Automotive Flip Key Rotatable Bearing Torque Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flip keys are prone to damage due to their misuse as improvised tools, particularly affecting the rotatable bearing mechanism, which compromises their ability to maintain a secure position for vehicle locks.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a push button with radially extending legs that engage with anchoring grooves in the rotatable bearing, providing additional stability and resistance to rotation, allowing the key to withstand higher forces without damage, by distributing torque through transverse shear forces and utilizing a helicoidal spring to maintain the button in an idle position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the housing is made large in size to receive the insert, rotating mechanism, and electronic equipment, then the key becomes comfortable for prehension and functional, but the key becomes vulnerable to damage when used as an improvised tool
Solution Approach 1:
The key is divided into distinct functional modules: the housing containing electronic equipment, the rotatable bearing with insert for mechanical functions, and the push button mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the housing provides comfortable prehension while the rotatable bearing incorporates specific structural features to resist tool-like misuse forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable bearing is designed with pre-positioned structural features including radial grooves and engagement surfaces that are prepared in advance to absorb and distribute forces before damage can occur. The bearing structure anticipates potential misuse forces and incorporates them into its design, allowing the key to withstand tool-like applications without failing.
2Ease of operation
If the rotatable bearing is designed to rotate freely for easy operation, then the key is easy to use for locking, but the bearing becomes prone to damage from excessive forces
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable bearing exhibits different mechanical properties in different locations: the central portion allows free rotation for easy locking operation, while the peripheral regions incorporate reinforced structures with radial grooves and engagement surfaces that resist excessive forces. This local differentiation of mechanical properties enables the bearing to simultaneously provide ease of operation and reliability against misuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing design incorporates dynamic elements including a push button mechanism that can engage or disengage from the bearing surface. This dynamic interaction allows the bearing to adapt its resistance characteristics based on the applied force - allowing free rotation under normal operating conditions while engaging the push button to prevent rotation under excessive forces, thereby protecting the bearing from damage.
3Strength
If the key is made robust to withstand tool-like forces, then the key becomes resistant to damage, but the housing volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire housing robust, the design applies enhanced structural features locally at the rotatable bearing where tool-like forces are applied. The housing maintains its original compact volume while the bearing incorporates localized reinforcement including radial grooves, engagement surfaces, and integrated push button mechanisms that provide robustness against misuse without increasing overall housing size.
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 enhanced design significantly increases the key's robustness against misuse, enabling it to handle higher torque values before damage occurs, ensuring the rotatable bearing remains functional for vehicle access and ignition purposes.
Implementation Method 1
a helicoidal spring to maintain the button in an idle position
Implementation Method 2
distributing torque through transverse shear forces
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an automotive vehicle key in which a button (30) maintains by means of two legs (32, 33) a rotatable bearing (20) and a housing (40) fixed in mutual rotation at least in a situation where the key is in open position, the rotatable bearing (20) presenting an elongated shape so that the rotatable bearing (20) presents at least a longer dimension (a) and at least a shorter dimension (b) transversal to the said at least one longer dimension (a), wherein one leg (33) of the said at least two legs (32, 33) extends sensibly in the direction of the longer dimension (a) and the other leg (32) of the at least two legs (32,33) extends sensibly in the direction of the shorter transversal dimension (b), and the leg (33) extending in the direction of the longer dimension (a) is longer along said longer direction (a) than the leg (32) which extends in the direction of the transversal dimension (b).