in the retracted and extended positions and is spaced apart from the spring tensioning lever eccentric cam (13) in between.