Side Door Latch/Hinge Assembly Evaluation

摘要

Ejection cases involving passenger cars (excluding sport cars) and light trucks were retrieved from NASS files 1981 through 1983 for statistical study; relevant hard copies of accidents during 1980 through 1984 period were also examined for detailed damage description of the affected vehicles, especially to latches and hinges. The results are presented in tables using fourteen (14) relevant parameters. It was found that ejection is a rare event, representing less than two percent (2%) of all NASS cases. Ejections through side doors contribute over 50 percent of the total occupant ejections. Although occupant ejection incidents are relatively infrequent, the casualties are extraordinarily high. The results of accident study show that door hinges seldom failed during car crashes and door latch failures were the primary cause of door openings. Therefore, the latch strengths are the prime target for investigation. Tests show that the ejection rates are strongly correlated with maximum latch loads and energy absorption in longitudinal direction. A lesser correlation exists between the ultimate transverse latch loads and occupant ejection rates.