Cooling Air Louver Composite Structure for Strength and Appearance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling air louvers for motor vehicle bodies face a challenge in balancing structural stability with visual appeal, as materials that provide stability, like PP-GF50, are not visually appealing, while those that satisfy visual requirements, such as PP-T20, lack necessary stability.
Innovation Solution
An air guiding element with a flat main body formed from two shells and an injection-molded carrier element between them, where the carrier element serves as reinforcement, ensuring stability and visual appeal through a cost-effective injection molding method.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a carrier part made from stable plastic material (PP-GF50) is used, then structural stability is improved, but visual appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air guiding element is divided into two functional parts: a carrier part made from stable plastic material (PP-GF50) providing structural stability, and a panel made from visually suitable plastic material (PP-T20) providing aesthetic appearance. These segments are connected through attachment elements to resolve the contradiction between strength and visual appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining two different plastic materials with complementary properties: PP-GF50 for structural integrity and PP-T20 for visual appeal. This composite approach allows each material to fulfill its specific function optimally while working together as an integrated component.
2Shape
If only visually suitable material (PP-T20) is used, then visual appearance is improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air guiding element is divided into two functional parts: a carrier part made from stable plastic material (PP-GF50) providing structural stability, and a panel made from visually suitable plastic material (PP-T20) providing aesthetic appearance. These segments are connected through attachment elements to resolve the contradiction between strength and visual appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining two different plastic materials with complementary properties: PP-GF50 for structural integrity and PP-T20 for visual appeal. This composite approach allows each material to fulfill its specific function optimally while working together as an integrated component.
3Strength
If carrier part and panel are connected separately, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment elements are integrally formed with the carrier part through injection molding, merging the carrier part and attachment elements into a single molded component. This reduces assembly complexity by eliminating separate attachment element production and assembly steps while maintaining the structural stability provided by the carrier part.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection molding process serves multiple functions: it produces the carrier part structure, creates the attachment elements, and forms the connection points all in one manufacturing step. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating multiple manufacturing operations into a single process.
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 solution provides an integrated component that meets both stability and visual requirements, reducing the need for additional assembly steps and utilizing the carrier element's gate for further functions, thus enhancing the air guiding element's performance.
Implementation Method 1
the carrier element being molded between the two shells by means of an injection molding method
Data Source
AI summary
An air guiding element, in particular a cooling air louver for an air inlet of a motor vehicle body, with a flat main body and with a bearing region. The air guiding element is arranged such that it can be pivoted by way of its bearing region about a pivot axis. The flat main body is formed from two shells, and with a carrier element which is arranged between the shells. The carrier element is molded between the two shells by an injection molding method such that the two shells are connected to one another in this way.