Patent ID: 11952805
Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 6:
7. A method for closing a vehicle door of a vehicle with respect to a body of the vehicle, wherein a first closing element is arranged in a lock mouth of the vehicle door and a second closing element is arranged on the body of the vehicle, the method comprising:
moving the vehicle door in the direction of the body of the vehicle;
absorbing kinetic energy of the vehicle door with a damping device while the vehicle door is within a predetermined limit opening angle of the vehicle door with respect to the body to slow down the closing movement of the vehicle door, wherein the damping device has an impact element, wherein the impact element is arranged in the lock mouth so that the impact element is displaceable with respect to the vehicle door, wherein the impact element is a cylindrical piston;
bringing the first closing element and the second closing element into engagement with each other for holding the vehicle door on the body in a positive-locking manner, wherein the lock mouth has a cavity into which the second closing element is inserted when the vehicle door is closed; and
applying a pre-tensioning force, directed in an opening direction of the vehicle door, to the vehicle door relative to the body by an electric motor combined with a spring element via the impact element while the first and second closing elements are engaged with each other.