Vehicle Running Board Assembly with Sliding Rack Gear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional running boards in vehicles are fixed and non-extensible, making it inconvenient and unsafe for passengers, especially the elderly, disabled, and children, to get on and off, due to high ground clearance and lack of visibility.
Innovation Solution
A running board assembly with a motor-powered transmission system that includes a rack gear and motion control unit, allowing the board to slide outwards and pivot downwards from the side doors, enhancing accessibility and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional running board is fixed to the vehicle body, then the structure is simple and stable, but it cannot be extended in the transverse direction making it inconvenient for passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The running board is transformed from a fixed structure to a movable one through the rack gear mechanism. The rack gear can slide horizontally along the vehicle body and pivot vertically, allowing the running board to dynamically adjust its position and angle to provide convenient access for passengers while maintaining structural simplicity through standardized mechanical components
2Ease of operation
If a fixed-type running board has high ground clearance, then it provides sufficient clearance for the vehicle, but passengers such as the elderly, disabled and children experience inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The running board incorporates a pivot mechanism that allows it to rotate vertically around a pivot point. This enables the running board to change its angle from a high horizontal position to a lower inclined position, reducing the effective height difference for passengers while maintaining the vehicle's required ground clearance when the board is retracted
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of changing only the vertical height, the invention uses a combination of horizontal sliding and vertical pivoting. The running board moves along two dimensions - horizontally away from the vehicle body and then pivots downward - to create an inclined access path that reduces the perceived height barrier for passengers
3Ease of operation
If the running board is not extendable outwards, then the structure remains compact, but it is not distinctly visible to passengers and difficult to step on
Solution Approach 1:
The running board uses a rack and pinion mechanism that allows it to extend horizontally outward from the vehicle body when needed. The rack gear slides along guides to provide a stable extended platform that is clearly visible to passengers, while the entire assembly can be retracted into a compact position when not in use
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 provides improved convenience and safety for passengers by allowing the running board to be extended and pivoted, reducing the height and making it easier for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle.
Implementation Method 1
a motor which supplies power
Implementation Method 2
a rack gear which is disposed lengthily in a transverse direction of a vehicle body with a side of the rack gear connected to a body of a running board, wherein the rack gear is engaged with the transmission
Data Source
AI summary
A running board assembly may include a motor which supplies power, a transmission which transmits the motor's power, a rack gear which is disposed lengthily in a transverse direction of a vehicle body such that one side thereof is connected to a body of a running board, and a motion control unit which transmits the power from the transmission to the rack gear such that a motion of the rack gear is controlled to allow a sliding motion and a pivot motion of the rack gear.