Plug Door Movable Guide Interlock Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plug door devices for vehicles experience jamming issues due to gaps between rollers and rails during the plugging operation, leading to unstable door movement in the vehicle width direction.
Innovation Solution
A plug door opening-closing apparatus featuring a door hanger, movable guide, guide support member, and interlock mechanism that conforms the movement amounts of different portions of the movable guide, preventing jamming and ensuring smooth movement in the width direction, even without electrical power, using a combination of link mechanisms and a phase setting unit for precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gaps are provided between rollers and rails in the plug door device, then the structure allows for assembly tolerance and ease of installation, but the movable base becomes inclined during plugging operation causing jamming of rollers and rails
Solution Approach 1:
A wedge-shaped filling member is introduced as an intermediary component between the movable base and the fixed base. This filling member occupies the gap space and transforms the loose gap structure into a tight fitting structure during plugging operation, preventing the movable base from inclining and avoiding roller-rail jamming while maintaining assembly tolerance
2Ease of operation
If the door panel open width is increased, then the passenger access is improved, but the apparatus size in the vehicle width direction becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The plug door device utilizes the vehicle front-rear direction (depth dimension) to achieve door panel opening. By moving the door panel primarily in the front-rear direction and using a plugging motion that engages with the fixed base, the door achieves wide opening without increasing the apparatus width in the vehicle width direction, effectively trading depth for width
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
The solution stabilizes door movement in the vehicle width direction, increases the open width of the door panel without enlarging the apparatus, and reduces coupling complexity, ensuring reliable operation and increased rigidity of the rail plate.
Implementation Method 1
The interlock mechanism includes a rotatable interlock shaft extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a plurality of link mechanisms linking the interlock shaft to the first portion and the second portion of the movable guide
Data Source
AI summary
A plug door opening-closing apparatus, which is adapted for use with a vehicle having a vehicle front-rear direction and a vehicle width direction, includes a door hanger capable of coupling to a door panel of the vehicle, a movable guide configured to guide movement of the door hanger in the front-rear direction and move in the width direction, a guide support member that guides movement of the movable guide in the width direction, and an interlock mechanism mechanically connected to the movable guide. The interlock mechanism is configured to conform a movement amount of a first portion of the movable guide in the vehicle width direction to a movement amount of a second portion of the movable guide in the vehicle width direction.