Vehicle Door Latch Cinching with Single Actuator Stroke Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicles without a B pillar require two cinching actuators for dual door latches, leading to increased weight and cost due to differing cinching strokes and positional tolerances, resulting in incomplete door closure.
Innovation Solution
A cinching device using a single cinching actuator, a lead screw, a lead nut assembly, and cable levers connected via cinching cables, which absorbs differences in cinching strokes through a spring structure to operate multiple latches simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two cinching actuators are used for dual door latches, then each latch can be operated independently, but the weight and cost of the cinching device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate cinching actuators into a single actuator that controls both door latches through a unified cable lever mechanism. The single actuator drives a lead screw that moves a lead nut assembly, which in turn operates both cable levers simultaneously, reducing the total number of actuators from two to one while maintaining reliable latch operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The single cinching actuator is designed to perform multiple functions by controlling both upper and lower door latches through the cable lever system. The lead nut assembly can independently engage with either or both cable levers, allowing one actuator to universally control multiple latches with different stroke requirements.
2Reliability
If two cinching actuators are used for dual door latches, then each latch can be operated independently, but the cost of the cinching device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate cinching actuators into a single actuator that controls both door latches through a unified cable lever mechanism. The single actuator drives a lead screw that moves a lead nut assembly, which in turn operates both cable levers simultaneously, reducing the total number of actuators from two to one while maintaining reliable latch operation.
3Weight of moving object
If a single cinching actuator is used for dual door latches, then weight and cost are reduced, but differences in cinching strokes may result in incomplete door closure
Solution Approach 1:
The lead nut assembly is designed with dynamic engagement capability, allowing it to selectively engage with either the upper or lower cable lever depending on which latch requires adjustment. The cable levers incorporate spring mechanisms that provide dynamic force distribution, enabling the system to adapt to different stroke requirements and positional tolerances of the two latches during the cinching process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows for adjustable stroke distribution through the cable lever mechanisms. By modifying the engagement point or spring pre-load on individual cable levers, the cinching stroke for each latch can be independently tuned despite using a single actuator, ensuring both latches achieve proper closure even with different stroke requirements.
4Ease of manufacture
If a single cinching actuator is used for dual door latches, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but differences in cinching strokes may result in incomplete door closure
Solution Approach 1:
The lead nut assembly is designed with dynamic engagement capability, allowing it to selectively engage with either the upper or lower cable lever depending on which latch requires adjustment. The cable levers incorporate spring mechanisms that provide dynamic force distribution, enabling the system to adapt to different stroke requirements and positional tolerances of the two latches during the cinching process.
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
Reduces the need for multiple actuators, absorbs stroke differences, and ensures complete door closure by using a single actuator, thereby reducing weight and cost.
Implementation Method 1
a lead screw engaged to the cinching actuator and rotated by the cinching actuator; a lead nut assembly movably coupled to the lead screw
Implementation Method 2
absorbing a difference in cinching strokes of the plurality of latches through a spring structure for absorbing the stroke
Data Source
AI summary
A cinching device for door latches in a vehicle, which performs cinching control for a plurality of latches, includes: a cinching actuator; a lead screw engaged to the cinching actuator and rotated by the cinching actuator; a lead nut assembly movably coupled to the lead screw; and a plurality of cable levers coupled to the lead nut assembly, and connected to the plurality of latches through respective cinching cables, wherein the cinching control is performed by absorbing a difference in cinching strokes of the plurality of latches through a spring structure.