Composite Floor Panel Force Distribution in Side Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle front floors, primarily made of metal and composite materials, face challenges in side impact absorption, assembly complexity, and weight, leading to increased manufacturing costs and energy inefficiency, while stricter regulations demand lighter vehicles with improved impact resistance.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece, single-skin composite floor design featuring a main panel with lateral supports, recesses, and transverse ribs that distribute mechanical forces during a side impact, reducing material stress and allowing for lighter construction without compromising impact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple metal or composite parts are assembled to create the front floor, then the impact resistance and structural support are improved, but the assembly complexity and manufacturing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate floor parts (side panels, central tunnel, cross beams, longitudinal beams) into a single integrated composite floor panel. This monolithic structure maintains impact resistance through its unified load-bearing design while eliminating assembly complexity by requiring only single-piece installation into the vehicle
2Strength
If metal materials are used for the front floor, then the mechanical strength and impact absorption are improved, but the vehicle weight increases, degrading energy performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials (such as fiber-reinforced plastics) to construct the entire front floor panel. These composite materials provide mechanical strength and impact absorption comparable to or exceeding traditional metal floors while significantly reducing the overall weight, thereby improving vehicle energy performance without sacrificing structural integrity
3Strength
If the panel thickness is increased at the impact interface, then the impact resistance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and risk of delamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by concentrating structural reinforcement exactly where needed - at the impact interface between the lateral support and side member - through strategically placed ribs and optimized material distribution. This localized reinforcement achieves high impact resistance without requiring uniform thickness increases throughout the entire panel, thereby simplifying manufacturing and reducing delamination risks
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
- Floor (10) of a motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises a main panel (20) made of composite material, the panel (20) comprising two lateral supports (40) intended to be fixed to longitudinal members (50), the profile of the panel (20) forming a step at the level of each lateral support (40), the panel (20) further comprising ribs extending between one lateral support (40) and the other lateral support (40).