Vehicle Door Latch Operation Lever Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle door latch apparatus requires a resin support pin to integrate the meshing and operating portion assemblies, increasing the number of components and production costs.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door latch apparatus design where the operation lever is pivotally supported on a shaft portion with a slit in the casing, allowing temporary attachment without a support pin, and featuring a cylindrical burring to prevent inclination and ensure secure attachment, reducing the need for additional components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a resin support pin is used to integrate the meshing portion assembly and operating portion assembly, then the assemblies can be securely integrated, but the number of components increases and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the resin support pin from the assembly, integrating its support function directly into the casing structure. The operation lever is now pivotally supported by the shaft portion formed integrally with the casing, removing the need for the separate support pin component while maintaining secure integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the support function previously performed by the separate resin support pin into the casing itself. The shaft portion is formed integrally with the casing, combining the casing structure and support function into a single unified component, thereby reducing total component count.
2Reliability
If a resin support pin is used to integrate the meshing portion assembly and operating portion assembly, then the assemblies can be securely integrated, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the support function previously performed by the separate resin support pin into the casing itself. The shaft portion is formed integrally with the casing, combining the casing structure and support function into a single unified component, thereby reducing total component count and assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The casing now serves multiple functions: it provides structural housing, contains the shaft portion for pivotally supporting the operation lever, and integrates the meshing portion assembly. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated support pins and reduces overall component requirements.
3Device complexity
If the operation lever is temporarily attached to the shaft portion without a support pin, then the number of components is reduced, but the attachment may be unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adds a dimensional constraint by providing a slit in the casing through which the operation lever passes. This slit restricts movement in the axial direction while allowing rotational movement, providing stability in one dimension without compromising the rotational freedom needed for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies localized features (the slit in the casing and the burring on the shaft portion) to provide specific constraints where needed. The slit prevents axial displacement, while the burring prevents inclination, creating localized quality improvements that ensure overall attachment stability without adding global complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle door latch apparatus includes a meshing portion assembly and an operating portion assembly. The meshing portion assembly includes: a latch; and a pawl engaging with the latch for preventing a rotation of the latch. The operating portion assembly includes: a casing including a shaft portion and a slit; and an operation lever pivotally supported on the shaft portion and including a shaft hole. The slit is provided in a wall portion of the casing at right angles to a rotating plane of the operation lever. The operation lever enters the slit in a waiting position. A movement of the operation lever in a direction of a rotating axis thereof is prevented by loosely fitting the shaft hole on the shaft portion and by entering the operation lever to the slit in a state where the meshing portion assembly is not attached to the operating portion assembly.