Motor Vehicle Door Unit Carrier with Retractible Fastening Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to facilitate easy integration and fitting of a unit carrier with multiple functional components into a motor vehicle door structure, while allowing for movement perpendicular to the door plane during installation, without fastening elements protruding and hindering the process.
Innovation Solution
The unit carrier features fastening elements that are initially retained in a non-protruding position, using mechanisms like latching connections, frictional retention, or material connections, allowing them to be moved into a fastened position through axial or rotational movements to engage with door structure fastening points, ensuring they do not obstruct the fitting process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fastening elements are premounted on the unit carrier in a protruding position, then secure fastening to the door structure is achieved, but the fitting process is hindered due to obstruction of movement along the door plane
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening elements are designed to be movable along the door plane within a defined range, transitioning from a retracted position during fitting to a protruding position for fastening. This dynamic capability allows the same component to serve both fitting and fastening functions without contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening elements are premounted on the unit carrier in a retracted (non-protruding) position before the fitting process begins. This preliminary positioning allows the unit carrier to be freely moved and positioned on the door structure without obstruction, and only after proper positioning do the fastening elements protrude to engage with the door structure.
2Ease of operation
If fastening elements are retained in a non-protruding position during fitting, then easy positioning and alignment is achieved, but secure fastening to the door structure cannot be established
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening elements possess dynamic capability to change their protrusion state. During the fitting phase, they remain retracted to allow easy positioning and alignment. Once positioned, they can protrude to establish secure fastening to the door structure, thus satisfying both requirements at different stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening elements are preliminarily positioned in a non-protruding state to facilitate easy positioning and alignment during fitting. After the unit carrier is properly positioned on the door structure, the fastening elements are then actuated to protrude and engage with the door structure, establishing secure fastening.
3Device complexity
If the unit carrier is designed with integrated fastening elements, then device complexity is reduced, but the fastening elements may obstruct movement during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated fastening elements are designed with dynamic movement capability along the door plane. This allows them to be retracted during installation to avoid obstructing movement, and then protrude after positioning to perform their fastening function, thus maintaining integration while enabling easy installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening elements are preliminarily positioned in a retracted state as part of the integrated unit carrier design. This preliminary configuration allows the entire unit carrier to be easily moved and positioned during installation without obstruction from the fastening elements. After positioning, the fastening elements are actuated to protrude and engage with the door structure.
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 solution enables the unit carrier to be easily positioned and aligned with functional components like a lock subassembly during installation, while ensuring secure fastening to the door structure without initial protrusion, enhancing the integration and alignment process.
Implementation Method 1
the retention being such that it may be canceled with the action of sufficiently large forces by an axial movement and/or rotational movement of the respective fastening element
Implementation Method 2
the fastening element in its mounted position is pressed into the associated through-passage, so that it is retained thereon by a frictional connection
Data Source
AI summary
A unit carrier for fitting into a door structure of a motor vehicle door, on which functional components of the motor vehicle door may be premounted, so that the unit carrier, together with the functional components, may be fitted as a door module into the door structure, includes a surface of the unit carrier on the door structure side and fastening elements provided on the unit carrier. The fastening elements protrude from the surface of the unit carrier on the door structure side and engage in associated fastening points of the door structure, when the unit carrier is fitted into the door structure. The fastening elements are retained in a mounted position on the unit carrier before fitting the unit carrier into the door structure such that they do not protrude from the surface of the unit carrier on the door structure side.