Hydraulic Vehicle Door Holder for Continuous Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle door positioning systems often limit door movement to a few positions, causing issues when exiting a car parked next to others, as doors either hit adjacent vehicles or require users to grasp them firmly, and friction-based solutions have a short lifespan.

Innovation Solution

A hydraulic door positioning holder with a brake system that includes a hydraulic cylinder connected to the door and chassis, featuring a ball element and chambers with varying flow resistance to allow continuous door movement and holding in any intermediate position between closed and open.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door is restricted to a few discrete positions, then the door can be held stable in position, but the door cannot open fully without hitting adjacent vehicles or walls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening rangeVSAvoiddoor position flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a hydraulic system with fluid pressure to provide continuous positioning support for the door. The hydraulic cylinder connects to the door and uses incompressible hydraulic fluid to maintain door position at any angle, enabling full opening range without discrete position limitations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the state of the hydraulic fluid from static (holding position) to dynamic (allowing movement) based on operational needs. When the door needs to be held, hydraulic pressure maintains the position; when movement is needed, the system allows fluid flow to enable continuous position adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the door is not restricted from movement, then the door can open fully, but the door will move too much and can hit things in its way and a user of the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening rangeVSAvoiddoor collision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hydraulic system provides active control and support for door movement throughout the full opening range. The hydraulic cylinder maintains controlled movement and can prevent the door from exceeding safe positions, eliminating collision risk while enabling full opening capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback through the hydraulic pressure mechanism that responds to door position and movement forces. The hydraulic fluid pressure adjusts dynamically to provide support where needed and allow movement where appropriate, preventing harmful collisions while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If friction-based solutions are used to hold the door position, then the door can be positioned, but the solution has a relatively short lifetime before it does not hold the position

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor positioning capabilityVSAvoidposition holding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces friction-based positioning with a hydraulic support system. The hydraulic cylinder uses incompressible fluid pressure to reliably hold the door at any position without relying on friction, which degrades over time. This provides long-term reliable position holding throughout the product lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The system substitutes mechanical friction-based holding mechanisms with a hydraulic pressure-based system. This replacement eliminates the wear and degradation associated with friction components, significantly improving the reliability and lifetime of the door positioning function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

Enables the door to open fully without hitting adjacent vehicles and maintain any intermediate position, improving user safety and convenience by reducing the need for friction-based solutions.

Implementation Method 1

a hydraulic cylinder and a brake hydraulically connected in a loop to the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is configured to be connected to the vehicle door and to a chassis of the vehicle and to push a hydraulic fluid in the loop when the vehicle door is moved between the open and closed position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic pressure transmission: Pascal's Law

Implementation Method 2

the brake comprise a first chamber hydraulically connected to the loop and a second chamber hydraulically connected to the loop, and a third chamber connected in the loop by that it in a first end is hydraulically connected to the first chamber and in a second end is hydraulically connected to the second chamber, the brake further comprise a ball element configured to be positioned in the third chamber when the hydraulic fluid is still, moved by the hydraulic fluid towards the first chamber as the hydraulic fluid flows in a first direction in the loop, and moved by the hydraulic fluid towards the second chamber as the hydraulic fluid flows in a second direction in the loop

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid-driven motion: Hydraulic Press

Data Source

PatentEP3594437B1Vehicle door positioning holder
Publication Date: 2022.01.19 NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RES & DEV CO LTD
  • EP3594437B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3594437B1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP3594437B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention involves a vehicle door positioning holder (1) for positioning a vehicle door (2) in an open position, comprising a hydraulic cylinder (10) and a brake (20) hydraulically connected in a loop (L) to the hydraulic cylinder (10), wherein: the hydraulic cylinder (10) is configured to be connected to the vehicle door (2) and to a chassis (4) of the vehicle (3) and to push a hydraulic fluid in the loop (L) when the vehicle door (2) is moved between the open and closed position (O, C), the brake (20) comprise a first chamber (21) hydraulically connected to the loop (L) and a second chamber (22) hydraulically connected to the loop (L), and a cylindrically shaped third chamber (23) connected in the loop (L) by that it in a first end (23a) is hydraulically connected to the first chamber (21) and in a second end (23b) is hydraulically connected to the second chamber (22), the brake (20) further comprise a ball element (24) configured to be positioned in the third chamber (23) when the hydraulic fluid is still, moved by the hydraulic fluid towards the first chamber (21) as the hydraulic fluid flows in a first direction in the loop (L), and moved by the hydraulic fluid towards the second chamber (22) as the hydraulic fluid flows in a second direction in the loop (L), wherein a flow resistance of the flow of the hydraulic fluid in the loop is larger when the ball element (24) is positioned in the third chamber (23) than when the ball element (24) is moved towards the first or the second chamber (21, 22)