Vehicle Cladding with Local Rigidity Zones for Sensor Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity and cost associated with producing bumper cladding for vehicles with and without parking distance control (PDC) sensors, along with the aesthetic concerns due to increasing sensor visibility, necessitate a solution that simplifies production and maintains high surface quality.
Innovation Solution
A cladding part with distinct mechanical rigidity regions, including a functional region for sensors with lower damping properties and a decoupling region, where the rigidity is varied by crosslinking or irradiation of plastics materials, allowing for efficient transmission of oscillations without geometric changes, and a method for producing such parts using crosslinkable plastics with targeted irradiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If PDC sensors are installed in the bumper cladding, then distance sensing function is improved, but production complexity and cost increase due to requiring different cladding variants
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper cladding is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate PDC sensors without requiring separate variants. The cladding includes a functional region with modified damping properties that serves as a sensor mounting area, allowing the same cladding design to be used for both vehicles with and without sensors, thereby eliminating the need to maintain multiple cladding variants in stock.
Solution Approach 2:
The cladding features a functional region with locally modified mechanical properties (lower damping value) compared to the main region. This local modification creates an optimal area for sensor integration while maintaining the overall structural integrity and appearance of the cladding, enabling sensor accommodation without affecting other areas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If PDC sensors are installed in the bumper cladding, then distance sensing function is improved, but visual appearance deteriorates due to visible sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The PDC sensor is integrated within the bumper cladding structure itself, with the sensor housed in the functional region that is surrounded by the decoupling region. This nesting approach allows the sensor to be concealed within the cladding, maintaining a smooth and uniform external surface that preserves the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle exterior.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform wall thickness is maintained in the cladding, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but sensor oscillation transmission deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of varying wall thickness, the patent applies local quality modification by changing the damping properties of the material in the functional region through crosslinking or irradiation. This allows the functional region to have lower damping and better oscillation transmission while maintaining uniform wall thickness throughout the cladding, thus preserving manufacturing simplicity while improving sensor performance.
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 reduces production complexity and costs by obscuring sensors within the bumper cladding, maintaining uniform wall thickness and surface quality, while effectively decoupling sensor-induced oscillations for improved performance.
Implementation Method 1
The cladding part can be produced from a crosslinkable plastics material, in particular from a polypropylene. The cladding part herein is crosslinked to a dissimilar extent in different regions thereof.
Implementation Method 2
at least the region that configures the decoupling region is irradiated during the crosslinking of the crosslinkable initial material
Data Source
AI summary
A cladding part for a motor vehicle has an external side, and an internal side which is disposed opposite the external side. At least one sensor is disposed on the internal side. The cladding part has at least one main region and at least one functional region, wherein the functional region in terms of oscillations has a lower damping value than the main region. The functional region at least in portions is surrounded by a decoupling region, wherein the cladding part in the decoupling region has a first mechanical rigidity value and in the main region has a second mechanical rigidity value. The first rigidity value is lower than the second rigidity value.