Motor Vehicle Latch Triggering Lever Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Motor vehicle latches with storage functions face issues where the pawl and triggering lever can be inadvertently activated by rapid closure, leading to unintended engagement with the storage lever function, potentially preventing proper locking mechanism engagement due to excessive acceleration during closure.

Innovation Solution

A motor vehicle latch design with a locking mechanism featuring a catch and pawl, where the triggering lever is only partly conducted by the catch, ensuring it remains in a controlled adjacent position, and includes a storage lever function that keeps the pawl disengaged until the catch is fully open, preventing unintended activation and ensuring secure locking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the triggering lever is fully conducted by the catch during closure, then the locking mechanism can be reliably engaged, but the triggering lever may be inadvertently activated by rapid closure causing unintended engagement with the storage lever function

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocking mechanism engagementVSAvoidunintended activation of storage lever function

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The conducting path of the triggering lever is segmented into two distinct phases: a first phase where the catch conducts the triggering lever during normal operation, and a second phase where a buffer element takes over to prevent further conduction. This segmentation prevents the triggering lever from being inadvertently activated by rapid closure while maintaining reliable engagement during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A buffer element is introduced as an intermediary between the catch and the triggering lever. This buffer element absorbs excess motion and prevents the triggering lever from being conducted beyond a defined position during rapid closure, thereby preventing unintended activation of the storage lever function while allowing normal operation to proceed uninterrupted.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the pawl is maintained in a disengaged position by the storage lever function, then the catch can be held in an open position under heavy load, but the triggering lever may be inadvertently activated preventing proper locking mechanism engagement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesnow load functionVSAvoidlocking mechanism engagement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The triggering lever's conduction path is divided into a first phase during normal operation and a second phase during rapid closure. The buffer element is specifically engaged during the second phase to prevent unintended activation, while the storage lever function operates independently during the first phase to maintain the pawl in a disengaged position under heavy load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer element acts as an intermediary that selectively intervenes only during rapid closure events. It prevents the triggering lever from being conducted beyond the defined position during unintended activation scenarios, while allowing the storage lever function to operate normally during controlled opening operations under snow load conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the triggering lever is completely prevented from being conducted by the catch, then unintended activation is prevented, but the locking mechanism cannot be reliably engaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunintended activation preventionVSAvoidlocking mechanism engagement

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The conduction of the triggering lever is segmented into two phases: a first phase where the catch conducts the triggering lever to enable reliable locking mechanism engagement, and a second phase where a buffer element takes over to prevent further conduction and unintended activation. This segmented approach allows both reliable engagement and prevention of unintended activation to coexist.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The catch is allowed to conduct the triggering lever partially during normal operation to ensure reliable engagement, but the conduction is intentionally limited by the buffer element which takes over during rapid closure. This partial conduction approach provides just enough movement for proper engagement while preventing excessive conduction that would cause unintended activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11098508B2Motor vehicle lock

Publication Date: 2021.08.24 KIEKERT AG

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock (1) comprising a locking mechanism that includes a rotary latch (2), at least one pawl (3), a triggering lever (4) that allows the pawl (3) to disengage from the rotary latch (2), and a latching lever function that allows the triggering lever (4) which is actuated for disengaging the rotary latch (2) to be secured in an actuated position; the triggering lever can be guided by the rotary latch (2) only in some sections.