Hinged Door Plunger Withstand Wind Forces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas props used to hold vehicle access doors open are insufficient to withstand high wind forces during emergency evacuation situations, potentially causing doors to close and hinder safe egress.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a telescoping rod member, such as a pneumatic cylinder, connected to the vehicle frame and door, with a plunger and pin mechanism that engages and disengages to maintain the door open, capable of withstanding forces up to 500 pounds of shear and compressive force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a gas prop is used to hold the door open, then the door can be supported against gravity, but the door can still be closed by manually applying force or wind forces up to 500 pounds
Solution Approach 1:
The plunger is pre-positioned within the rod member at a retracted position, ready to extend and engage the tab upon application of axial force. This preliminary positioning ensures that the door can be quickly secured in the open position during emergency evacuation without requiring manual intervention to activate the locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger-tab mechanism provides preliminary anti-action by being pre-configured to resist closure forces before they are applied. When wind forces or manual pressure attempt to close the door, the plunger can immediately extend and engage the tab to prevent closure, counteracting the harmful forces before they can overcome the gas prop's resistive force.
2Force
If the gas prop is designed to withstand 500 pounds of force, then emergency wind forces can be resisted, but the device complexity increases with additional plunger and tab components
Solution Approach 1:
The rod member serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural support element, a guide for the plunger, and a mounting structure for the tab. The plunger both supports the door in the open position and provides the locking engagement mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving 500-pound force resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger is nested within the rod member, with the plunger positioned inside the hollow cylindrical structure of the rod. This nested configuration allows the locking mechanism to be integrated within the existing support structure rather than adding external components, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity while providing the necessary 500-pound force withstanding capability.
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
Ensures the vehicle door remains open against wind forces and other external pressures, facilitating safe emergency egress by providing enhanced resistance to closure.
Implementation Method 1
The pin is configured to extend in response to an axial force applied to the plunger
Implementation Method 2
The rod member may include a telescoping rod member, which may be a pneumatic cylinder
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an assembly and a vehicle and apparatus including the assembly, for maintaining a vehicle door in an open position may include at least one rod member configured to connect at a first end to the door and at a second end to a vehicle frame. A tab may be connected to and extend in at least one direction from the rod member. A plunger may be configured to be anchored in the door and including a pin configured to extend from and retract into the plunger. The pin may be configured to engage the tab when extended and disengage from the tab when retracted.