Retractable Vehicle Door Handle With Fixed-Position Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional retractable vehicle door handles are complex and cost-intensive due to their multiple degrees of freedom and mechanical adjustment paths, which increase the complexity and expense of design and operation.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door handle design where the handle is fixed in both the rest and operating positions, with no pivoting, tilting, or translational movement, relying solely on electronic components for actuation force detection and data communication, and incorporating mechanical locking elements and a motor drive for positional stability, reducing the need for complex mechanical adjustment paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If retractable vehicle door handles are equipped with multiple degrees of freedom and mechanical adjustment paths, then the handle can be positioned in different functional positions (retracted and extended), but the design becomes complex and cost-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an electric motor (drive unit) that rotates a spool to extend or retract the handle. This substitution of mechanical linkages with an electromechanical system reduces the number of moving parts, simplifies the overall mechanism, and lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining the ability to position the handle in different functional positions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary mechanical degrees of freedom from the handle design. By fixing the handle in a single angular position relative to the door and removing pivoting/tilting capabilities, the design retains only the essential extension/retraction function, thereby reducing mechanical complexity and cost
2Device complexity
If the handle is fixed in position without mechanical adjustment paths, then mechanical complexity is reduced, but positional stability under user access forces must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic locking mechanism where the drive unit (motor) actively maintains the handle in its extended or retracted position by applying holding torque. The motor can dynamically adjust and maintain position against user access forces, providing reliability without requiring complex passive mechanical locking structures
Solution Approach 2:
The spool mechanism acts as an intermediary between the motor and the handle. The motor rotates the spool to extend or retract the handle, and the spool's rotational inertia and friction characteristics provide natural damping and position holding, simplifying the overall system while maintaining stability
Data Source
Figure 1~3b
Figure 4~5b
Figure 5c~6a
AI summary
A vehicle door handle (3) having a grip (4) for sensor-controlled triggering of a vehicle function, the grip (4) being coupled to a handle housing (20, 20a, 20b) which can be mounted on a vehicle. Coupling means (30a, 30b, 31) and a motor (32) are provided; the grip (4) can be moved between a rest position and an extended actuation position by being driven by the motor (32) via the coupling means (30a, 30b, 31). The grip has sensor components (27a) which sense an actuation force or communication means (27b) which sense a mobile communications device brought closer to the grip. The sensor components (27a) or the communication means (27b) are coupled to an interface via which which actuation signals can be output. In both the actuation position and the rest position, the grip (4) is coupled to the handle housing (20, 20a, 20b) in a positionally fixed and travel-free manner over its entire extension and locked against deflection relative to the handle housing (20, 20a, 20b).