Corrosion-Resistant Connecting Rod with Organic Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing connecting brackets for car chassis, known as pendulum supports, face issues with high costs due to galvanic coatings, labor-intensive chemical washing, optical defects from impurities, and vulnerability to corrosion from stone chipping, which increase maintenance and production costs.

Innovation Solution

The use of a water-impermeable anti-corrosion layer made from organic materials like rubber, latex, or thermoplastic materials, which are lighter, cheaper, and more resistant to mechanical stress, applied after coupling parts are attached, or integrated as a one-piece component in the injection molding process, reducing production steps and material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a galvanic coating is applied to the rod for corrosion protection, then corrosion resistance is improved, but production cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive galvanic coating with a cheaper plastic coating that provides sufficient corrosion protection for the application. The plastic coating is applied through a simpler, more cost-effective process while maintaining adequate protection against corrosion for the connecting rod in pendulum supports.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the coating material from galvanic (metallic) to plastic (polymer), fundamentally altering the protection mechanism. This parameter change enables cost reduction while maintaining corrosion resistance through different chemical and physical properties of the plastic material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a galvanic coating is applied to the rod, then corrosion protection is improved, but the production process becomes more complex and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion protectionVSAvoidproduction process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex galvanic coating process with a simpler plastic coating application. The plastic coating can be applied through less complex manufacturing processes, reducing production complexity and labor requirements while providing adequate corrosion protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the electrochemical galvanic process with a mechanical or chemical coating process using plastic materials. This replacement simplifies the production process by eliminating the need for complex galvanic equipment and chemical washing procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If a galvanic coating is applied to the rod, then initial corrosion protection is improved, but the coating is vulnerable to damage from stone chipping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitial corrosion protectionVSAvoidresistance to stone chipping

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses plastic coating material that combines corrosion protection with mechanical durability. The plastic material provides both the necessary barrier against corrosion and the toughness to resist damage from stone chipping, unlike thin galvanic layers that are easily compromised.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The plastic coating provides a more resilient and damage-tolerant protective layer that can absorb impacts from stone chipping without compromising the underlying rod. This beforehand cushioning effect prevents local corrosion that would occur if the thin galvanic layer were damaged.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Reliability

If a galvanic coating is applied to the rod, then corrosion protection is improved, but impurities from galvanic baths cause optical defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion protectionVSAvoidoptical quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the galvanic coating process that introduces impurities with a plastic coating process that does not carry over bath contaminants. The plastic coating application method avoids the rubber residues and other impurities that transfer from galvanic baths to the rod surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the electrochemical galvanic system with a plastic coating system that does not involve immersion in chemical baths. This eliminates the source of impurities and optical defects while maintaining corrosion protection functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2886886B1Connecting rod with corrosion protection

Publication Date: 2019.04.03 MAC PANTHER

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AI summary

The invention relates to a connecting support (100), in particular for absorbing axial tensile and compressive forces and torques, formed by a prismatic rod (102) made of metal with a substantially prismatic, preferably cylindrical circumferential surface (104) and profiles (108) formed on both rod end regions (106), as well as two coupling parts (110) made of plastic or light metal, which are preferably connected to the rod (102) by overmolding the rod end regions (106), and a corrosion protection layer (112) around the central rod region (114) located between the coupling parts (110). The invention is characterized in that the corrosion protection layer (112) consists of a water-impermeable organic material.