Motor Vehicle Door Lock Emergency Actuation Cover Cap

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle locks with electric opening drives face issues with reliable emergency actuation due to complex designs and vulnerability to moisture and dirt ingress, making it difficult for occupants and rescue personnel to access and operate the emergency actuation element, especially in emergency situations.

Innovation Solution

A motor vehicle lock with an emergency actuation element featuring a cover cap that indicates its function through structural and optical design, allowing easy accessibility and operation, and an electromotive drive that activates the cover cap in emergencies, ensuring the transmission element can be used to open the locking mechanism without exposing the internal components to dirt or moisture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the emergency actuation element is arranged outside the lock housing for easy accessibility, then the ease of operation is improved, but the vulnerability to moisture and dirt ingress increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of emergency actuation elementVSAvoidmoisture and dirt ingress

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The emergency actuation element is segmented into two parts: a cover cap that can be moved relative to the lock housing (exposed for accessibility) and the internal transmission element that remains protected inside the housing. This segmentation allows the external interface to be accessible while the internal components remain protected from environmental hazards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover cap acts as an intermediary element between the external environment and the internal transmission element. It provides a protected interface that can be actuated from outside while preventing direct exposure of the transmission element to moisture and dirt, thus mediating between accessibility requirements and protection requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a complex emergency actuation mechanism with additional drives and energy sources is implemented, then the reliability of emergency opening is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency opening functionalityVSAvoidstructure of emergency actuation mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The solution extracts and eliminates the complex emergency energy source and additional drive mechanisms from the system. Instead, it relies on the existing electric opening drive and battery infrastructure already present in the vehicle lock system, thereby achieving emergency functionality without adding complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The existing electric opening drive and battery are made multi-functional by enabling them to serve both normal operation and emergency opening functions. The cover cap mechanism allows the same transmission elements to be actuated either by the electric motor during normal operation or by manual intervention during emergencies, eliminating the need for separate emergency systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the emergency actuation element is concealed inside the lock housing for protection, then the protection from environmental factors is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from moisture and dirtVSAvoidaccessibility of emergency actuation element

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cover cap is designed to be movable relative to the lock housing, transitioning between a closed position (providing protection) and an open position (providing accessibility). This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt its state based on operational requirements, being protected during storage and accessible during emergencies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cover cap is pre-positioned in a closed protective state during normal operation. In the event of an emergency, it can be quickly opened to expose the transmission element for manual actuation. This preliminary positioning ensures protection is automatically in place unless emergency conditions require access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250003265A1Motor vehicle lock, in particular motor vehicle door lock

Publication Date: 2025.01.02 KIEKERT AG

AI summary

A motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, equipped with a locking mechanism, which consists substantially of a rotary latch and a pawl, and additionally an electric opening drive for the locking mechanism and an emergency actuation element for a manual emergency opening of the locking mechanism. The emergency actuation element is arranged at least partly outside of a lock housing and acts on the locking mechanism by means of at least one transmission element for the purpose of an emergency opening process. According to the invention, the emergency actuation element has a cover cap which can be moved relative to the housing for actuating the transmission element. The cover cap additionally indicates the emergency actuation function thereof by virtue of the structural and/or optical design of the cover cap.