Upwardly Movable Delivery Vehicle Door Linkage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing delivery vehicles lack efficient access mechanisms that allow for convenient and upright movement of doors to provide access to the interior, especially when storage configurations need to be revised or items need to be retrieved from behind the access door.

Innovation Solution

A delivery vehicle with a four-bar linkage assembly connected to the vehicle body, enabling a door to move upwardly from a lowered position to a raised position while maintaining an upright orientation, and optionally using a motor assembly for automated movement, allowing the door to extend outward from the vehicle body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a typical pivoting door or longitudinally slidable door is used for delivery vehicle access, then the door can provide access to the interior, but the door cannot maintain an upright orientation during movement and requires more complex sliding mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor movement convenienceVSAvoiddoor linkage mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door linkage mechanism uses an asymmetric four-bar linkage configuration where the door is connected to the vehicle body through specifically positioned pivot points that create an asymmetric movement path, enabling the door to translate upward while maintaining upright orientation rather than rotating or sliding horizontally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The door movement transitions from traditional horizontal sliding or pivoting to vertical upward movement along the vehicle side, utilizing the vertical dimension for door traversal while keeping the door face oriented upright throughout the motion sequence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If the door moves upwardly while maintaining upright orientation, then access to interior items is improved, but the linkage mechanism becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess efficiencyVSAvoidfour bar linkage assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The linkage mechanism is divided into separate four-bar linkage assemblies, with each assembly handling specific portions of the door movement, allowing for modular construction and maintenance while achieving the complex upward translation path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The four-bar linkage assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the door and the vehicle body, transforming simple rotational movements at the pivot points into the desired upward translational motion of the door while maintaining upright orientation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9452703B2Vehicle with upwardly movable door

Publication Date: 2016.09.27 DOMINOS IP HOLDER LLC

AI summary

A delivery vehicle may include a vehicle body having a side with an opening for providing access to an interior of the vehicle, a linkage assembly connected to the vehicle body, and a door connected to the linkage assembly. The door may be movable upwardly from a lowered position, in which the door covers the opening, to a raised position for providing access to the interior of the vehicle through the opening. Furthermore, the door may be oriented generally upright in both the lowered and raised positions, and the door may be movable outwardly away from the vehicle body when the door moves from the lowered position to the raised position.