Split Vehicle Door Width Ratio for Steering Wheel Clearance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In motor vehicles, especially shared public transport vehicles, the existing door arrangements often hinder access to the passenger compartment when the steering wheels are turned, as the opening elements cannot fully open without contacting the steering wheel, limiting accessibility.
Innovation Solution
The proposed arrangement features a first and second door system where the first door opens towards the front or rear of the vehicle, with the second door being wider to cover the first door in the closed position, allowing both doors to open and close independently, ensuring full access regardless of the steering wheel's position, utilizing a specific door width ratio and clearance to avoid interference with the steering wheel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single door is used to close the opening in the body side, then the structure is simple, but the door cannot open fully when the steering wheel is turned, limiting accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The single door is divided into two separate doors: a first door adjacent to the steering wheel and a second door adjacent to the non-steering wheel. This segmentation allows each door to have different opening characteristics, enabling the first door to open sufficiently without contacting the turned steering wheel while the second door provides additional access. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing full accessibility without requiring a complex multi-door system, as the two doors work together to replace the functionality of a single large door.
2Ease of operation
If the first door is positioned to avoid contact with the steering wheel envelope, then accessibility is improved, but the door width ratio and clearance requirements increase structural constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies particular parameter ranges for the door system: the first door width L10 is between 0.3m and 0.6m, the second door width L20 is between 0.6m and 1.2m, and the ratio L20/L10 is between 1.2 and 3.0. These parameter changes provide a standardized solution that balances accessibility requirements with manufacturing precision. By defining specific clearance distances between the first door and the steering wheel envelope, and establishing width ratios between the two doors, the invention transforms the design constraints into manageable parameters that can be manufactured with standard tolerances.
3Shape
If the second door covers the first door in closed position, then aerodynamic appearance is improved, but the door mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second door is designed to cover the first door when both are in the closed position, merging their appearances into a single streamlined surface. This combining of the two doors' external appearances maintains the aerodynamic shape of the vehicle body without requiring additional complex mechanisms. The covering relationship is achieved through the natural positioning and dimensions of the second door, which is wider and positioned to overlap the first door, creating a unified external appearance while the internal mechanisms remain independent.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle arrangement (30) comprising a body side (4) in which an opening (3) is provided, a first door (10) and a second door (20) intended to close the opening (3), the first door (10) being arranged to open towards a first zone (7) of the body side (4) intended to receive a steering wheel (31) and the second door (20) being arranged to open towards a second zone (8) of the body side (4) intended to receive a non-steering wheel (32), characterized in that the first width of the first door (10) is less than the second width of the second door (20), in particular the second width of the second door (20) is about 2 times the first width of the first door (10).