Motor Vehicle Door Lock Acute Triangle Fastening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle door locks are prone to unintentional opening during crashes due to excessive acceleration forces, which can cause the locking mechanism to fail, despite previous measures to prevent such events.

Innovation Solution

A motor vehicle door lock design featuring a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and pawl mounted on a lock plate, where the pawl is positioned above the rotary latch, and the lock plate has three fastening openings arranged in an acute triangle configuration with specific angular and spatial relationships to enhance stability and absorb forces effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the lock is attached via fastening openings arranged close to the edge of the lock plate, then the attachment strength is improved, but the locking mechanism becomes more vulnerable to crash forces causing unintentional opening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidresistance to unintentional opening in crash
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the three fastening openings in a non-symmetric triangular arrangement where one opening is closer to the edge than the others. This asymmetric configuration creates an optimized force distribution pattern that simultaneously achieves strong attachment to the door and protection against crash-induced unintentional opening, resolving the contradiction between attachment strength and crash reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from conventional linear or symmetric arrangements to a triangular spatial configuration of fastening openings. By distributing openings in two dimensions (forming a triangle with specific edge distances), the system optimizes both attachment strength and crash resistance simultaneously, rather than compromising one for the other

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional symmetric fastening arrangements are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but the locking mechanism experiences unfavorable force ratios during operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening arrangement simplicityVSAvoidforce ratios during operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the fastening arrangement from symmetric to asymmetric triangular configuration. By specifically positioning openings at optimized distances from the lock plate edge, the system achieves favorable force ratios during locking operations while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized drilling and fastening procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3063351B1Motor vehicle door closure
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 KIEKERT AG
  • EP3063351B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3063351B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door closure, comprising a locking mechanism supported on a lock plate, which locking mechanism comprises a rotary latch supported on an axis of rotation and at least one pawl for locking the rotary latch, which pawl is also supported on an axis of rotation, the lock plate being fastened to a door or flap of the motor vehicle through openings arranged in the lock plate, characterized in that the lock plate (10) has at least three openings (A, B, C) for fastening, two openings (B, C) being arranged in the region above the axis of rotation (12) of the pawl (11) and one opening (A) being arranged in the region of the axis of rotation (14) of the rotary latch (13), and the openings (A, B, C) enclosing between themselves an acute triangle having an acute angle (Ω) of less than 30° at the fastening opening (A) at the axis of rotation (14) of the rotary latch (13). The lock according to the invention has high stability, in particular high tearing resistance in the event of a crash.