Vehicle Flap Locking Wedge With Predetermined Breaking Point
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing locking wedge systems for vehicle flaps, such as vehicle doors, can become difficult or impossible to open after a crash due to the twisting of the vehicle body during an accident, as the locking wedge system becomes tensioned, preventing the vehicle flap from being opened.
Innovation Solution
A striker system with locking wedges having a predetermined breaking point, allowing the locking wedges to separate when a specific force threshold is exceeded, ensuring the vehicle flap can be opened after a crash while preventing breakage under normal operational mechanical stress, achieved through geometric or material design of the locking wedges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the locking wedge system is designed with high frictional connection and form fit to securely couple the vehicle door to the vehicle body, then the reliability of the locking system is improved, but the ability to open the door after a crash deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking wedge is segmented into two functional zones: a robust base portion for normal locking operations and a predetermined breaking point section with reduced cross-section. This segmentation allows the locking system to maintain high reliability during normal use while providing a controlled failure path during crashes, enabling door opening when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking wedge features local quality variation through the predetermined breaking point, where the cross-sectional area is intentionally reduced at a specific location. This creates a localized weak point that preferentially fails under extreme loading conditions (crashes) while the rest of the locking wedge maintains its full strength for normal operational reliability.
2Strength
If the locking wedge is designed to be strong and rigid to prevent breakage under normal operational loads, then the durability is improved, but the ability to break under crash conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking wedge is pre-designed with a predetermined breaking point during manufacturing, creating a known weak location before any crash occurs. This preliminary action ensures that under crash conditions, the wedge will fail at the predetermined location rather than randomly, enabling reliable door opening. The breaking point geometry (reduced cross-section, concave curvature, or conical shape) is established in advance to control failure behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking wedge incorporates parameter changes in its geometric configuration at the predetermined breaking point, specifically reducing the cross-sectional area compared to the rest of the wedge. This parameter change creates a strength differential that allows the wedge to maintain high strength for normal operations while having a controlled weak point for crash conditions. Material design variations (different ductility levels) may also be applied at the breaking point area.
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 flap remains securely wedged during an accident but can be opened post-crash, and prevents breakage under normal operational loads by introducing a predetermined breaking point that disconnects the locking wedge from the holding jaws when excessive force is applied.
Implementation Method 1
two mutually displaceably mounted locking wedges (2.1) with wedge surfaces (2.11) and with a locking wedge holder (2.2) for slidably receiving the locking wedges (2.1), a holding jaw module (3) with two holding jaws (3.1) accommodating the locking wedge module (2) between them, the holding jaws (3.1) being designed with keyways (3.11) adapted to the contour of the wedge surfaces (2.11) of the locking wedges (2.1), and one drive device (4) with which, in order to couple the vehicle flap (11) to the structural part (12), the locking wedges (2.1) are pressed into the wedge grooves (3.11) by moving them apart with their wedge surfaces (2.11)
Implementation Method 2
at least one locking wedge (2.1) has a predetermined breaking point (2.12), with which a separation of the locking wedge pressed into the wedge grooves (3.11) into a part on the wedge groove side (2.13) and a part on the locking wedge holder side (2.14) is effected when the loading force of the locking wedge (2.1) exceeds the operational mechanical load
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a locking wedge system (1) for the detachable coupling of a vehicle flap (11) with a structural part (12) of a vehicle body (10), comprising a locking wedge module (2) with two locking wedges (2.1) with wedge surfaces (2.11) mounted slidably relative to each other and with a locking wedge holder (2.2) for slidably receiving the locking wedges (2.1), a retaining jaw module (3) with two retaining jaws (3.1) receiving the locking wedge module (2) between them, wherein the retaining jaws (3.1) are formed with wedge grooves (3.11) adapted to the contour of the wedge surfaces (2.11) of the locking wedges (2.1), and a drive device (4) with which, in order to produce the coupling of the vehicle flap (11) with the structural part (12), the locking wedges (2.1) are moved apart with their wedge surfaces (2.11) into the wedge grooves (3.11). be pressed. According to the invention, it is provided that at least one locking wedge (2.1) has a predetermined breaking point (2.12) which, in the event of a load force exceeding the normal mechanical load of the locking wedge (2.1), causes the locking wedge (2.1) pressed into the wedge grooves (3.11) to separate into a wedge groove-side part (2.13) and a locking wedge holder-side part (2.14).