Vehicle Door Lock Crash Element With Linear Guide Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle locks with pivoting crash elements are prone to failure under high crash forces due to the requirement for perpendicular force application, necessitating robust and expensive designs to maintain operational reliability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a crash element bearing designed as a linear guide, allowing the crash element to be slidably guided and absorbing forces regardless of orientation, with a plate-shaped engagement section and a stationary support to transmit blocking forces, enabling a cost-effective and robust design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pivoting bearing is used for the crash element, then operational reliability is improved, but the design becomes more expensive and complex due to the requirement for perpendicular force application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the force transmission function from the pivot bearing by introducing a separate support structure. The crash element is decoupled from the pivot bearing for force transmission, with forces being transmitted through the support instead, thereby simplifying the pivot bearing's role to only guiding the blocking movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the force transmission path from the guiding path. The guiding function is handled by the linear guide bearing, while the force transmission function is handled by the support structure, allowing each component to be optimized independently for its specific function.
2Reliability
If a robust pivot bearing design is used to withstand high crash forces, then reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high-force bearing capacity requirement from the pivot bearing and transfers it to the support structure. The pivot bearing only needs to guide the blocking movement, while the support structure absorbs the high crash forces, allowing for a more cost-effective overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure acts as an intermediary between the crash element and the vehicle lock housing, absorbing and transmitting the high crash forces away from the pivot bearing. This mediator allows the pivot bearing to be simpler while maintaining overall system reliability.
3Reliability
If the crash element is designed to pivot, then operational reliability under adverse conditions is improved, but the force application requirement limits design flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the crash element pivot to absorb forces, the patent inverts the approach by having the crash element move linearly along a guide while forces are absorbed by a separate support structure. This reversal of the traditional pivot mechanism provides greater design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The linear guide bearing provides universal guiding capability in one direction, while the support structure handles force transmission independently. This multi-functional separation allows the system to adapt to various crash scenarios and design requirements.
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
Enhances operational reliability by effectively absorbing crash forces over a large area, reducing the need for expensive pivot bearings and maintaining the lock's functionality during crashes.
Implementation Method 1
a linear guide, if appropriately designed, is robust against force application to the crash element, even when the force's orientation deviates from that of the linear guide
Implementation Method 2
the crash forces are absorbed substantially by the plate surface of the engagement section. In this way, the absorption of crash forces over a relatively large area corresponding to the plate surface is possible
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock for a motor vehicle door assembly (2), wherein a lock latch (3) and a locking pawl (4) associated with the lock latch (3) are provided, wherein the lock latch (3) can be brought into an open position and into a closed position, wherein the lock latch (3) in the closed position engages with a locking wedge or the like.is or can be brought into a closed position, wherein the locking pawl (4) can be brought into a closed position in which it fixes the latch (3) in the closed position, and wherein the locking pawl (4) can be lifted into a release position in which it releases the latch (3), wherein the locking pawl (4) can be brought into the release position by means of an actuating arrangement (6), wherein a crash element (8) is provided which, in order to prevent the locking pawl (4) from being lifted out in a crash, can be adjusted into a crash position by means of a component (9) of the motor vehicle door assembly (2), in particular a door outer skin (2b), by means of the latter's crash-induced deformation, and wherein, for this purpose, the crash element (8) in the crash position or an element coupled thereto blocks the locking pawl (4) and/or the actuating arrangement (6) or decouples the actuating arrangement from the locking pawl (4).It is proposed that a crash element bearing (11) be provided which is designed as a linear guide and in which the crash element (8) is slidably guided.