Dual Metal Bracket Output Shaft Support for Vehicle Door Lock Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in designing a door lock device for vehicles is to achieve weight reduction while maintaining the necessary rigidity, especially in the shaft support part, which is subjected to significant forces during door closure and opening.
Innovation Solution
The door lock device incorporates a dual metal bracket system with interlocking screw holes to support the output shaft, combining a first metal bracket with a second metal bracket to provide enhanced rigidity and stability, allowing the use of resin components for weight reduction without compromising structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the metal bracket is made thinner or its shape is changed to reduce weight, then the weight of the door lock device is reduced, but the rigidity of the metal bracket becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The single metal bracket is divided into two separate metal brackets (first metal bracket and second metal bracket). Each bracket can be optimized independently for weight reduction while maintaining necessary local rigidity. The first metal bracket supports the output shaft at a first position, and the second metal bracket supports it at a second position, distributing the structural requirements across multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple metal brackets with different resin components (motor unit, gear components) to create a composite structure. The metal brackets provide the necessary rigidity for structural support, while the resin components reduce overall weight. This composite approach allows weight reduction without compromising the rigidity required for handling door closure forces.
2Device complexity
If a single metal bracket is used to support the output shaft, then the structure is simple, but the rigidity at the shaft support part is insufficient to handle large forces during door closure
Solution Approach 1:
The output shaft support function is segmented across two separate metal brackets positioned at different locations. The first metal bracket supports the output shaft at a first position, and the second metal bracket supports it at a second position. This segmentation allows each bracket to be optimized for its specific support role while collectively providing the necessary overall rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional aspect to the support structure by positioning the two metal brackets at different spatial locations along the output shaft. This creates a distributed support system that enhances rigidity through spatial distribution rather than concentrating all support requirements in a single bracket.
Data Source
AI summary
A door lock device including: a latch; a ratchet; an output shaft configured to rotate by a motor; an output lever configured to move the latch from a half latch position to a full latch position when the output shaft is rotated in a normal direction, and to release an engagement of the ratchet to the latch when the output shaft is rotated in a reverse direction; a first metal bracket including a first shaft support hole configured to rotatably support the output shaft; and a second metal bracket including a second shaft support hole configured to rotatably support the output shaft at a location different from that of the first shaft support hole, wherein the first metal bracket and the second metal bracket are fixed to each other by two or more screw holes of the first metal bracket and two or more holes of the second metal bracket.