OEM&Lieferant Ausgabe 2/2021

116 Latch Systems Icebreaker for greater comfort By Markus Kothe, Director Advanced Development Closure Systems, Brose Group A new generation of electric Brose latches makes operation more convenient and even opens doors that have been frozen shut with ease, all while reducing weight. Vehicle users simply make a gesture to signal their desire to enter. The handle-free doors open automatically, while a ra- dar sensor prevents collisions with obstacles such as delineator posts. The seat contour adapts to make entering the vehicle more comfortable and the steering wheel disappears into the dashboard. Thanks to its extensive system expertise, Brose is already making this seemingly futuristic scenario a reality in the next generation of Images: © Brose vehicles. The company’s mechatronics ex- pertise also benefits customers who would rather purchase components separately. For example advanced closure systems, without which the scenario outlined here would not be possible. For instance, an electric latch is required for automatic opening, while a soft- close feature is needed for safe, automatic closure. Advanced portfolio Brose will be presenting a fully validated family of electric latch products at this year’s IAA Mobility in Munich. Users can enjoy more conveniences even in the ba- sic variant: for example, the door opens more smoothly because the handle and latch are no longer directly connected. The portfolio also makes it possible to create new vehicle designs, e.g. with fixed door handles. It also enhances safety: dispens- ing with the mechanical actuation chain means the door remains safely closed even during a crash. At the same time, me- chanical or electrical redundancy ensures that passengers can exit the vehicle even in an emergency. The corresponding elec- tronics can be integrated in the latch as an option, which increases functional safety while simultaneously decreasing develop- ment expenditure. Latch variants equipped with even more fea- tures offer additional advantages such as an icebreaker function. The turning bolt in the latch pushes the door open if necessary, thereby ensuring easy opening even when doors are frozen shut. Especially practical: since the icebreaker uses the soft-close unit motor, both features can be realized with a single drive. This saves costs and space. Re- gardless of the feature package, all latches in the Brose product family are lightweight – around 40 percent lighter than comparable series components. The family-owned com- pany’s wealth of knowledge helps identify the right scope of features for the respective vehicle and quickly develop a product that is ready for series production thanks to validat- ed concepts. But the desired functionality and technical interaction between the door components are not the only key aspects of these developments. The various regulatory environments in the target markets also play an important role – like whether anti-theft features are legally required.