Automotive Load Floor Living Hinge Composite Panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sandwich-type composite panels with cellular cores and living hinges for automotive vehicle load floors are strong but have weak living hinges that fail during extended use, and the manufacturing process is costly due to separate hinge components requiring additional workstations and potential quality defects.
Innovation Solution
A carpeted automotive vehicle load floor with a composite panel featuring reinforced thermoplastic skins and a thermoplastic cellular core, where a continuous top covering layer forms a two-way living hinge by not being bonded to the panel or cover, allowing the carpeted cover to pivot, and a bottom layer is bonded to the intermediate portion for added strength and reduced thickness to form a depression for the cover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate hinge components are fixed to the panel by gluing, welding, or riveting, then the panel can be hinged to other panels, but this increases manufacturing time and manufacturing cost due to additional workstations and operations
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge functionality is merged into the panel structure itself by creating a living hinge as an integral part of the sandwich panel during the molding process. This eliminates the need for separate hinge components and subsequent assembly operations, thereby reducing manufacturing time and eliminating additional workstations while maintaining the hinged functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The living hinge is formed during the initial panel manufacturing process rather than being added later. The hinge structure is preliminarily created as part of the panel formation, which eliminates subsequent assembly steps and reduces overall manufacturing time and complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate hinge components are fixed to the panel, then the panel can be hinged to other panels, but this adds to the cost of making such panels due to additional operations and quality defects
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge functionality is merged into the panel structure itself by creating a living hinge as an integral part of the sandwich panel during the molding process. This eliminates the need for separate hinge components and subsequent assembly operations, thereby reducing manufacturing time and eliminating additional workstations while maintaining the hinged functionality.
3Ease of operation
If a living hinge is formed by cutting through the skin and cellular core, then the hinge allows panel movement, but the living hinge may not be strong enough during extended use
Solution Approach 1:
The living hinge is constructed as a composite structure with an inner layer made of thermoplastic material providing flexibility and movement, and an outer layer made of reinforced thermoplastic material providing strength and durability. This composite construction maintains hinge functionality while significantly improving strength for extended use.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the living hinge have different material properties optimized for their specific functions. The inner layer has higher flexibility for movement, while the outer layer has enhanced strength and rigidity for durability. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between movement capability and strength.
4Weight of moving object
If the panel is made with a sandwich-type composite structure, then the panel achieves light weight and high strength, but the living hinge becomes a source of quality defects
Solution Approach 1:
The living hinge is formed as an integral part of the panel during the molding process rather than being added as a separate component. This merging of the hinge into the panel structure eliminates interface defects between separate parts, reducing quality issues while maintaining the lightweight sandwich composite structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The living hinge is formed during the initial panel manufacturing process rather than being added later. This preliminary formation ensures the hinge is created under controlled molding conditions, eliminating defects that would arise from subsequent assembly operations and improving overall product reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a strong and lightweight living hinge that functions properly during extended use without additional materials, reducing manufacturing costs and quality defects by integrating the hinge into the panel formation process.
Implementation Method 1
The skins are typically pre-heated outside the mold to a softening temperature
Implementation Method 2
the panel is made by subjecting a stack of layers of material to cold-pressing in a mold
Implementation Method 3
a substantially continuous top covering layer bonded to the top surface of the panel and the top surface of the cover
Data Source
AI summary
A carpeted automotive vehicle load floor including a composite panel having first and second reinforced thermoplastic skins and a thermoplastic cellular core disposed between and bonded to the skins is provided. The first skin as a top surface. A cover having top and bottom surfaces is spaced apart from the composite panel. A substantially continuous top covering layer is bonded to the top surface of the panel and the top surface of the cover to at least partially form a carpeted load floor having a carpeted cover. An intermediate portion of the top covering layer between the cover and the panel is not bonded to either the panel or the cover to form a living hinge which allows the carpeted cover to pivot between different use positions relative to the rest of the load floor.