Vehicle Door Lock Actuator with Elastic Coupling for Corrosion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actuating devices for motor vehicle door locks face challenges in maintaining functional reliability over extended vehicle lifespans, particularly due to exposure to weather and corrosion, which can lead to malfunction during accidents.
Innovation Solution
A permanently elastic coupling between the handle and locking lever ensures constant deflection and regular loading, preventing corrosion and ensuring the locking lever's functionality, with an inertial mass and spring mechanism to block the handle during accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the locking lever is placed in the area of an outside door handle to block the handle during accidents, then the door lock can be disabled in the event of acceleration forces, but the locking lever is exposed to weather and corrosion which compromises its functionality over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary coupling mechanism (spring element) between the handle and locking lever. This coupling transmits the blocking force from the locking lever to the handle during accidents, while allowing the locking lever to be positioned away from direct weather exposure. The spring element acts as a mediator that transfers the essential function without requiring direct exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating device is divided into separate functional components: the locking lever (which may be protected from weather), the coupling mechanism (spring element), and the handle. This segmentation allows the locking lever to be positioned in a more protected location while still fulfilling its blocking function through the coupling mechanism, reducing its exposure to harmful environmental factors.
2Ease of operation
If the locking lever is rotatably mounted to enable deflection during normal operation, then the handle can be actuated to open the door, but the bearings for the locking lever can cake on or rust up over time due to lack of movement or exposure to corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element coupling creates continuous useful action by maintaining constant elastic deformation and recovery cycles. During normal door opening operations, the spring element continuously deflects and returns to its original state, ensuring the locking lever remains actively engaged and functional. This continuous action prevents bearing seizure while maintaining the ease of operation for handle actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking lever undergoes periodic deflection cycles through the spring element coupling during each normal door opening operation. This periodic movement ensures that the bearings and moving parts of the locking lever are regularly exercised, preventing them from caking on or rusting up, while still allowing easy actuation of the handle to open the door.
3Reliability
If the locking lever is permanently elastically coupled to the handle through spring element, then constant deflection prevents corrosion and ensures functionality over years, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and parameters of the coupling between handle and locking lever by introducing an elastomeric spring element. This spring element provides permanent elastic coupling with specific mechanical properties (elasticity, damping) that ensure continuous movement and corrosion prevention. The parameter change from rigid or friction-based coupling to elastic coupling achieves reliable long-term functionality while adding only one component, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
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
This design ensures the motor vehicle door lock remains securely closed during accidents, providing maximum protection to occupants by preventing unintentional opening, even after years of service life.
Implementation Method 1
the coupling is formed in such a way that a spring element, in particular a torsion spring, serves as the coupling
Implementation Method 2
A permanently elastically coupled actuating device for a motor vehicle door lock with a handle (7) and with a locking lever (10) which disables the handle when acceleration forces of a predetermined magnitude occur
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to an actuation device for a motor vehicle door lock (1), comprising a handle (7), and a locking lever (10) which renders the handle (7) inactive when accelerating forces of a predetermined magnitude occur, for example, in the event of an accident. In the normal operation, the locking lever (10) is displaced when impinged upon by the handle (7) and the handle (7) is simply rendered inactive in the locked operation.