Vehicle Body Side Frame With Overlapping Composite Blanks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing body side structural frames for vehicles face challenges such as reduced strength due to gaps between inner and outer panels, which can compromise structural integrity during crashes, and the need for additional steps like coating removal or using powders/wires to improve weld quality.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a unitary body side structural frame by joining blanks with overlapping regions, which are then deformed to increase thickness and strength, eliminating the need for coating removal and reducing the number of welding lines, thereby enhancing the structural frame's integrity and manufacturing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple structural parts are connected around a door to form a body side structural frame, then the structural frame can be assembled from separate components, but gaps between inner and outer panels reduce structural strength during crashes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the inner and outer panels into a unitary body side structural frame formed from a single composite blank. This eliminates the gaps that would exist between separately assembled panels, thereby maintaining structural strength while still allowing for manufactured complexity through the composite blank formation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite blank is formed by joining multiple individual blanks (such as A-pillar, B-pillar, rocker, and door ring blanks) before forming them into a unitary structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized separately while the final unitary structure eliminates gaps between them.
2Productivity
If blanks are joined edge to edge to form a composite blank, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but additional steps like coating removal or using powders/wires are needed to improve weld quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from edge-to-edge (2D surface) joining to overlapping (3D volumetric) joining of blanks. By overlapping the blanks, the welding process occurs through a larger area with better access, eliminating the need for coating removal and reducing welding complexity while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blanks are positioned in an overlapping configuration before the welding process begins. This preliminary arrangement ensures optimal weld access and quality from the start, eliminating the need for subsequent coating removal steps or additional welding aids.
3Strength
If the body side structural frame is made as a unitary structure, then structural integrity is improved, but the manufacturing process requires forming composite blanks from multiple blanks
Solution Approach 1:
The unitary body side structural frame is manufactured by first segmenting it into multiple separate blanks (A-pillar, B-pillar, rocker, door ring), joining these blanks with overlapping regions to form a composite blank, and then forming the composite blank into the final unitary structure. This segmentation approach simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple blanks are joined with overlapping regions before the final forming process. This preliminary joining creates a composite blank that is easier to form into the complex unitary structure, reducing the complexity of the overall manufacturing process while ensuring structural integrity in the final product.
4Weight of moving object
If blanks of different thicknesses are joined to minimize weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but structural requirements must be carefully balanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs blanks of different thicknesses in different regions of the body side structural frame. Thicker blanks are used in high-stress areas (such as pillar regions), while thinner blanks are used in lower-stress areas (such as the door ring). This local quality approach minimizes overall weight while satisfying structural requirements in each specific region.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite blank is formed by joining multiple blanks made of the same or different steel grades and thicknesses. This composite structure allows optimization of weight and strength by selecting appropriate material properties for each region, achieving the best balance between weight reduction and structural requirements.
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 approach enhances the structural strength and manufacturing efficiency by increasing thickness in critical areas, reducing weight, and eliminating the need for additional processing steps, thus improving the vehicle's crash performance and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
joining the blanks to each other to form a composite blank
Implementation Method 2
deforming the composite blank to form the unitary body side structural frame
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a unitary body side structural frame for a vehicle is provided. The method comprises providing a plurality of blanks, joining the blanks to each other to form a composite blank wherein joining the blanks includes forming one or more overlapping regions formed by partially overlapping two blanks and deforming the composite blank to form the unitary body side structural frame. A unitary body side structural frame as obtained by any of the methods herein described is also provided.