Electric Tailgate Strut With Gas Spring Counterbalance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electric struts in tailgate systems experience shaking during operation, especially in heavy vehicles, and single electric struts lack sufficient power for large tailgates, affecting user experience and smoothness.
Innovation Solution
An electric tailgate strut design featuring a telescopic rod with a gas spring mechanism, including a thread tube, piston, and a driving unit, allowing the outer tube to move along the inner tube via motor-driven rotation, enhancing smoothness and stability through a non-lockable gas spring and controlled motor rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If traditional electric struts are used without damp construction, then the structure is simpler, but the tailgate shakes during rising or falling process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electric strut (motor-driven screw actuator) with a gas spring into an integrated assembly. The gas spring is positioned inside the telescopic rod of the electric strut, merging two functional components into one unified structure that provides both motorized actuation and passive damping support.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas spring acts as a counterweight mechanism that offsets the weight of the tailgate. By providing an upward counterbalancing force, the gas spring reduces the load on the electric motor and stabilizes the tailgate during operation, preventing shaking while the motor provides controlled movement.
2Device complexity
If a single electric strut is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the power is insufficient for heavy vehicles with large tailgate mass
Solution Approach 1:
The gas spring provides a counterbalancing force that offsets the tailgate weight, reducing the effective load on the electric motor. This allows a single strut with a smaller, less powerful motor to adequately support heavy tailgates in off-road vehicles, avoiding the need for multiple high-power motors.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the electric motor and gas spring into a single integrated strut assembly, the patent achieves the power assistance of a dual-strut system within a single unit, providing sufficient lifting capability for heavy vehicles without increasing device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If PR+FEBI configuration is used, then the smoothness of tailgate operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electric strut and gas spring into one integrated assembly, achieving the smooth operational characteristics of the PR+FEBI configuration while reducing device complexity. The gas spring provides continuous counterbalancing support throughout the tailgate's movement range, ensuring smooth operation without requiring separate components.
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
The design improves the smoothness of tailgate operation and reduces motor load by utilizing a gas spring mechanism, providing increased thrust and stability, while protective covers ensure waterproofing and dustproofing.
Implementation Method 1
gas spring, which is arranged inside the telescopic rod and includes thread tube with thread on inner wall, piston and piston rod
Implementation Method 2
driving unit, which is fixedly arranged in outer tube and serves to drive piston rod in the rotation so that piston rod drives outer tube to move along axial direction of inner tube
Implementation Method 3
thread tube with thread on inner wall
Implementation Method 4
thread tube with thread on inner wall, piston and piston rod
Data Source
AI summary
An electric tailgate strut includes telescopic rod, gas spring, driving unit and tailgate connection assembly. Telescopic rod comprises outer tube and inner tube, wherein the outer tube can move along the axial direction of inner tube. Gas spring is arranged inside telescopic rod and includes thread tube with thread on inner wall, piston and piston rod. Driving unit is fixedly arranged in the outer tube and serves to drive piston rod in the rotation so that piston rod drives outer tube to move along axial direction of inner tube. Tailgate connection assembly is located at both ends of telescopic rod and is used for connection between telescopic rod and tailgate. Piston rod is driven to rotate by motor, so that outer tube can move along axial direction of inner tube to achieve rise or fall of strut. Thread tube itself, piston rod and piston form a gas spring.