Flush Vehicle Door Handle with Pull-Actuated Latch
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door handles for vehicles, especially those from the 1950s to 1970s, are prone to accidentally opening during collisions or rollovers due to their protruding design, posing a safety risk to occupants, and restoration efforts often require replacement parts that enhance safety and aesthetics while maintaining a custom look.
Innovation Solution
A flush-mounted door handle assembly with a housing and a pivotally coupled handle, where the handle is actuated by depressing the thumb portion to pivot and release the door latch mechanism, ensuring the door can only be opened by pulling, reducing the likelihood of accidental opening during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a protruding push button door handle design is used, then the door can be easily opened by pushing, but the door may accidentally open during collisions or rollovers causing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional push-button operation by requiring a pulling motion instead. The handle is designed to be pulled toward the user to release the latch, which prevents accidental activation during collisions while maintaining ease of operation through the natural pulling motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing the handle mechanism to resist unintended activation. The internal linkage and positioning are configured to require a deliberate pulling motion, preventing the latch from releasing due to external impacts or accidental contact.
2Reliability
If a flush-mounted door handle is used, then the aesthetic appeal and safety are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nesting by placing the handle mechanism within a recessed housing that is integrated into the door panel. The handle, linkage, and latch components are nested within the door structure, achieving a flush-mounted appearance while managing complexity through compact integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the handle, housing, and mounting components into an integrated assembly. The handle is combined with the recessed housing and internal linkage mechanisms, reducing the number of separate parts and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining the flush-mounted aesthetic and safety features.
3Reliability
If an outward force mechanism is used for door opening, then safety is improved, but the ease of operation compared to pushing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by designing the handle to move in a pulling motion that is ergonomically natural. The handle is positioned and dimensioned to allow easy grasping and pulling, making the outward force operation as intuitive and easy as the conventional push motion while maintaining safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A flush mounted, vehicle door handle includes a housing having an outer wall defining an interior recess and a handle pivotally coupled to the housing. A first portion of the handle is configured for pressing on a first side of a fulcrum and a second portion of the handle is configured for pulling on a second side of the fulcrum. The handle is disposed within the interior recess of the housing when positioned in a first, resting position. The first portion of the door handle has a back surface provided for actuating a door latch mechanism of an existing vehicle door when the housing is mounted to a door panel of a vehicle. Thus, when the handle is pivoted about the fulcrum to a second position, the door latch mechanism is actuated causing the door latch mechanism to release the automobile door allowing the door to open.