Adaptable Roof Panel Front Segment for Vehicle Body Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing body structures for two-track vehicles require multiple roof panel front segments and different forming tools for various equipment variants, leading to increased component costs and manufacturing complexity due to the need for different welding techniques such as spot welding and laser welding.
Innovation Solution
Designing a roof panel front segment with adaptable connection contours that can be formed for both basic and additional vehicle equipment, allowing for either laser welding or spot welding, using a common sheet metal part that can be processed to create either a basic or additional connection contour as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If different roof panel front segments are used for basic and additional vehicle equipment, then the connection can be optimized for specific welding techniques (spot welding or laser welding), but the component costs and manufacturing complexity increase due to requiring multiple segments and different forming tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single roof panel front segment that can serve multiple functions: it can be configured with either a basic connection contour for spot welding or an additional connection contour for laser welding. This eliminates the need for separate segments for different vehicle equipment types (open superstructure vs. closed body), thereby reducing component variety and manufacturing complexity while maintaining connection reliability for each specific application
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the connection contour adaptable rather than fixed. The front segment can be dynamically configured with different connection contours (basic or additional) depending on the vehicle equipment type. This flexibility allows the same component to adapt to different welding techniques and body configurations, resolving the contradiction between optimization for specific techniques and overall manufacturing complexity
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple forming tools are used to produce geometrically different front segments, then the specific welding requirements can be met, but the tool costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling a single forming tool to produce multiple connection contour variants (basic and additional) on the same roof panel front segment. This eliminates the need for separate forming tools for different vehicle equipment types, significantly reducing tool costs while maintaining the manufacturing precision required for each specific welding technique through controlled forming processes
3Ease of manufacture
If a single sheet metal part is used for both basic and additional equipment, then tool costs and manufacturing effort are reduced, but the connection may not be optimized for both spot welding and laser welding techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the connection contour configurable rather than fixed. The single sheet metal part can be dynamically adapted to have either a basic connection contour (optimized for spot welding) or an additional connection contour (optimized for laser welding) depending on the vehicle equipment type. This dynamic configuration ensures connection reliability for each specific welding technique while maintaining the benefits of using a single base part
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a body structure for a two-track vehicle, with at least one side roof frame (15) laterally limiting a roof panel (5) in the transverse direction (y) of the vehicle, which roof panel (5) in a basic vehicle configuration (B) has at least one front roof panel segment (9) in the longitudinal direction (x) of the vehicle and in an additional vehicle configuration (Z) additionally has at least one further roof panel segment (11, 13, 39) adjoining it to the rear in the longitudinal direction (x) of the vehicle, wherein the front roof panel segment (9) in the basic vehicle configuration (B) is joined to the side roof frame (15) by means of a basic joining technique (L) and the front roof panel segment (9) in the additional vehicle configuration (Z) is joined to the side roof frame (15) by means of an additional joining technique (P).According to the invention, the roof sheet front segment (9) can be designed for installation both in the basic vehicle equipment (B) and for installation in the additional vehicle equipment (Z).