Motor Vehicle Lock Assembly Gap Positioning Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing motor vehicle lock arrangements are aerodynamically disadvantageous, pose a risk of injury in crashes, restrict design freedom, and are costly due to the inclusion of conventional outside door handles for gripping surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle lock arrangement with an adjusting drive that creates an engagement gap between the closure element and the vehicle body, allowing a hand grip to function as a replacement for the outside door handle, and a single drive motor to perform opening, closing, and lifting functions, reducing costs and increasing compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional outside door handles are used for gripping surfaces, then user comfort is improved, but aerodynamic performance deteriorates and crash safety is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gripping surface function from the conventional outside door handle and relocates it to the engagement gap between the closure element and vehicle body. The hand grip arrangement is positioned in this gap, which becomes accessible when the closure element is in the gap position, eliminating the need for protruding handles on the outer skin.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the gripping surface from a two-dimensional projection on the door outer skin to a three-dimensional engagement gap created by the adjusting drive. This dimensional change allows the hand grip to be integrated into the door gap structure rather than adding external protrusions.
2Ease of operation
If conventional outside door handles are installed, then gripping function is provided, but design freedom is restricted and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement gap serves multiple functions: it provides the gripping surface for hand operation, enables the adjusting drive to create the necessary gap for hand access, and integrates with the closure element's opening and closing mechanisms. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate conventional handles.
3Reliability
If multiple separate drives are used for opening, closing, and lifting functions, then functional reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting drive is designed to perform multiple functions: creating the engagement gap for hand access, lifting the pawl for motorized opening, and adjusting the closure element position. This single multi-functional drive replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate drives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the opening function, closing function, and gap creation function into a single adjusting drive system. The drive component can be adjusted bidirectionally to achieve different operational modes, consolidating multiple functions into one integrated mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock assembly for a closure element (3) which is adjustably coupled to a motor vehicle body (2), wherein a motor vehicle lock (5) is provided which, in the mounted state, is arranged on the closure element (3) or on the motor vehicle body (2), wherein the motor vehicle lock (5) has a lock latch (6) and a pawl (7), wherein the lock latch (6) can be brought out of an open position into at least one closing position, in particular into a main closing position and into a pre-closing position in which the lock latch (6) is in engagement with a key collar (S) or the like for transmitting door-holding forces, wherein the pawl (7), in the blocking position thereof, holds the lock latch (6) in the closing position and can be lifted into a release position in which said pawl releases the lock latch (6) in the opening direction of the lock latch (6). It is proposed that the motor vehicle lock assembly (1), in particular the motor vehicle lock (5), has an adjustment drive (8) for exerting a driving force on the closure element (3) in the opening direction thereof such that the closure element (3) can be adjusted by means of the adjustment drive (8) in a motorized raising operation from a closing position into a gap position, and an engagement gap (9) can thereby be produced between closure element (3) and motor vehicle body (2), and that the pawl (7) can be lifted by means of the adjustment drive (8) in a motorized lifting operation.