CFRP Vehicle Body Structure Horizontal Rigidity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle body structures using steel for cowl and pillar members lack sufficient horizontal directional rigidity, which can lead to reduced structural integrity and increased fuel consumption due to weight.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle body structure utilizing carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) for cowl and front pillar members, connected via a cowl side member, employing a braiding method to enhance rigidity, with a double cross member structure and closed sections for improved support and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If steel plates are used for cowl and pillar members, then structural rigidity is maintained, but vehicle weight increases leading to higher fuel consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural rigidityVSAvoidvehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite materials to manufacture cowl and pillar members. The CFRP material provides high strength and rigidity comparable to steel while significantly reducing weight, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining structural rigidity and reducing vehicle weight for lower fuel consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Weight of moving object

If CFRP material is used for cowl and pillar members, then vehicle weight is reduced, but horizontal directional rigidity is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle weightVSAvoidhorizontal directional rigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cowl member into multiple components including a cowl panel, cowl lower cross member, and cowl upper cross member. This segmentation allows for optimized structural design where each component contributes to overall rigidity, with the double cross member structure specifically enhancing horizontal directional stiffness while maintaining weight benefits of CFRP

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a double cross member structure (both upper and lower cross members) to enhance horizontal directional rigidity. By adding structural elements in the horizontal dimension, the design compensates for potential rigidity deficiencies of CFRP material while preserving weight advantages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If cowl member and front pillar are rigidly connected, then structural rigidity is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural rigidityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by manufacturing the cowl member and front pillar as pre-formed CFRP components using braiding technology before assembly. The components are prepared with integrated reinforcement structures and connection interfaces during manufacturing, allowing for rigid connection through standardized coupling mechanisms rather than complex post-assembly operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10232894B2Vehicle body structure using CFRP

Publication Date: 2019.03.19 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle body structure using carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) may include a cowl member extending along a width direction of a vehicle, a front pillar extending along a height direction of the vehicle, and a cowl side member of which an inner side is coupled to a front end of the cowl member and an outer side is coupled to the front pillar member.