Motor Vehicle Latch With Forged Fiber Composite Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle locks, particularly door locks, face high production costs and recycling challenges due to the use of high-strength steel components that require multiple processing steps and coatings, which are inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a forged fiber composite material, such as carbon fibers embedded in a plastic resin matrix, to create high-strength structural components like rotary latches and pawls, eliminating the need for additional processing and coatings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high-strength steel is used for locking mechanism components, then strength and security are improved, but production complexity and cost increase due to multiple processing steps and coatings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses glass-fiber-reinforced polyvinyl sulfide composite material to replace high-strength steel in locking mechanism components. This composite material achieves the required strength properties while eliminating the need for multiple processing steps, heat treatment, anti-corrosion coatings, and overmolding, thereby significantly reducing production complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by selecting a thermoplastic composite with specific properties (modulus of elasticity >5000 N/mm2, glass fiber content approx. 40% by weight) that can match or exceed steel strength while enabling simplified manufacturing processes without requiring post-processing or coatings
2Strength
If high-strength steel is used for locking mechanism components, then strength and security are improved, but production cost increases due to multiple processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs glass-fiber-reinforced polyvinyl sulfide composite material that can be directly processed into final locking mechanism components without requiring subsequent heat treatment, coating, or overmolding operations, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining required strength levels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate processing steps (heat treatment, anti-corrosion coating application, overmolding) from the production process by using a composite material that inherently provides the required strength and surface properties in a single manufacturing step
3Strength
If steel components are used, then strength is improved, but recyclability and resource efficiency worsen due to multiple processing steps and coatings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thermoplastic composite material with glass fibers that can be more easily recycled compared to steel components with multiple coatings and treatments. The single-material construction without mixed coatings simplifies recycling processes and reduces material waste
Solution Approach 2:
The patent facilitates material recovery and recycling by using a composite material system that can be more easily processed and reclaimed at end-of-life, reducing scrap loss and improving resource efficiency compared to multi-layer steel components with various coatings
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 solution results in a lightweight, cost-effective, and easily recyclable motor vehicle lock with isotropic strength, reducing production complexity and waste, while maintaining high tensile and flexural strengths.
Implementation Method 1
a plastic composite material consisting of fibers in a matrix of a plastic resin... The fibers used at this point typically have a length of 5 mm to 20 mm and are in particular around 15 mm in length. In this way, a plastic composite material is provided which has an isotropic strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock. This has one or more high-strength structural components, for example a rotary latch and a pawl. The relevant structural component is made of plastic composite material consisting of fibers in a matrix of a plastic resin or has such a plastic composite material as an essential component. According to the invention, a forged fiber composite material is used as the plastic composite material.