Luggage Compartment Hinge With Damped Torsion Spring Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinges for luggage compartments in vehicles and aircraft face challenges in optimizing handling and safety, particularly in ensuring controlled opening and closing movements and preventing uncontrolled springing up, while meeting high safety requirements under various conditions.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design featuring a torsion spring twisted in the opening direction, a locking pawl mechanism, and a stop element to prevent axial pretensioning, combined with a damping element that adjusts torque and damping based on the opening angle, allowing for adjustable torque settings and controlled opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a torsion spring is used to support the opening movement of the flap, then the opening movement is supported and handling is improved, but the flap may spring up in an uncontrolled manner creating safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge performs preliminary damping action before the flap completes its opening movement. The damping element is pre-positioned in the damping bore and automatically engages to control the opening speed, preventing uncontrolled springing up before the flap reaches its fully open position.
Solution Approach 2:
A damping element is introduced as an intermediary component between the torsion spring and the flap. This damping element (piston and damping bore assembly) mediates the force transmission, converting the torsion spring's potential uncontrolled force into a controlled, speed-dependent damping force that maintains safety while preserving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If the damping force is constant throughout the opening movement, then controlled opening is achieved, but the opening speed varies and handling is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The damping system transitions from a static constant-force approach to a dynamic variable-force system. The damping force varies continuously during the opening movement based on the instantaneous opening speed, automatically adjusting to maintain consistent opening speed throughout the entire range of motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element implements speed feedback control. The piston's movement through the damping bore creates a damping force that is directly proportional to the opening speed, providing real-time feedback control that automatically adjusts the damping force to maintain consistent opening speed across different positions.
3Ease of operation
If the torsion spring is pretensioned to provide sufficient opening force, then opening support is improved, but the spring may become overloaded and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element provides beforehand cushioning by being pre-positioned in the damping bore. When the flap opens, the damping element automatically engages to absorb and control the opening energy, preventing the torsion spring from becoming overloaded or damaged while still providing sufficient opening support.
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 safe and controlled opening of luggage compartment flaps, preventing uncontrolled movements and damage to the torsion spring, while allowing for easy adjustment to accommodate different flap weights and providing consistent opening speed.
Implementation Method 1
A torsion spring is located in the axle tube, the first end of which is attached to the axle tube and the second end of which is connected to an adjusting element for pretensioning the torsion spring
Implementation Method 2
The hinge has a damping element for its pivoting movement, which on the one hand is arranged in the first bearing bush of the second hinge leaf to prevent it from rotating and on the other hand is connected to the axle tube
Data Source
AI summary
A luggage compartment hinge having a first hinge leaf with one bearing bush arranged between two second hinge leaf bushes. In an axle tube, non-rotatably connected to the first hinge leaf bush and rotatable in the second hinge leaf bearing bushes, there is a torsion spring, fastened at its first end to the axle tube and at its second end to a pretensioning adjusting element. A pivoting-movement damping element is arranged between the first and second hinge leaves. The adjusting element includes: a latching element in the second hinge leaf second bush with a ratchet wheel having an outer gear rim; a locking pawl mounted on the second bush for engagement in the outer gear rim; and a stop element which limits the rotation angle of the adjusting element. This arrangement allows the locking effect of the locking pawl to be ensured even without axial pretensioning of the torsion spring.