Inside Door Lever Spring Assembly Against Side-Impact Unlatching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle door levers can undesirably unlatch and open during a side collision due to an impulse force generated by an impact, compromising door security.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle inside door lever assembly featuring a torsion spring and an extension spring connected to the lever and frame, biasing the lever in a closed direction, counteracting collision-induced momentum to maintain the door in a latched condition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door lever is made simple and easy to operate, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to susceptibility to collision-induced unlatching
Solution Approach 1:
The torsion spring and extension spring are pre-installed on the door lever to provide preliminary counterbalancing force that opposes collision-induced momentum. This preliminary anti-action prevents the lever from rotating in the open direction during side impacts, thereby maintaining door latching reliability without complicating the user operation.
2Reliability
If spring components are added to prevent collision-induced unlatching, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The torsion spring and extension spring are combined to work together as a unified counterbalancing system. The torsion spring handles the primary rotational counterbalancing while the extension spring provides additional rotational biasing force, merging their functions to achieve reliable collision resistance with minimal added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring components are designed to automatically engage and provide counterbalancing force without requiring external control systems or additional actuators. The system self-regulates the door lever's rotational force during normal operation and collision events, eliminating the need for complex electronic or mechanical control mechanisms.
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
Prevents the lever from rotating open during a side impact, ensuring the door remains securely latched, enhancing safety and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a torsion spring structured and operably connected to the lever and the frame so as to rotationally bias the lever in a first rotational direction
Implementation Method 2
An extension spring is structured and operably connected to the lever and the frame so as to rotationally bias the lever in the first rotational direction when the spring is in tension
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle inside door lever assembly includes a frame, a lever rotatably mounted on the frame so as to be rotatable with respect to the frame, and a torsion spring structured and operably connected to the lever and the frame so as to rotationally bias the lever in a first rotational direction, toward a closed and latched condition of the lever. An extension spring is structured and operably connected to the lever and the frame so as to rotationally bias the lever in the first rotational direction when the spring is in tension. In a lever where a side impact force acting on the lever would tend to rotate the lever in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, the arrangement described may prevent the lever from swinging inwardly in the second rotational direction toward an unlatched condition and releasing the door latch.