Composite Support Rod With Integrated Vibration Damping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing supporting rods in commercial vehicles face issues such as corrosion, high material costs, structural fatigue, and the need for rubber rings to dampen vibrations, leading to potential accidents and increased maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

A multifunctional supporting rod made of structural composite material with an integrated shock absorber, designed to reduce material usage, provide predictable failure points, and eliminate the need for rubber rings, featuring a composite material with a predefined failure mode to prevent complete breakage and enhance ergonomics during assembly and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If metallic materials are used for supporting rods, then mechanical strength and structural stability are improved, but corrosion resistance deteriorates and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidcorrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials consisting of a polymer matrix reinforced with inorganic fibers (glass, carbon, basalt, or aramid) to replace traditional metallic supporting rods. This composite structure provides both the required mechanical strength and inherent corrosion resistance, eliminating the harmful effects of corrosion while maintaining structural integrity. The inorganic fibers embedded in the polymer matrix create a material that is both strong and immune to electrochemical corrosion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If rubber rings are added to dampen vibrations, then vibrational damping is improved, but device complexity and number of parts increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibrational dampingVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the vibrational damping function directly into the supporting rod structure itself. The composite material and its internal structure (fiber arrangement, matrix composition) are designed to provide inherent vibration damping capabilities, eliminating the need for separate rubber rings or additional damping components. This integration reduces the total number of parts while maintaining effective vibrational damping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If metallic supporting rods are used, then structural stability is improved, but weight increases and payload capacity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials with a polymer matrix and inorganic fiber reinforcement that provide high strength-to-weight and high stiffness-to-weight ratios. This allows the supporting rod to maintain structural stability and load-bearing capacity while significantly reducing weight compared to metallic alternatives, thereby increasing the vehicle's payload capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Reliability

If predefined failure mode is implemented, then safety is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidmanufacturing precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements predefined failure modes by creating localized zones within the composite rod with controlled material properties. These zones contain specific fiber orientations, material compositions, or geometric features designed to fail first in a controlled manner, protecting critical components. The local quality variation is achieved through targeted material placement or structural design during manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The composite supporting rod reduces material costs, minimizes the risk of accidents, and improves payload capacity while reducing fuel consumption and pollutant emissions, offering a sustainable solution with improved durability and maintenance efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

improved dampen of mechanic-dynamic efforts and improved mechanic responses, reducing structural fatigue

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibrational damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS11827278B2Supporting rod of vehicle component, system of integrating support and vibrational damping and process for manufacturing of a supporting rod of vehicle component

Publication Date: 2023.11.28 FRAS LE SA

AI summary

A multifunctional supporting rod of vehicle components of commercial vehicles, such as road implements, including, e.g., rods useful in supporting of vehicle components like fender, wings, rearview mirrors, lighting devices for commercial vehicles and similar, among other parts. In one aspect, the rod includes an integrated shock absorber for vibrational efforts and load in rod itself, comprising structural composite material, which provides improved dampen of mechanic-dynamic efforts and improved mechanic responses, reducing structural fatigue. In other aspect, the rod provides higher resistance to efforts, less material amount, and provides a mode of incomplete failure in predetermined location, avoiding loss of components during a structural failure generated from use. In another aspect, the rod has low weight/mass, provides gain of payload of commercial vehicle, and economy of energy/fuel.