Manual Power Decoupling in Vehicle Door Latch Mechanisms
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Solution Overview
Problem
In emergency situations where power is not supplied to a vehicle's power door, operating the door with one hand can be challenging due to the need to hold the handle in an actuating position while also pushing the door open, especially if the door is heavy or difficult to move.
Innovation Solution
A dual-latch system with a first latch for holding the door closed and a second latch for holding it open, where the first latch is actuated during both powered and manual operations, but the second latch is only actuated during powered operations, allowing the handle to be held in an actuating position for manual operation, enabling two-handed door opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single handle is used for manual operation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates in emergency situations where power is not supplied
Solution Approach 1:
The latch system is segmented into two independent latches: a first latch (hold-close latch) that holds the door closed, and a second latch (hold-open latch) that holds the door open. This segmentation allows independent control of door holding functions, enabling the door to be held securely in either position without requiring continuous manual effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The hold-open latch is actuated in advance during powered door operation to prepare the door for easy opening. When the door reaches the opened position, the hold-open latch is already engaged, allowing the door to be held open without requiring the user to continuously press the handle.
2Ease of operation
If the hold-open latch is actuated during manual operation, then the door can be held open easily, but the device complexity increases and manual operation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its behavior based on the operation mode. During powered operation, both the hold-close and hold-open latches are actuated. During manual operation, only the hold-close latch is actuated while the hold-open latch remains inactive. This dynamic behavior optimizes the system for each operation type without requiring complex additional components.
Data Source
AI summary
An opening/closing assembly for a door configured to actuate certain latches during a powered operation and to actuate not all the same latches during a manual (emergency) operation. The assembly operates to decouple the operation of levers associated to the various latches of the door. The assembly is configured such that a hold-close latch is actuated for both a powered operation and a manual operation, while a hold-open latch is not actuated during the manual operation and is only actuated during the powered operation.