Having good ideas is one side of the coin; the other is to have suitable structures that enable the development of ideas into a product ready for production. Process orientation, strategic prioritization and the utilization of international network structures are just a few of the success factors that determine our innovative power. A worldwide development and production network as well as an innovative product portfolio – cost-optimized and tailored to customer needs – distinguish us from the competition.
Thanks to this innovative strength we have been a world market and technology leader for door hinges and door checks for many years. And in the area of driver controls such as pedal boxes and foot-operated parking brakes as well as drives for the fully automatic opening and closing of liftgates and rear lids we rank among the leading European suppliers of such products. Not least of all because our teams of experts again and again succeed in reinventing a mature product like a hinge by introducing additional functions – for instance pedestrian protection – into the hinge.
Edscha has longstanding experience in the development and manufacture of these complex hood hinges for so-called active pedestrian protection.
In addition to the usual opening and closing of the hood these hinges also meet the various demands posed by an accident. If worst comes to worst and a collision with a pedestrian occurs, within a few milliseconds such a hinge rises up a small, but crucial amount contrary to the normal opening direction to create an impact absorbing zone. This buffer softens the impact of the body, especially the head, on the hood and the engine block underneath it, and in this way provides added protection to the pedestrian.
The pedestrian protection device of the hinge is triggered by the igniting of a pyrotechnic actuator which is more or less comparable with the system that triggers an airbag.
Getting in and out of a car can be a test of agility if the parking space is too tight and the door has only two or three fixed opening positions. Rarely are these positioned so that the little amount of space available can be fully utilized. In such situations, certainly many a person has wished for more flexibility. A wish that is not impossible to meet since it only calls for a door check system with infinitely variable kinematics – like the Edscha Double Spring.
This stepless door check caters to the increasing comfort requirements of our customers. It ensures that the door securely stays in any position in which it is placed, making boarding and alighting extremely comfortable.
With its latest generation of drives, Edscha currently markets the system with the smallest external diameter – not more than 30 mm. Apart from reducing space needs, this substantially improves the view to the rear. Moreover, these innovative drives for fully automatic opening and closing of rear lids and liftgates currently are the lightest available: the entire system weighs 950 g.
The Edscha side door drive not only knows when it has to stop, it is also stepless, meaning that it operates without notches or detents. Thanks to the elimination of friction, the door is virtually free-floating, yet is held fast in the optimal position. This enables a maximum entry and exit angle, making access to the vehicle more comfortable than ever before. And an obstruction sensor for closing is naturally integrated in the system.
Edscha Holding GmbH
Hohenhagener Str. 26-28
42855 Remscheid
Phone +49 2191.363-0
Fax +49 2191.363-549
E-mail info@edscha.com
