Casted Vehicle Component Guiding Structure for Leak-Free Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle part assembly methods using holes and pins for guiding components are costly, complex, and increase the risk of leakage, especially in fluid-tight structures like batteries, compromising safety and longevity.

Innovation Solution

A casted component with a guiding section featuring parallel grooves and protrusions allows for precise positioning without holes or pins, using a sleeve for guidance, ensuring tight tolerances and leak-proof assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If holes and pins are used for guiding components during assembly, then guiding precision and component positioning are improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguiding precisionVSAvoidassembly structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the guiding function from traditional hole-pin structures and relocates it to a dedicated guiding section with grooves and protrusions. This separation allows the main component to maintain structural integrity while the guiding section provides precise positioning, reducing overall device complexity while preserving guiding precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding section acts as an intermediary element between the component and the assembly structure. The grooves and protrusions in the guiding section mediate the positioning function, eliminating the need for holes and pins in the main component structure, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If holes are introduced in components for guiding, then component positioning is improved, but leakage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidfluid tightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the guiding function from the fluid-tight component structure by introducing a separate guiding section. This ensures that holes are not created in the main component, preserving fluid tightness while achieving accurate positioning through the groove-protrusion mechanism in the guiding section.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding section serves as an intermediary that handles positioning without compromising the main component's integrity. The grooves and protrusions provide the necessary guiding function while the main component remains hole-free, maintaining its fluid-tight properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If traditional hole and pin guiding systems are used, then component alignment is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the guiding function into the component structure itself through the guiding section with integrated grooves and protrusions. This eliminates the need for separate pins and holes, reducing the number of parts and assembly steps, thereby lowering manufacturing cost while maintaining alignment accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding section provides self-guiding functionality through its groove-protrusion design. The component automatically positions itself during assembly without requiring additional pins or complex alignment mechanisms, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while ensuring accurate alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4530480B1Casted component for use in a part of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP4530480B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4530480B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4530480B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The disclosure relates to a casted component (10) for use in a part (101) of a vehicle (100), the component (10) comprising a guiding section (12) configured for guiding the component (10) relative to a sleeve (20) when positioning the component (10) inside the part (101) of the vehicle (100), the guiding section (12) comprising at least one guiding structure (14) provided at a guiding side (13) of the component (10), the at least one guiding structure (14) comprising a round groove (15) extending at the guiding side (13) and a protrusion (16) directly adjacent to the groove (15) and protruding away from the groove (13), the groove (15) and the protrusion (16) extending substantially in parallel to each other along at least a portion of the guiding side (13).