Composite Vehicle Door Structure for Lightweight Rigid Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial vehicle doors made of stamped sheet metal are heavy, increasing vehicle weight and requiring labor-intensive component installation through openings and internal cavities, which is time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door design incorporating a plastic inner reinforcement, an outer shell, and a metallic support that provides rigidity and connects the hinge portion and door latch, with a window system, to enhance structural integrity and facilitate assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If stamped sheet metal is used for door body, then structural rigidity is provided, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining plastic inner reinforcement panels with metallic outer skin panels. The plastic inner reinforcement provides structural rigidity and strength while being lighter than equivalent sheet metal construction, thus reducing overall door weight while maintaining required structural properties.
2Ease of manufacture
If components are installed through openings and internal cavities of sheet metal door body, then components can be mounted, but assembly time and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into modular components: outer skin panel, inner reinforcement panel, and component assemblies. Components are pre-assembled on the inner reinforcement panel which serves as a separate module, allowing parallel assembly operations and reducing overall assembly time compared to installing components through openings in a monolithic door body.
3Strength
If sheet metal outer and inner panels are crimped together, then door body structure is formed, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite construction where plastic inner reinforcement panels are joined to metallic outer skin panels through bonding or mechanical attachment rather than traditional crimping of metal panels together. This approach simplifies the manufacturing process by avoiding complex multi-step crimping operations while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a vehicle door is provided that includes a plastic inner reinforcement for closing an opening of a vehicle. The plastic inner reinforcement fits the opening of the vehicle to provide reinforcement for the vehicle door about the periphery of the vehicle door. The vehicle door includes an outer shell, an inner cover panel, a support, a hinge portion configured to connect to a corresponding hinge portion of the opening of the vehicle, and a door latch for engaging a door strike of the opening of the vehicle. The support connects the hinge portion and the door latch to inhibit movement of the door latch relative to the hinge portion.