Electronic Door Latch Control With Pre-Ratchet Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic door actuation arrangements in vehicles face issues with mechanical stress, noise pollution, energy inefficiency, and safety risks due to lack of intermediate control and abrupt movements.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a rotational movement of the first actuating member from a main ratchet position to a pre-ratchet position and then to an open position, with time measurement and verification steps to ensure alignment with user intent, reducing mechanical stress and noise, and improving energy efficiency and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the door is operated in one continuous process from open to closed position, then the door operation is simple and fast, but high mechanical stress and noise are generated resulting in premature wear and tear
Solution Approach 1:
The door movement is divided into multiple discrete positions (fully open, intermediate open, intermediate closed, fully closed) rather than continuous movement. The actuating member passes through these defined positions with verification at each stage, segmenting the operation into controlled phases that reduce mechanical stress while maintaining operational efficiency.
2Device complexity
If the door is operated in one continuous process, then the operation is simple, but energy consumption is unnecessary high due to lack of intermediate control
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the door operation based on detected positions and intermediate states. Rather than fixed continuous movement, the system adapts its control logic to verify intermediate positions and adjust actuation accordingly, optimizing energy usage while maintaining operational simplicity through automated position detection.
3Ease of operation
If the door operation lacks intermediate control, then the system is simple to operate, but safety risks increase as the system cannot adapt to partial or interrupted door movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that detect the actuating member's position at intermediate states (fully open, intermediate open, intermediate closed, fully closed). This feedback enables the control logic to verify positions and adapt to partial or interrupted movements, enhancing safety while maintaining ease of operation through automated position verification.
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
The method reduces mechanical stress and noise, enhances energy efficiency, and improves safety by allowing controlled, phased movements aligned with user intent, ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor (3), wherein the first actuating member (4) is rotationally coupled to the electric motor (3) for being moved from a main ratchet position via a pre-ratchet position into an open position with respect to the second actuating member (5)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating an electronic door actuation arrangement (1), comprising an external device (2), an electric motor (3), a first actuating member (4) and a corresponding second actuating member (5), wherein the first actuating member (4) is rotationally coupled to the electric motor (3) for being moved from a main ratchet position via a pre-ratchet position into an open position with respect to the second actuating member (5), comprising the following method steps: S1) starting a time measurement if an external device signal from the external device (2) is applied to the electronic door actuation arrangement (1), 52) if the measured time exceeds a predetermined signal duration, verifying whether the first actuating member (4) is in the main ratchet position or in the pre-ratchet position, and S3) if affirmative, actuating the first actuating member (4) from the main ratchet position into the pre-ratchet position and then into the open position or from the pre-ratchet position into the open position. In this way an improved method for operating an electronic door actuation arrangement that reduces mechanical stress and noise, enhances energy efficiency, and improves safety is provided.