Vehicle Door Lock Damping Device for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle doors generate excessive noise due to hard components striking the body during closure, particularly when elastomer buffers are insufficient, leading to rattling and increased noise levels.
Innovation Solution
A door lock arrangement featuring a damping device with a displaceable impact element and an actuator that applies a pre-tensioning force to absorb kinetic energy and slow down the door's closing movement, utilizing a spring element or electric motor to generate a force that counteracts the door's movement, thereby reducing noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If elastomer buffers are used to reduce noise during door closure, then noise levels are reduced, but the energy absorption capacity is insufficient when door closing force is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the elastomer buffer with a separate damping device featuring an impact element and actuator. The elastomer buffer continues to handle low-force noise reduction, while the damping device activates for high-force situations, merging the advantages of both soft cushioning and hard damping mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping device introduces dynamic characteristics to the system through its displaceable impact element and controllable actuator. The actuator can actively adjust the damping force based on the door closing speed and force, providing adaptive energy absorption that elastomer buffers alone cannot achieve.
2Loss of energy
If a damping device with displaceable impact element is added to absorb kinetic energy, then energy absorption capacity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The impact element serves multiple functions: it acts as a mechanical stop, an energy absorption element, and a trigger for the actuator. The actuator itself provides both damping during closure and pre-tensioning after closure, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping device is designed to activate automatically based on the door's closing motion. The displaceable impact element triggers the actuator through the door's own closing force, eliminating the need for external sensors or control systems to detect when damping is needed.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an actuator applies pre-tensioning force to keep door aligned with body, then noise from rattling is reduced, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator applies pre-tensioning force in periodic cycles: activating when the door closes and needs alignment, then deactivating once the door is secured. This intermittent operation rather than continuous operation significantly reduces energy consumption while maintaining noise reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator dynamically adjusts the pre-tensioning force parameter based on the specific closing conditions. For gentle closures, less force is applied; for forceful closures, more force is applied. This adaptive parameter adjustment optimizes energy usage while ensuring adequate noise reduction in all scenarios.
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 damping device significantly absorbs more energy than traditional elastomer seals, reducing noise and preventing the door from rattling by applying a pre-tensioning force that keeps the door aligned with the body, ensuring quieter operation.
Implementation Method 1
the actuator is designed to apply a pre-tensioning force, directed in an opening direction of the door, of the vehicle door relative to the body
Implementation Method 2
a damping device configured to absorb kinetic energy of the vehicle door and to slow down the closing movement of the vehicle door
Data Source
AI summary
A door lock arrangement of a vehicle door of a vehicle includes a first closing element arranged in a lock mouth of the vehicle door and a second closing element arranged on a body of the vehicle. The first and second closing elements can be brought into positive-locking engagement with each other to hold the door on the body. A damping device absorbs kinetic energy of the door during a closing movement of the door within a predetermined limit opening angle of the vehicle door relative to the body and slows down the closing movement of the door. The damping device has an impact element arranged on the door in a displaceable manner relative to the door or on the body in a displaceable manner relative to the body. The impact element is connected to an actuator, which applies a pre-tensioning force of the door directed in an opening direction of the door while the first and second closing elements are engaged with each other.