Speed-Based Two-Stage Latch for Vehicle Compartment Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

In vehicles, occupants may be trapped within storage compartments, such as the front compartment in electric vehicles, where existing solutions do not effectively allow safe exit due to lack of controlled access mechanisms that consider vehicle speed.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle system with a movable door panel, a user input device, and a two-stage electronically controlled latch assembly, monitored by a controller and vehicle speed sensor, allowing the door panel to move between closed, intermediate, and open positions based on user input and speed, ensuring safe exit while preventing damage from wind resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the door panel is made fully openable for occupant exit, then occupant safety is improved, but wind resistance damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant safetyVSAvoidwind resistance damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The door panel opening is segmented into two distinct positions: an intermediate position for safe occupant exit and a fully open position. The latch assembly is correspondingly segmented into multiple release stages, allowing controlled progression from closed to intermediate to fully open, thereby enabling occupant escape while preventing full opening that would cause wind resistance damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The latch assembly implements dynamic control through speed-based release stages. The controller monitors vehicle speed and dynamically adjusts which release stage is activated - at low speeds both intermediate and full release are available, while at high speeds only the intermediate release is permitted, automatically adapting the door panel's opening behavior to current operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If a simple latch mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but control precision over door panel position deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelatch mechanism complexityVSAvoiddoor panel position control

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The controller serves as an intermediary between the user input device and the latch assembly. It receives user input through the capacitive switch and translates it into appropriate latch release commands based on vehicle speed data, thereby enabling precise control of door panel position without requiring complex mechanical latch mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional purely mechanical latch mechanism is replaced with an electronically controlled system. The capacitive switch detects user input without mechanical contact, and the controller processes this input along with speed data to electronically control the latch release stages, substituting mechanical complexity with electronic control for more precise position management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the door panel is restricted to intermediate position only, then wind resistance damage is prevented, but occupant exit capability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewind resistance damageVSAvoidoccupant exit capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the operational parameters of the latch assembly based on vehicle speed. When vehicle speed is below the threshold, the latch allows progression to both intermediate and fully open positions, maximizing occupant exit capability. When speed exceeds the threshold, the latch parameter changes to permit only intermediate position, preventing wind resistance damage while still allowing partial exit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11905743B2Vehicle compartment having speed-based latch control

Publication Date: 2024.02.20 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A vehicle includes a storage compartment having a door panel movable between closed and open positions allowing access to the storage compartment, a user input device located within the storage compartment, and a latch assembly for latching the door panel in the closed position. The latch assembly includes a first release stage in the closed position allowing the door panel to move to an intermediate position between the open and closed positions and a second release stage allowing the door panel to move to the open position. The vehicle also includes a vehicle speed sensor sensing vehicle speed and a controller monitoring the sensed vehicle speed and detecting a user input to the user input device and controlling the latch assembly to selectively allow the door panel to move to one of the intermediate and open positions based on the sensed vehicle speed and the detected user input.