Vehicle Side Door Rack Mechanism for Smooth Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle side door opening/closing devices with complex connection mechanisms are prone to malfunction over long periods, leading to difficulties in smooth operation.
Innovation Solution
A simplified mechanism using a motor, gear case, speed reducer, rack, and engagement holding unit, where the rack engages with an output gear to open and close the side door, with the engagement holding unit ensuring constant engagement and rotation around the output gear's center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex connection mechanism with two links and two pivotal shafts is used to connect the driving unit with the vehicle body, then the side door can be opened and closed, but the formation becomes complex with many parts leading to malfunction risk over long-period operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the two-link connection mechanism into a single rack structure. The rack directly connects the driving unit to the vehicle body, eliminating the need for separate links and pivotal shafts. This consolidation reduces the number of parts while maintaining the door opening/closing function, thereby improving reliability through fewer potential failure points.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the connection mechanism and the gear engagement structure. By integrating the rack with the rack gear that engages the output gear, the design eliminates the need for separate connection components, reducing complexity while achieving the same mechanical advantage and motion transmission.
2Ease of operation
If a complex connection mechanism with many parts is used, then the side door opening/closing function is achieved, but the side door cannot be smoothly operated in long-period operation due to malfunction risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the connection and gear engagement functions into a unified rack structure. This single component design eliminates multiple joints and connection points that could fail, ensuring smooth operation over time by reducing the number of moving parts that require maintenance or could malfunction.
3Ease of operation
If a rack with rack gear is used to engage with the output gear, then the side door can be moved smoothly, but the engagement allowance must be constantly maintained requiring an engagement holding unit
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement holding unit is designed to dynamically adjust the rack's longitudinal position based on operational conditions. By allowing the rack to move slightly along its longitudinal axis, the system automatically maintains optimal engagement allowance between the rack gear and output gear, ensuring smooth operation without requiring complex external adjustment mechanisms.
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
This configuration simplifies the mechanism and enables smooth long-term operation of the side door by maintaining constant engagement between the rack and output gear, reducing the risk of malfunction and ensuring reliable opening and closing.
Implementation Method 1
a rack of which an end portion is pivotably supported to the vehicle body and another end portion is inserted into the side door, and which is provided with a rack gear along an edge portion of the rack to engage with the output gear
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle side door opening/closing device includes a motor, a gear case to which the motor is fixed and which is fixed to a side door, a speed reducer built in the gear case, an output gear provided to the speed reducer, a rack of which an end portion is pivotably supported to a vehicle body and which is provided with a rack gear, and an engagement holding unit connected with the gear case and movably supporting the rack while constantly keeping an engagement allowance between the rack and the output gear. The side door is moved in an opening direction by pushing the rack and in a closing direction by pulling the rack respectively following the rotation of the output gear. The engagement holding unit rotates around a rotation center of the output gear by a swing of the rack following the opening/closing operation of the side door.