Vehicle Door Operator Using Over-Center Locking and Coordination Bar
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle door operator assemblies, particularly in rail and transit vehicles, face inefficiencies due to the use of low-efficiency lead screws and high replacement costs, as well as the need for synchronized helical cams in toothed belt systems, which can be complex and costly to maintain.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door operator system featuring a motor with a rotating output shaft and housing that actuates a driving mechanism for sliding motion, coupled with a coordination bar and linkage assemblies for plugging motion, providing a self-locking mechanism and improved force distribution through over-center locking, eliminating the need for helical cams and enhancing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a lead screw mechanism is used to drive the door panels longitudinally, then the door can be moved with simple structure, but the efficiency is low and replacement costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional lead screw mechanism with a direct drive system where the motor shaft is coupled to the door panels through a belt and pulley system. This substitution eliminates the inefficient lead screw while maintaining the ability to convert rotational motion to linear motion, thereby improving energy efficiency without significantly complicating the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical transmission parameters by using a belt-driven system with adjustable belt tension and pulley ratios. This allows for optimization of the drive system efficiency while maintaining structural simplicity, addressing both the efficiency loss and ease of manufacture requirements.
2Ease of operation
If helical cams are used to provide lateral plugging/unplugging motion, then the door panels can be moved laterally, but the system complexity increases due to synchronization requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lateral plugging motion function from the complex helical cam system and implements it through a simpler mechanism. The motor shaft rotation directly drives a crank or eccentric mechanism that converts rotational motion into lateral plugging motion, eliminating the need for synchronized helical cams while maintaining the ease of operation for lateral door movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the motor shaft serve multiple functions simultaneously: it drives the longitudinal movement of door panels through the belt system, and it also drives the lateral plugging motion through the crank or eccentric mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate helical cam systems, reducing device complexity while maintaining operational ease.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the motor housing is rigidly attached to a stationary frame, then the structure is stable, but the axial movement needed for plugging motion cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the motor assembly into independent functional components: the motor body remains rigidly mounted to the stationary frame for stability, while the motor shaft and its connected mechanisms (belt system, crank mechanism) are designed to provide the necessary axial and lateral movements. This segmentation allows the motor housing to remain stable while achieving the required plugging motion through other components.
Data Source
AI summary
A system with a base may be mounted on a vehicle, and a carriage assembly that may be movably connected to the base and may move with respect to the base. The carriage assembly may include a motor including a motor output shaft and motor housing, and a driving mechanism may couple to a door and to the motor output shaft or the motor housing. The carriage assembly may also include a coordination bar may be coupled to the motor output shaft or the motor housing, the motor output shaft or the motor housing may rotate the coordination bar responsive to operation of the motor. At least one linkage assembly may extend or retract to move the carriage assembly to move the door between an open position and a closed position based on rotation of the coordination bar.