Motor Vehicle Axle Support Structure with Fiber Winding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing truss constructions for motor vehicle axle supports face challenges in reducing weight and production costs, particularly due to corrosion issues between carbon fibers and aluminum, and the complexity of screw connections, which increase manufacturing time and costs.
Innovation Solution
A truss construction using fiber windings to connect rods, eliminating the need for large-area adhesive surfaces and complex assemblies, with a positioning element guiding the fiber windings to ensure stability and alignment, and material connections to secure the rods in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If adhesive connections with large-area adhesive surfaces are used to connect rods to curved sections, then sufficient stability of the support structure is achieved, but the weight of the support structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces adhesive connections with a mechanical connection system consisting of curved sections that enclose the rods and are fastened by means of at least one adhesive spot connection. This substitution eliminates the need for large-area adhesive surfaces while maintaining connection stability through the mechanical enclosure action of the curved sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the connection parameter from large-area adhesive surfaces to point-based adhesive spot connections combined with mechanical enclosure. This parameter change reduces the amount of adhesive material required and consequently reduces the overall weight of the support structure while maintaining sufficient stability through the curved section enclosure mechanism.
2Strength
If screw connections are used to connect the ends of the rods at the node points, then the rods are securely fastened, but complex assemblies are required which increases the production time required to manufacture the axle support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces screw connections with a simplified mechanical system consisting of curved sections that enclose the rod ends and are fastened by at least one adhesive spot connection. This substitution eliminates the need for complex threading and fastening operations, significantly reducing assembly time and complexity while maintaining secure fastening through the enclosure mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite connection approach combining curved section geometry with adhesive spot connections to achieve secure fastening. This composite method integrates structural design with material bonding, providing both mechanical enclosure and adhesive bonding to ensure strong connections without the complexity of screw threads.
3Weight of stationary object
If carbon fibers are used as a fiber component of the fiber-reinforced plastic in combination with aluminum, then lightweight components are achieved, but the aluminum material can corrode due to the very high electrical potential between these two materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary protective layer or coating system between the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic components and the aluminum material. This intermediary prevents direct electrical contact between the two materials, thereby eliminating the galvanic corrosion pathway while allowing the lightweight carbon fiber-aluminum combination to be used.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the harmful galvanic interaction between carbon fibers and aluminum by converting it into a design consideration that leads to improved corrosion protection strategies. The high electrical potential difference, which causes corrosion, is used to inform the selection of appropriate protective coatings or isolation layers, ultimately resulting in a more corrosion-resistant design.
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
This solution reduces production costs and weight by eliminating corrosion risks and complex assemblies, while enhancing stability through frictional engagement and material bonding, allowing for efficient manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
to frictionally engage the first and second rods in the specified relative alignment to hold
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A support structure in a framework construction is provided. The support structure includes a first and a second rod of an axle support of a motor vehicle, a positioning element, and a first and a second fiber winding. The positioning element fixes an alignment of the first rod relative to an alignment of the second rod. A first support section of the positioning element is drawn by the first fiber winding in the direction of a support section of the first rod, and a second support section of the positioning element is drawn by the second fiber winding in the direction of a support section of the second rod in order to hold the first and second rods in the fixed alignment relative to each other by a frictional connection.