Trunk Latch Project 2.0 (Current - S21)
- Tommy Tran
- Josh Dembicky
Problem: Designing and integrating a trunk latch.
Stakeholders: Tommy, and Aerobody and Trunk teams.
Design Requirements [Qualitative]: lightweight, smaller (but still easily accessible & usable), sturdy, creates a seal, little to no intrusive integration required for implementation, and doesn’t open without human interaction.
Latch Types Considered: deadbolt, key, hook, buckle, toggle, and slide bolt.
Internal Lock Types Considered: cam lock and rotary. (not all Latch Types require an Internal Lock)
Specifics to Consider: the constant force of trunk spring (unknown) and consistent strain of car use (i.e. bumpy roads jostling the latch; unknown).
Pros and Cons of Latch Types:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
Deadbolt | Easy to use, sturdy | Heavier, larger, intrusive integration, harder to implement, not totally trustworthy without stopping mechanism, harder to manufacture |
Key | Lighter, sturdy, smaller, trustworthy | Intrusive integration, harder to implement, harder to manufacture |
Hook | Lighter, smaller, non-intrusive, easy to use, easy to manufacture, easy to implement | Not sturdy, not trustworthy, no seal (unless well made) |
Buckle | Easiest to use (hands off), sturdy, easy to manufacture, easy to implement | Larger, heavier, intrusive integration |
Toggle | Smaller, lighter, non-intrusive, easy to implement | Not sturdy, harder to manufacture |
Slide Bolt | Easy to use, lighter, smaller, easy to implement, non-intrusive | Not sturdy or trustworthy without stopping mechanism, harder to manufacture |
some traits were neither pro nor con since they would depend on the design and manufacturing quality *
DECISION WAS REACHED TO PURCHASE A LATCH INSTEAD OF MANUFACTURING IT
After some research, it was found that most trunk latches available for purchase are only replacements for the receiver end, and wouldn’t include an input. The decision was reached that an “alternative version” of a traditional latch would need to be used, hence the latch types research above. The next steps are now to pick three models, email the supplier for their CAD (or guesstimate it myself if they don’t respond or have it to begin with). Then choose one, purchase it, and figure out how to integrate it into the car.
Chosen Models:
My top choice would be #3.