Motor Vehicle Flap Lock Closing Delay to Reduce Pinch Injury
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle locks with closing aids pose a safety risk due to the potential for injury from the application of significant force during the closing motion, despite implementing a mechanical overload clutch to prevent excessive force transmission.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a control assembly that activates the closing drive to move the lock catch into a delay position before the main closing position, providing a delay action to allow the user to react and remove objects from the gap, and optionally issuing a warning signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the closing aid is activated to motorize the lock catch movement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to the risk of injury from significant force application
Solution Approach 1:
The control assembly performs a preliminary action by moving the lock catch to a delay position before the main closing position. This preliminary movement creates a delay period where the lock catch is positioned in a safe location, allowing users to react and remove objects from the gap before the main closing force is applied. This resolves the contradiction by providing advance warning and creating a safety buffer while maintaining the motorized closing function.
2Speed
If the lock catch is moved directly to the main closing position, then the closing speed is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to lack of user reaction time
Solution Approach 1:
The closing movement is segmented into distinct phases: first moving the lock catch to a delay position, then maintaining it there during a delay period, and finally moving it to the main closing position. This segmentation allows the system to maintain speed by completing the full closing sequence while creating a safety buffer during the delay phase. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the speed requirement (main closing motion) from the safety requirement (delay period).
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle lock for a flap of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle lock is equipped with a lock catch for engaging with a closing part in a holding manner and a pawl which is paired with the lock catch and which locks an opening of the lock catch in the lowered position and releases the lock catch in a raised position, wherein the motor vehicle lock has an electric closing drive and a control assembly, wherein the control assembly actuates the closing drive in a closing routine so as to move the lock catch in the closing direction from a starting position. The control assembly actuates the closing drive in the closing routine so as to move the lock catch from the starting position into a delay position in order to carry out a delay action and then move the lock catch into the main closing position.