Vehicle Door Latch Interlocking Mechanism for Release State Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle door opening-and-closing devices with electric-powered releasing mechanisms can become stuck in a 'locked-in-release state' due to electrical malfunctions, requiring users to follow a special procedure to reset, which can be cumbersome and requires prior knowledge of the process.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates an open-latch interlocking mechanism and relay mechanism that allows the door to be closed without special procedures by changing the transmission path state from connected to disconnected, enabling the ratchet to return to its initial position when the door is opened, thus canceling the locked-in-release state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an electric-powered releasing mechanism is used to operate the close-latch mechanism, then the door can be opened easily with electric power, but the system may enter a locked-in-release state due to electrical malfunctions that prevents the door from being closed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an open-latch interlocking mechanism as an intermediary between the open-latch mechanism and the close-latch mechanism. When the open latch is operated, this intermediary mechanism automatically performs the release-canceling operation to cancel the locked-in-release state, enabling the door to be closed without requiring special user procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to automatically cancel the locked-in-release state through the open-latch interlocking mechanism when the user opens the door, without requiring the user to perform any special reset procedures. The system serves itself by using the normal door opening operation to trigger the cancellation of the erroneous state.
2Reliability
If a special procedure is required to cancel the locked-in-release state, then the system can be reset, but the user must know the procedure in advance which increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically cancels the locked-in-release state through the open-latch interlocking mechanism when the user opens the door, without requiring the user to perform any special reset procedures. The system serves itself by using the normal door opening operation to trigger the cancellation of the erroneous state.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring a special procedure to cancel the locked-in-release state, the patent inverts the approach by using the normal door opening operation (which should naturally occur) to trigger the cancellation. The release-canceling operation is performed as a byproduct of the normal opening sequence rather than as a separate corrective action.
3Productivity
If the transmission path of releasing operation remains connected, then the electric-powered releasing mechanism can operate the ratchet, but the ratchet cannot return to its initial position when stopped in the releasing position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic switching of the transmission path state through the relay mechanism. The transmission path can be switched from connected to disconnected based on the operational state. When canceling the locked-in-release state, the transmission path is disconnected to allow the ratchet to return to its initial position without being driven by the electric-powered releasing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay mechanism acts as an intermediary that controls the connection state of the transmission path. It switches the transmission path between connected and disconnected states based on the operational requirements, enabling the ratchet to return to its initial position when needed while maintaining normal operation when the transmission path is connected.
Data Source
AI summary
An opening-and-closing device for vehicle door includes: a close-latch mechanism which holds a door at a closed position; an open-latch mechanism which holds the door at an opened position; an electric-powered releasing mechanism which operates the close-latch mechanism; an open-latch interlocking mechanism which operates from an initial position toward a canceling direction in conjunction with an operation of the open-latch mechanism from an unlatched position to a latched position; and a relay mechanism which changes a state of a transmission path of releasing operation from a connected state to a disconnected state to allow returning of a first ratchet which has stopped in a releasing position.