Touch Sensor Bridging Portions for Shock Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch sensor units in automatic opening and closing systems for vehicles apply excessive load on blockages due to inertial forces and control delays, especially when the door is closing quickly, leading to increased stress on both the blockages and the electric motor, which can result in inconvenience such as burning.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensor unit with a cable sensor and a sensor accommodating portion that is thinner than the bridging portions, where the bridging portions form a shock-absorbing gap between the sensor accommodating portion and the fixing portion, allowing for elastic deformation to absorb shocks and reduce the load on blockages, and the electric motor by reversing its operation after shock absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the door closing speed is increased to improve productivity, then the closing operation becomes faster, but the inertial force increases causing excessive load on blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing the sensor holder with a shock-absorbing structure that includes a cable sensor and elastic components. These components are pre-configured to absorb the inertial force generated during door closing operations, thereby cushioning the impact before it reaches the blockage. This allows the door to close at higher speeds without proportionally increasing the load on blockages.
2Loss of time
If the control response time is reduced to improve productivity, then the motor halts or reverses faster, but the load on blockage during the transition period increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor holder structure provides beforehand cushioning by absorbing the inertial force during the control transition period. The elastic components are designed to deform under load, extending the time period over which the force is applied and reducing the peak load on the blockage during motor halt or reverse operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by designing the sensor holder with specific elastic properties and structural parameters that allow it to deform in response to inertial forces. By changing the physical parameters of the holder (such as thickness, material properties, and structural configuration), the system can absorb forces dynamically during control transitions, reducing peak loads while maintaining acceptable response times.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the tensioner mechanism is added to absorb cable sag, then the cable tension is stabilized, but the door moves by superfluous inertial force increasing load on blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor holder structure provides beforehand cushioning that counteracts the superfluous inertial force generated by the tensioner mechanism. The elastic components absorb the additional forces introduced by the tensioner's operation, preventing these forces from being transmitted to the blockage.
4Reliability
If a rigid fixing structure is used to ensure sensor stability, then the sensor positioning is accurate, but the load on blockage cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different structural characteristics in different parts of the sensor holder. The fixing portion is designed with sufficient rigidity to ensure accurate sensor positioning, while the main body incorporates elastic components and shock-absorbing features that allow deformation to reduce loads on blockages. This localized differentiation of structural properties resolves the contradiction between stability and load reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor holder is designed as a composite structure combining rigid fixing portions for stable mounting with elastic insulating rubber materials for shock absorption. This composite approach allows the holder to simultaneously provide accurate positioning and reduce inertial forces transmitted to the blockage.
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 significantly reduces the load on blockages and the electric motor, preventing excessive stress and potential damage, such as burning, by absorbing shocks and delaying the peak load application, thereby enhancing the safety and reliability of the automatic opening and closing system.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of bridging portions disposed so as to form a gap between the sensor accommodating portion and the fixing portion, and elastically deformed by external force
Implementation Method 2
a sensor accommodating portion in which the cable sensor is accommodated, and which is deformed by external force
Data Source
AI summary
First and second bridging portions (63a and 63b) is disposed so as to form a shock absorbing space (63c) between the sensor accommodating portion (61) and the fixing portion (62), and elastically deformed by external force, and the paired bridging portions (the shock absorbing space (63c)) is caused to function as a shock absorbing portion (63). Furthermore, the sensor accommodating portion (61) is thinner than each of the bridging portions (63a and 63b), after the sensor accommodating portion (61) is elastically deformed and a contact of a blockage is detected, the first and second bridging portions (63a and 63b) can be elastically deformed to absorb a shock. Therefore, it is possible to significantly reduce a load on the blockage in comparison with the conventional technique. Since the drive unit is reversely driven after shock absorption, it is possible to reduce the load on the drive unit and so forth, and to inhibit the occurrence of inconvenience such as burning.