Motor Vehicle Lock Manual Override Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle locks with electric motors may fail to open in case of motor failure or power loss, especially on hatch leaves without handles, posing a challenge for users to easily open the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle lock design that includes a catch and pawl system, where the drivetrain can be decoupled from the electric motor using an external tool, allowing manual operation to pivot the pawl arm and catch into open positions, ensuring the lock can be opened even without electrical power, by engaging a displaceable drivetrain component with the opening tool to actuate the drivetrain and pivot the pawl arm and catch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an electric motor is used to actuate the lock mechanism, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to motor failure or power loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the actuation mode from purely electric to a hybrid electric-mechanical system. The drivetrain component can be actuated either by the electric motor (normal operation) or manually by an opening tool (service mode), allowing the system to adapt to different operational conditions and maintain reliability even when the electric motor fails.
Solution Approach 2:
A displaceable drivetrain component serves as an intermediary between the electric motor and the lock mechanism (pawl arm and catch). This intermediate component can be actuated by either the electric motor or an external opening tool, providing a mechanical backup path that ensures reliability when the electric motor fails.
2Device complexity
If the drivetrain is integrated with the electric motor, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to inability to manually actuate
Solution Approach 1:
The drivetrain is segmented into modular components: the electric motor, the displaceable drivetrain component, and the lock mechanism (pawl arm and catch). This segmentation allows the displaceable component to be independently actuated by an opening tool, enabling manual intervention for repair or emergency operations without requiring motor power.
Solution Approach 2:
The drivetrain component is designed to be displaceable, allowing it to switch between being motor-actuated (normal mode) and manually actuated (service mode). This dynamic characteristic enables the system to adapt between automated operation and manual repair scenarios, improving ease of repair while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A latch for use in a vehicle including a catch, a pawl, a motor including a motor shaft, and drivetrain including, a first gear and a pawl lifter. The first gear is configured to rotate about a first axis as the motor shaft rotates when the drivetrain is in the operating state and defining an aperture configured to receive an opening tool and translate along the first axis from a first position to a second position to change the drivetrain from the operating state to the service state, when the opening tool is inserted into the aperture. When the first gear is in the second position, the first gear is configured to pivot the pawl lifter to move the pawl from the pawl closed position of the pawl open position.