Vehicle Cover Actuation With Progressive Spring Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actuating apparatuses for vehicle covers are prone to unintended unlocking due to forces applied during vehicle operation or assembly, leading to undesired opening.
Innovation Solution
Employ an elastically deformable spring system with a progressive spring characteristic to provide varying biasing forces, ensuring high force is required for unintended release prevention while allowing easy manual operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a linear spring characteristic is used to bias the actuating part, then the operating comfort is improved with low force requirement, but the cover can inadvertently unlock during vehicle operation or assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spring characteristic from linear to progressive, where the spring stiffness increases with compression. This allows the spring to provide low force during normal operation (maintaining ease of operation) while generating high resistance force when compressed beyond a certain point (preventing unintended unlocking). The progressive spring characteristic creates different force levels at different compression stages, resolving the contradiction between easy operation and prevention of accidental release.
2Reliability
If a high biasing force is applied to prevent unintended release, then the reliability is improved, but the manual operation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a progressive spring characteristic that dynamically adjusts the biasing force based on the compression level. At low compression levels (normal operation), the spring provides minimal resistance, enabling easy manual operation. At high compression levels (beyond the designed operating range), the spring stiffness increases dramatically, providing high resistance force to prevent unintended release. This dynamic adjustment of force levels resolves the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
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
Prevents unintended cover opening effectively while maintaining user-friendly operation by adjusting biasing forces based on the actuating part's position, using a progressive spring characteristic to ensure secure closure.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable spring system having a progressive or stepped spring characteristic
Data Source
AI summary
An actuating apparatus (1) for opening and closing a cover in or on a vehicle, having a locking and/or arresting kinematics that cooperate with the cover. The actuating apparatus includes a housing (2) and an actuating part (3) received in the housing (2) and movably supported relative to the housing (2). The actuating part (3) cooperates with the cover in such a way that the actuating part (3) performs a movement relative to the housing (2) between a first position and a second position upon a movement of the cover between a closed position and an open position, wherein, in the first position, the actuating part (3) is in a locked state. The actuating apparatus (1) further includes an elastically deformable spring system (4) associated with the actuating part (3), in particular having a progressive spring characteristic.