Composite Tailgate Structure for Lightweight Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic tailgates suffer from insufficient rigidity due to material limitations, which affects their performance and weight reduction capabilities compared to metallic tailgates.
Innovation Solution
A composite tailgate design featuring an interior panel with integrated window frames and main body traverses, reinforced with inverted V-shaped structures and a S-shaped reinforcing structure, combined with a polypropylene and long glass fibers material, enhances torsional and flexural rigidity while minimizing weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a plastic tailgate is used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced by 30% compared to metallic tailgate, but rigidity becomes insufficient due to material limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials (polypropylene and long glass fibers) to create a tailgate that combines the weight advantages of plastics with the strength characteristics of glass fibers, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and rigidity maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The tailgate is divided into multiple structural components including interior panel, exterior panel, window frame, main body, and multiple reinforcing structures (inverted V-shaped structures, S-shaped reinforcing structure, cross-shaped rib structures) that work together to provide rigidity while maintaining weight reduction
2Strength
If reinforcing structures are added to increase rigidity, then torsional and flexural rigidity are increased, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple reinforcing functions are merged into integrated structures: the inverted V-shaped structures serve both as connection elements between main body traverses and as reinforcing elements; the S-shaped reinforcing structure is integrated into the window frame lower traverse; cross-shaped rib structures are embedded within the window frame, reducing the need for separate reinforcing components
Data Source
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AI summary
A composite tailgate comprising an interior panel (1) and an exterior panel is disclosed. The interior panel (1) comprises a window frame (11) and a main body (12) located below the window frame (11) that are formed integrally. The main body (12) comprising a main body upper traverse (121), a connecting structure (122), and a main body lower traverse (123) that are provided successively from top to bottom. The connecting structure (122) comprises a left inverted V-shaped structure (122a), a right inverted V-shaped structure (122c), and a lock-latch reinforcing plate (122b) there between. The main body upper traverse (121) is connected with the main body lower traverse (123) by the left inverted V-shaped structure (122a) and the right inverted V-shaped structure (122c).