Vehicle Door Handle Fixing Structure to Reduce Tab Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door handle fixation methods, particularly using fastening tabs, suffer from premature wear and loss of handle stability due to excessive bending of tabs between the handle and the door panel, leading to potential loosening and breakage.
Innovation Solution
A door structure with a reinforcement structure that secures longitudinal portions of the fixing means to each other, reducing bending and enhancing stability by distributing the load more effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If fastening tabs are used to fix the door handle to the door panel, then the handle can be easily installed and offers good initial stability, but the tabs experience significant bending between the handle and door panel leading to premature wear and loss of stability
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing means is divided into multiple longitudinal portions (at least two) that are distributed across the door panel thickness. Each portion is secured separately to the door panel and to the door handle, segmenting the load path and reducing bending stress on any single tab portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing means extends in the thickness direction of the door panel (second side to first side), adding a dimensional aspect perpendicular to the traditional plane of attachment. This three-dimensional arrangement distributes the mechanical stress across multiple planes and reduces bending moments.
2Reliability
If multiple fastening tabs are used to distribute load, then handle stability is improved, but the bending stress on each tab increases leading to premature wear
Solution Approach 1:
The load is segmented across multiple longitudinal portions of the fixing means, which are distributed through the door panel thickness. This segmentation reduces the bending moment on each individual portion while maintaining overall load distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
By extending the fixing means through the thickness direction of the door panel, the load path is moved from a two-dimensional surface attachment to a three-dimensional volumetric distribution, reducing bending stress on each tab portion.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional fastening methods are used, then the door handle can be attached to the door panel, but loosening occurs over time resulting in loss of handle stability
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing means is pre-configured with longitudinal portions that extend through the door panel thickness before final assembly. This preliminary arrangement ensures proper load distribution and alignment, preventing loosening during subsequent use.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing means utilizes the thickness direction of the door panel to create a multi-planar attachment structure, distributing fastening points across multiple levels and preventing the loosening that occurs with single-plane attachments.
Data Source
AI summary
A door structure of a motor vehicle includes a door panel, a door handle arranged on a first side of the door panel to perform an opening/closing operation of the structure, and at least one fixing means extending at least partially on a second side of the door panel and opposite to the first side. The fixing means has at least two longitudinal portions, each secured to a first end of the door handle, and to a second end of the door panel. The door structure further includes a reinforcement structure configured to secure the two longitudinal portions to each other.