Pillarless Sliding Door Bracket for Side-Impact Door Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sliding door structures in vehicles with pillarless designs face issues where side impacts can cause the front and rear doors to open differently, applying excessive force and potentially leading to damage during a collision.

Innovation Solution

A sliding door structure featuring a reinforcing bracket with intersecting engagement holes and projections on the side sill, coupled with a latch mechanism and cushioning members, which integrally holds the front and rear doors together when closed, dispersing impact forces and preventing door separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a conventional sliding door structure without a center pillar is used, then the door structure is simplified and easier to manufacture, but the front door and rear door may move differently during side impact, applying excessive force and potentially causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor structure simplicityVSAvoiddoor stability under impact

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the front door and rear door into a unified structural system through the reinforcing bracket. The bracket integrates engagement holes for both doors and connects to the side sill, creating a coupled system where both doors move together during impact, preventing excessive force on individual doors while maintaining the pillarless design simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the front door and rear door are allowed to move independently during side impact, then the door structure has greater flexibility, but excessive force is applied to open the doors, leading to potential breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor movement flexibilityVSAvoiddoor resistance to impact force

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcing bracket pre-establishes a mechanical connection between the front and rear doors through engagement holes and the side sill. This preliminary structural arrangement prevents the doors from moving independently during impact by creating predetermined engagement points, thereby counteracting the tendency for excessive force application before the impact actually occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If a reinforcing bracket with engagement holes is added to connect front and rear doors, then door stability under impact improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor stability under impactVSAvoiddoor structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcing bracket serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides engagement holes for both the front door and rear door, connects to the side sill for structural support, and creates a unified movement system for both doors during impact. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each door, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while achieving improved stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12109873B2Sliding door structure

Publication Date: 2024.10.08 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A wall surface of a reinforcing bracket is provided with engagement holes (engaged portions) on a front side and a rear side, respectively. A lower arm of a front door and a lower arm of a rear door are each provided with an engagement projection (engaging portion) that engages with an engagement hole when the front door and the rear door fully close.