Motor Vehicle Door Lock Crash Coupling Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle door lock systems face challenges in crash safety due to unintended opening caused by crash-induced acceleration, which requires high forces in the force transmission chain and results in undesirable reaction times and potential component breakage.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle door lock arrangement incorporating a crash coupling arrangement with a deflectable coupling element that disconnects during high acceleration, allowing freewheeling movement to prevent component breakage and enabling cost-effective design without compromising crash safety, utilizing a bendable coupling element that is not exposed to extreme forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a crash element is designed as a bendable wire to block the pawl actuation lever during crash, then crash safety is improved, but the reaction time is delayed and component breakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force transmission chain is pre-configured with the crash coupling arrangement positioned to immediately interrupt force transmission upon crash occurrence. The coupling element is pre-positioned to engage with the counter contour, ready to disconnect the door handle from the pawl actuation lever without requiring movement or deformation during the crash event.
Solution Approach 2:
The force transmission chain is divided into two separate sections: one connecting the door handle to the coupling element, and another connecting the coupling element to the pawl actuation lever. This segmentation allows the crash coupling arrangement to isolate and block only the relevant portion of the force transmission chain during crash, preventing unintended door opening while maintaining normal operation when uncoupled.
2Reliability
If the force transmission chain is designed for exceptionally high forces to prevent unpredictable breakage during crash, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The crash coupling arrangement is extracted as a separate, dedicated component from the main force transmission chain. This specialized subsystem is designed solely for crash force interruption, allowing the rest of the force transmission chain to be optimized for normal operational forces without the need to over-engineer all components for extreme crash loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The crash coupling arrangement acts as an intermediary element between the door handle and the pawl actuation lever. During normal operation, it transparently transmits forces; during crash, it actively intervenes to block force transmission. This mediator approach allows the use of standard components for normal operation while adding targeted crash protection only where needed.
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 solution effectively prevents unintended door opening during crashes by allowing freewheeling movement at high accelerations, reducing the risk of component failure and enabling a robust, cost-effective design that maintains high crash safety standards.
Implementation Method 1
an inertial characteristic of the coupling element causes the coupling contour to become or to stay decoupled from the counter contour, when the actuation movement surpasses a rapidity threshold
Implementation Method 2
the coupling element is at least partly bendable and wherein the coupling element is deflectable into said positions by bending it into said positions
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle door lock arrangement has a motor vehicle lock and a force transmission chain. An actuation movement may be transmitted via the force transmission chain for opening of the motor vehicle lock. A crash coupling arrangement is provided between two force transmission chain sections, and includes a deflectable coupling element that is at least partly bendable.