Door Latch Ice-Breaking Mechanism With Reduced Actuator Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door lock devices with ice breaking mechanisms have a complex structure, leading to increased parts and actuator load, making them costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A door lock device with a simplified mechanism comprising a latch, pole, closing member, ice breaker, and cancel member, connected via a tensile member to a door closer, allowing for efficient door closure and ice breaking without excessive actuator load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an ice breaking mechanism with ice breaking swing arm and ice breaking tie rod is added to the door lock device, then the door can be opened when frozen, but the number of parts increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ice breaking swing arm and ice breaking tie rod into a single integrated ice breaking lever. This lever has an ice breaking swing arm portion that rotates about a shaft and an ice breaking tie rod portion that connects to the latch, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing overall complexity while maintaining the ice breaking function
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated ice breaking lever serves multiple functions: it acts as both the ice breaking swing arm and the ice breaking tie rod, and also functions as a connecting member between the tension wheel and the latch. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of parts needed in the system
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the ice breaking swing arm and ice breaking tie rod are connected via connecting shaft, then the ice breaking function is achieved, but the structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ice breaking swing arm and ice breaking tie rod into a single integrated ice breaking lever with one piece of metal, eliminating the connecting shaft and reducing structural complexity while maintaining the ice breaking function
3Reliability
If the actuator pulls the cable to rotate the ice breaking swing arm and ice breaking tie rod, then the latch can be moved to full latch position, but the actuator load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reset spring that dynamically adjusts the position of the integrated ice breaking lever. The spring biases the lever toward the unlatching direction, automatically returning it to the initial position after ice breaking, and reducing the force required by the actuator during normal operation
Data Source
AI summary
A closing member of a door lock device is connected to a tensile member and moves a latch to a full latch position when the latch is in a half latch position and the tensile member is pulled by a door closer. An ice breaker moves, when the ice breaker is in an actuated position where the ice breaker engages the closing member and the tensile member is pulled by the door closer, together with the closing member and presses the latch and moves the latch from the full latch position to the unlatch position. A cancel member holds, when in the retraction permitting position, the ice breaker in an unactuated position where rotation of the closing member is allowed, moves from the retraction permitting position to the retraction cancel position, and moves the ice breaker from the unactuated position to the actuated position.