Cold-Formed Sleeve Component for Lightweight Crash Box Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complex manufacturing process of extrusion and limited material choices in existing technologies for producing sleeve components for motor vehicle units, such as crash boxes, lead to high production costs and weight, while also limiting the use of higher-strength materials.
Innovation Solution
The sleeve component is cold-worked from a sheet metal blank, allowing for the formation of a sleeve channel through the contact of two material portions, which can be customized and manufactured using higher-strength materials like steels that cannot be extruded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the sleeve component is produced by extrusion from solid material, then the manufacturing process is established and reproducible, but the manufacturing complexity increases and material choices are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameter from extrusion (forming from solid material) to cold-forming (forming from sheet metal blank). This parameter change enables the use of different materials (steels that cannot be extruded) and reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining the functional requirements of the sleeve component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the use of higher-strength steel materials that cannot be extruded by transitioning to cold-forming processes. This allows access to a broader range of material properties and compositions that were previously unavailable through extrusion methods
2Strength
If a solid large-region block is provided to minimize material flow, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thin-walled hollow cylindrical sleeve formed from sheet metal blank instead of a solid large-region block. The cold-forming process creates a structurally efficient thin-walled structure that maintains structural integrity while significantly reducing weight compared to solid block designs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameter from solid block geometry to thin-walled hollow cylinder geometry. This parameter change achieves the same structural support function with dramatically reduced material quantity and weight, while the cold-forming process ensures the thin walls maintain sufficient strength
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 method significantly reduces production costs and weight while offering greater material flexibility, enabling the sleeve to absorb preload forces effectively and maintain structural integrity during accidents.
Implementation Method 1
the sleeve component is cold-worked from a sheet metal blank, in which cold working a first and a second material portion of the sheet metal blank are brought together in a contact region to configure the sleeve channel
Implementation Method 2
The inner side of the longitudinal beam is pressed onto the outer side of the connector portion of the crash box in such a way that the two parts are connected by means of a frictional connection
Data Source
AI summary
A unit having a connector portion for engaging into a component receptacle for the purpose of fastening the unit. The connector portion has at least two material cut-outs opposite one another for leading through a fastener, which engages through two opposing side walls of the component receptacle and the unit. The unit includes a sleeve component which is inserted into the unit and has a sleeve arranged such that the sleeve channel of the sleeve is aligned with the material cut-outs of the unit. The sleeve component is supported on the inner side at least in portions on the material which surrounds the material cut-outs. The sleeve component is cold-worked from a sheet metal blank, in which cold working a first and a second material portion of the sheet metal blank are brought together in a contact region with one another in order to configure the sleeve channel.