Commercial Vehicle Box Body Portal Structure for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial vehicle box bodies face challenges in achieving a balance between stability, weight reduction, and cost-effectiveness, as existing designs often compromise on stiffness, payload capacity, and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
The box body design incorporates a portal structure with stand elements and beam elements arranged in a series of portals and frame structures, connected via spar structures and the floor, to enhance stability and durability while minimizing material usage and manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional box body structures with solid wall panels and extensive framing are used, then structural stability and strength are improved, but weight increases and payload capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The wall panels are divided into multiple individual panels arranged next to one another, creating a segmented structure. This segmentation allows the box body to maintain structural integrity through the distributed panel arrangement while reducing overall material usage and weight compared to solid wall constructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The box body employs composite construction combining metal framing structures with panel elements. This composite approach optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio by using materials strategically - metal frames provide structural support while panel infill reduces weight, achieving both structural stability and weight reduction.
2Strength
If more material is used to increase box body strength and stability, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the wall panels into smaller units, the structure achieves required strength through distributed support points and framing connections. This reduces the total material volume needed compared to solid panels while maintaining structural integrity, thereby lowering manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The framing structure provides sufficient support at critical locations rather than continuous material distribution. The stand elements and bar elements are positioned to provide maximum structural benefit with minimum material, avoiding excessive material usage while maintaining adequate strength.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If extensive framing structures are used to ensure box body durability, then structural stability is improved, but weight increases and loading space decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The framing structure is segmented into discrete stand elements and bar elements positioned at strategic locations rather than continuous framing. This segmented approach provides necessary durability and structural support while minimizing the volume occupied by framing members, thereby maximizing available loading space.
Solution Approach 2:
The framing elements are positioned to provide durability at critical stress points and connections rather than uniform distribution throughout. This partial action approach ensures box body durability where needed while minimizing material volume and preserving maximum loading space.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Described and illustrated is a box body (2) of a commercial vehicle (1), in particular a truck, trailer or semi-trailer, comprising two side walls (5), a roof (3), a front wall (4) and a rear wall (6), wherein the side walls (5) are each connected to the roof (3) in an upper edge region (13) via a longitudinal beam structure (14) extending along the box body (2), wherein the side walls (5) are each connected to a floor structure (10) of the box body (2) in a lower edge region (15), wherein the side walls (5) each have a wall panel (11) that at least substantially closes the side wall (5) and several support elements (19, 20) arranged at least substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other for stiffening the side walls (5), wherein the support elements (19,20) each extend at least from the floor structure (10) to the beam structure (14) associated with the respective side wall (5), wherein the roof (3) has a wall panel (12) that at least substantially closes the roof (3) and, for stiffening the roof (3), several beam elements (35) arranged at least substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other, and wherein the beam elements (35) each extend from one beam structure (14) to the opposite beam structure (14). In order to provide a stable and durable box body with lower weight, it is provided that, in the longitudinal direction of the box body (2), between the front wall (4) and the rear wall (6), several spaced-apart and at least substantially parallel portals (36) are provided, each comprising a support element (19, 20) of each side wall (5) and a beam element (35) of the roof (3).