Vehicle Lid Lock Intermediate Portion Angled Surfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lid lock devices for vehicles are prone to becoming stuck due to water or dust accumulation, which can lead to mechanical failure and operational issues, as these substances can enter the housing and cause the lock member to freeze or become jammed.

Innovation Solution

The lid lock device incorporates a lock member with a main shaft, intermediate, and tip end portion, where the intermediate portion is designed with inclination surfaces that guide water, dust, or muddy water downward or outward, preventing it from reaching the main shaft and housing, and a step portion is used to further restrict entry, ensuring the lock member remains functional.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sealing member is provided between the lock member and the opening portion of the housing to prevent water or dust from invading, then the housing is protected from water and dust, but water or dust can still enter the gap between the lock member and the opening portion, causing the lock member to become stuck

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of housing from water and dustVSAvoidwater or dust accumulation in gap causing lock member to stick

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lock member incorporates an inclination surface that slopes downward from the opening portion toward the tip end, creating a curved/angled surface that prevents water and dust from accumulating in the gap between the lock member and the opening portion of the housing, thereby eliminating the sticking problem while maintaining sealing effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Weight of moving object

If the tip end portion of the lock member is made thinner to reduce weight and material usage, then weight and material consumption are reduced, but the structural strength of the lock member may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of lock memberVSAvoidstructural strength of lock member

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The lock member features a tapered structure where the cross-sectional area gradually decreases from the base toward the tip end, with the inclination surface providing both weight reduction and maintained structural integrity through optimized local geometry that distributes stress appropriately along the length of the lock member

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10385596B2Lid lock device

Publication Date: 2019.08.20 AISIN SEIKI KK

AI summary

A lid lock device attached to a vehicle includes: a housing; and a lock member which includes a main shaft portion, an intermediate portion extending from the main shaft portion, and a tip end portion extending from the intermediate portion and thinner than the main shaft portion, which is provided in the housing to be movable in an axial direction, and in which at least the tip end portion and the intermediate portion are disposed outside the housing, wherein the intermediate portion is configured to be narrow from the main shaft portion side toward the tip end portion side and the intermediate portion is provided with at least one inclination surface inclining downward in a direction toward the outside of the vehicle in a width direction of the vehicle and inclining to a central axis in a direction toward the tip end portion.