Sliding Door Hook Receiver and Swing Arm Locking Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding door structures fail to maintain closure under applied loads during separation strength tests, leading to undesirable opening due to weak fastening forces between the sliding door and the vehicle body.
Innovation Solution
A structure featuring a rail-mounted first bracket with a hook receiver, a rotatable swing arm connected to the sliding door, and a stopper with an obliquely formed female part, which engages a male part on the second bracket to prevent rotation and maintain door closure under load, enhancing separation strength without complex configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sliding door structure is used, then the door can be opened and closed smoothly, but the door cannot withstand applied loads during separation strength tests and undesirably opens
Solution Approach 1:
The door support structure is segmented into multiple functional components: a bracket fixed to the vehicle body, a swing arm connected to the door, and a locking mechanism with hook and hook receiver. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the bracket provides anchor points, the swing arm enables controlled movement, and the locking mechanism maintains closure under load.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to engage automatically when the door reaches the closed position. The hook on the swing arm is pre-positioned to engage with the hook receiver on the bracket, and the stopper is pre-positioned to limit swing arm rotation. This preliminary positioning ensures the door is locked before any external load is applied during separation strength tests.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to improve separation strength, then the door can withstand applied loads, but the configuration becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the natural movement of the swing arm. When the door closes, the swing arm rotates and automatically engages the hook with the hook receiver. The stopper automatically limits rotation when the door is closed. No additional actuators, motors, or complex control systems are needed - the mechanism uses the door's own movement to lock and unlock.
Solution Approach 2:
The swing arm's rotation angle is controlled by changing the geometric parameters of the stopper and hook receiver positions. By adjusting these dimensional parameters, the locking and unlocking points are precisely controlled without adding complexity. The inclined surface angle of the stopper determines the engagement force and locking precision.
3Reliability
If the swing arm is allowed to rotate freely, then the door can open and close, but the door cannot maintain closure under applied loads from inside to outside
Solution Approach 1:
The hook and hook receiver locking mechanism provides preliminary anti-action against external loads. Before any separation force is applied during testing, the hook is already engaged with the hook receiver, creating a pre-existing resistive force that prevents the swing arm from rotating outward. This preliminary locking action counteracts the harmful effect of applied loads before they can cause door opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook acts as an intermediary element between the swing arm and the bracket. It transfers the load from the door to the vehicle body structure through a controlled engagement point. The inclined surface of the stopper serves as another intermediary that converts the outward separation force into a rotational moment that presses the hook deeper into the hook receiver, enhancing the locking effect.
Data Source
AI summary
A structure can provide separation strength of an opposed sliding door. The structure includes a rail configured to be mounted to a vehicle body in a longitudinal direction thereof, a first bracket configured to be fixedly connected to the vehicle body at a first side of the rail and having a hook receiver, a slider inserted into the rail and coupled thereto, a swing arm configured rotatably connected to a sliding door and to the slider, and a second bracket fixedly connected to the swing arm. The second bracket has on a first side thereof a hook to be received in the hook receiver. The hook is received in the hook receiver when a load is applied to the sliding door in a direction from an inside to an outside of the vehicle body with the sliding door being closed.