Flush Vehicle Door Handle Pivot Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive door handles that extend outboard detract from the aesthetic appearance of vehicles and do not achieve a fully flush integration with the door surface, compromising both aesthetics and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A door handle assembly with a pivot bracket, handle arm, and motor assembly that allows the handle to pivot and extend flush with the door surface, utilizing a motor-controlled mechanism to align the handle's outboard surface with the door panel, enabling both functional operation and aesthetic appeal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door handle extends outboard of the door surface, then the handle is functional and accessible, but the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The door handle is designed to dynamically change its position between extended and retracted states. The handle arm pivots about a pivot pin, allowing the handle to extend outboard when needed for operation and retract to be flush with the door surface for aesthetic purposes. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by making the handle functional when accessed and visually integrated when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle arm and handle are nested within the door structure when retracted. The handle arm pivots to position the handle within the door panel boundaries, allowing it to be stored inside the door's profile. This nesting approach enables the handle to be both functional and aesthetically integrated, as it can be concealed within the door's overall form when not in use.
2Shape
If the door handle is partially flush with the door surface, then some aesthetic improvement is achieved, but the handle is not fully integrated and aesthetic appeal is still compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than creating a complex partially flush structure, the invention uses a simple pivot mechanism that allows the handle to achieve a fully flush position when retracted. The handle arm pivots about a pin mounted in the door, enabling the handle to align perfectly with the door surface when in the retracted position, achieving full aesthetic integration without complex structural modifications.
3Shape
If the door handle is fully retracted to be flush with the door surface, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the handle becomes inaccessible for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The handle system is designed to be dynamic rather than static. When a user needs to operate the door, the handle can be extended outward by applying force to it. The pivot mechanism allows smooth transition between retracted and extended positions, ensuring the handle is fully accessible when needed while maintaining aesthetic integration when retracted.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle system is self-actuating through user interaction. When a user pulls or pushes the handle, the force directly causes the handle arm to pivot and the handle to extend or retract. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional actuators or complex control systems, allowing the handle to transition between states based on user need.
Data Source
AI summary
A handle assembly for a vehicle door and a method of operating the handle assembly is disclosed. The door handle assembly may include a pivot bracket mounted in the vehicle door, a handle arm pivotally mounted to the pivot bracket, a handle alignable flush with a door handle cutout, and a motor assembly operatively engaging the handle arm to selectively cause pivoting of the handle arm relative to the pivot bracket. The door handle assembly may also include a handle depression limit switch, a handle flush button, or a handle extension limit switch in communication with a control module that controls the motor.