One-Piece Cast Rear Frame for Seat Mount Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing rear frames for electric vehicles face challenges in maintaining stiffness due to the use of mechanical fasteners, which leads to increased manufacturing complexity and cost, and compromises crashworthiness and NVH performance.
Innovation Solution
A rear frame designed using a casting method to form a unitary one-piece structure, eliminating the need for joints from welding, fasteners, or reinforcements, thereby enhancing load distribution and stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If mechanical fasteners (SPR, FDS) are used to join rear side members and crossmembers, then the rear frame can be assembled from separate components, but the stiffness of the vehicle rear structure is lost and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (rear side members and crossmembers) into a single integrated rear frame structure. This eliminates the need for mechanical fasteners and welding joints, thereby restoring structural stiffness while maintaining manufacturability through monolithic formation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical fastening system (SPR, FDS) with a monolithic structural system. Instead of joining separate components through mechanical means, the entire rear frame is formed as a single piece, eliminating joint-related stiffness loss and manufacturing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components are manufactured by pressing and joined using fasteners and welding, then the rear frame can be assembled from standardized parts, but the manufacturing process becomes very complex and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pressing operations and assembly steps into a single monolithic formation process. By integrating the rear side members and crossmembers into one structure, the manufacturing process is simplified despite the loss of component standardization flexibility.
3Strength
If brackets and reinforcements are added to the rear frame to improve vehicle seat mounting stiffness, then the mounting stiffness is improved, but the assembly process becomes very complex and manufacturing cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the mounting structure directly into the monolithic rear frame body, eliminating the need for separate brackets and reinforcements. This integration maintains mounting stiffness while simplifying the assembly process and reducing component count.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment rear frame includes a pair of side portions spaced apart from each other in a width direction of a vehicle, a first cross portion connecting front portions of the pair of side portions and having a first mounting boss on which a front seat mount for a vehicle seat is mounted, and a second cross portion connecting rear portions of the pair of side portions and having a second mounting boss on which a rear seat mount for a vehicle seat is mounted, wherein the pair of side portions, the first cross portion, and the second cross portion together are a unitary one-piece structure.