Motor Vehicle Lock Pivotable Flap Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle locks face challenges in being reliably produced with minimal production effort while maintaining protection against environmental influences and ease of installation.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle lock design featuring a pivotable flap that covers the activation lever, providing protection against external influences and allowing easy access for installation, with the flap being integrally produced with the lock cover as a single piece, reducing the need for additional parts and manufacturing effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a separate protective cover is used for the activation lever, then protection against environmental influences is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective flap is integrated directly into the lock cover as a single piece, eliminating the need for separate protective covers. The lock cover now serves dual functions: as a protective enclosure and as a housing for the protective flap that covers the activation lever during operation but allows access during installation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the activation lever is fully enclosed for protection, then protection against environmental influences is improved, but ease of installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective flap is designed to be pivotable rather than fixed, allowing it to move between a closed position that protects the activation lever during normal operation and an open position that provides access during installation. This dynamic element resolves the contradiction between protection and accessibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate parts are used for the cover and protective elements, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision and production effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lock cover and protective flap are manufactured as a single integrated piece, eliminating the need for separate assembly operations and reducing alignment requirements. The integral design maintains functional flexibility while significantly simplifying manufacturing and reducing production effort.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a lock having a lock housing (3, 4) together with a lock cover (2), a lock case (9), a locking mechanism which is mounted on the base surface of the lock case (9), and an activation device for opening the locking mechanism. An activation lever of the activation device is at least partially covered by a pivotable flap (5) of a lock covering means (2, 3). The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the flap together with a lock cover (2) by injection molding.