Vehicle Door Lock Lever Mechanism Blocking Rigidity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle door lock apparatus faces challenges in improving blocking rigidity when the fork is in the unlatched position and struggles to reduce thickness in the vehicle inward-outward direction due to the complex interlocking mechanisms and close positioning of components.
Innovation Solution
The proposed vehicle door lock apparatus incorporates a fork pivotably provided in the housing, a pawl for fixing or releasing the fork, and additional levers that enhance blocking rigidity by preventing displacement of the fork from the latched to the unlatched position, while optimizing the design to reduce thickness by separating the functions of the fork following lever and the adjuster switch lever.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the detecting lever contacts and stops the locking/unlocking lever to prevent locking operations when the fork is unlatched, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple interlocking components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the detecting lever and locking/unlocking lever into a single integrated component. The detecting lever is formed as one piece with the locking/unlocking lever, eliminating the need for separate interlocking components while maintaining the function of preventing unintended locking operations when the fork is in the unlatched position.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated lever performs multiple functions: it detects the position of the fork, prevents locking operations when the fork is unlatched, and enables locking operations when the fork is latched. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components needed in the system.
2Reliability
If multiple levers are closely positioned to achieve interlocking functions, then reliability is improved, but the thickness of the door lock apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the detecting lever and locking/unlocking lever into a single integrated component, the patent reduces the number of separate parts that need to be closely positioned, thereby reducing the overall thickness of the door lock apparatus in the vehicle inward-outward direction while maintaining blocking rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent repositions the integrated lever in the up-down direction rather than requiring close positioning in the thickness direction. This dimensional change allows the levers to achieve interlocking functions without increasing the thickness of the door lock apparatus.
3Device complexity
If the fork following lever and adjuster switch lever are separated into different functions, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fork following lever and adjuster switch lever into a single integrated component, reducing the number of separate parts. This integration simplifies the overall device structure while the patent addresses manufacturing precision requirements through proper design of the integrated component's geometry and positioning features.
Data Source
AI summary
In a vehicle door lock apparatus, when disposed in an unlocking position, a second lever enables a fork to be displaced to an unlatched position and, in a locking position, it disables the fork from being displaced to the unlatched position. Third levers displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator and displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator. In an unblocking position, a fourth lever linked to the fork separates from the second lever. In a blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever and blocks it from being displaced to the locking position. A fifth lever is linked with the fourth lever, detects the position of the fork, and disconnects or connects a switch.