Motor Vehicle Door Lock Actuation Lever System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle door latch systems with primary and secondary latches require separate components and mechanisms for advanced locking and convenience functions, leading to increased complexity and cost, especially when dealing with large or sliding doors where multiple latches are necessary.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle door latch system that incorporates a locking mechanism with a catch and pawl, allowing indirect unlocking via an activation lever and a locking device, which can disengage the activation lever chain from both the primary and secondary latches, enabling joint locking and convenience functions with a cost-effective, simple construction by using a second activation lever and a pivotably accommodated locking lever.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate components and mechanisms are used for primary and secondary latches, then each latch can be independently controlled, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control mechanisms of primary and secondary latches by implementing a shared activation lever system. The activation lever can simultaneously control both latches through a unified mechanical connection, reducing the number of separate components while maintaining independent control capability through selective engagement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The activation lever is designed with multi-functionality to serve both primary and secondary latches. A single activation lever can engage with different coupling mechanisms to control either latch independently or both latches together, eliminating the need for separate control systems and reducing overall device complexity.
2Device complexity
If a mechanical connection is made between primary and secondary latches to share activation, then component count is reduced, but the triggering forces must overcome combined resistance and tolerance accumulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical connection system is segmented into separate engagement points and coupling mechanisms for each latch. The activation lever can selectively engage with either the primary latch coupling or the secondary latch coupling through distinct mechanical paths, allowing triggering forces to be applied independently to each latch without having to overcome combined resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
Coupling mechanisms act as intermediaries between the activation lever and each latch. These coupling mechanisms translate the activation lever's movement into appropriate triggering forces for each specific latch, distributing the force requirements and preventing tolerance accumulation from directly affecting the triggering force needs.
3Device complexity
If the activation lever path is extended to reach both latches, then a single activation mechanism can control both latches, but the available activation path must bridge distances with tolerances and sufficient triggering forces
Solution Approach 1:
The activation path is segmented into separate controllable segments. Rather than requiring a single continuous activation path to reach both latches, the system provides separate engagement points along the activation lever's range of motion, allowing each latch to be reached through its own optimized mechanical path with appropriate force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanisms are pre-positioned and pre-aligned along the activation lever's path of motion. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the activation lever is actuated, the mechanical connections are already in the correct configuration to transmit forces effectively, eliminating the need to bridge large distances with accumulated tolerances.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock (1) which comprises a locking mechanism having a rotary latch and at least one pawl, and a first actuating lever (8), the locking mechanism being at least indirectly unlockable by means of the actuating lever (8), and the locking mechanism further having a locking device (21). The actuating lever (8) can be disengaged from the locking mechanism by means of the locking device (21). An additional motor vehicle door lock (2) is provided, and said vehicle door lock (2) can be actuated by means of the actuating lever (8). The actuating lever chain to the additional motor vehicle lock (2) can be disengaged by means of the locking device (21).