Vehicle Tailgate Locking Device Preventing Half-Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle tailgate locking devices face issues with stabilizing lock and unlock operations due to short power supply times for the driving device, leading to potential half-locking phenomena when the latch member does not rotate to the unlocked state within the short operation time, and prolonged power supply can result in failure to lock the tailgate when it is opened and closed quickly.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle tailgate locking device incorporates a latch assembly with a pawl member, an engaging member, and a releasing portion, where the engaging member is formed integrally with the housing and includes an elastically deformable portion, and the releasing portion has a protrusion and inclined surface, allowing the pawl member to be restrained and released effectively, preventing the half-locking phenomenon by ensuring the latch member remains in the released state during delayed opening operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the power supply time to the driving device is extended, then the latch member has sufficient time to rotate to the unlocked state and prevent half-locking, but the tailgate locking device may fail to lock when the tailgate is opened and closed quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The engaging member is positioned in advance to engage the pawl member before the driving device completes its full rotation. This preliminary engagement ensures that if the driving device stops early due to short power supply time, the pawl member is already restrained and cannot return to the locking position, preventing half-locking phenomenon
Solution Approach 2:
The engaging member acts as an intermediary mechanism between the pawl member and the housing. It transfers the restraint function from the pawl member to the housing structure, allowing the pawl member to be held in the released position without requiring the driving device to complete its full rotation cycle
2Productivity
If the power supply time to the driving device is shortened, then the locking operation is fast and the tailgate can be locked quickly, but the latch member may not rotate to the unlocked state and the pawl member may return to restrain the latch member again causing half-locking
Solution Approach 1:
The engaging member is positioned in advance to engage the pawl member during the unlocking operation. This ensures that the pawl member is restrained before the driving device completes its rotation, preventing it from returning to the locking position even if power is cut early
Solution Approach 2:
The engaging member is formed integrally with the housing and uses the housing's structural integrity to provide the restraining force. The elastic deformation portion of the engaging member automatically engages and disengages the pawl member based on the driving device's rotation, without requiring additional actuation
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
This configuration stabilizes the locking and unlocking operations of the tailgate, preventing the half-locking phenomenon by ensuring the pawl member is properly restrained and released, maintaining the engagement or disengagement of the striker effectively, even with delayed opening operations.
Implementation Method 1
the engaging member is formed integrally with the housing and includes an elastically deformable portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle tailgate locking device may include a latch assembly configured to engage or disengage a striker, wherein the latch assembly includes a housing, a latch member disposed in the housing and configured to engage or disengage the striker by rotation, a pawl member rotatably disposed in the housing to restrain or release the latch member, a driving device configured to rotate the pawl member to release restraint of the latch member, an engaging member configured to restrain the pawl member by engaging the pawl member when the pawl member rotates to a position releasing restraint of the latch member, and a releasing portion configured to press the engaging member to release the restraint of the pawl member when the latch member is rotated to a position releasing the engagement of the striker.