Vehicle Cup Holder Foam Liner Thermal Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Typical cup holders in vehicles do not provide effective thermal insulation or sound absorption for beverage containers, leading to temperature changes and noise issues during vehicle operation.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle interior storage compartment with a substrate and a foam liner having a skin, where the foam liner is bonded to the substrate and includes protrusions that deform to accommodate various container sizes, providing thermal insulation and sound absorption while blocking liquid leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a typical liner is used in a cup holder, then the structure is simple, but thermal insulation is insufficient and beverage temperature changes rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The liner is constructed from multiple foam materials with different densities (e.g., closed-cell foam and open-cell foam) bonded together. The closed-cell foam provides thermal insulation to maintain beverage temperature, while the open-cell foam provides sound absorption. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by achieving both thermal insulation and sound absorption without using a single complex material.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the liner have different material properties - the outer layer uses closed-cell foam for thermal insulation, while the inner layer uses open-cell foam for sound absorption. This local differentiation of material quality allows the liner to simultaneously address both thermal and acoustic requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a typical liner is used in a cup holder, then manufacturing is simple, but sound absorption is insufficient and noise from object contact is not reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The liner combines closed-cell foam and open-cell foam in a single integrated structure. The open-cell foam specifically targets sound absorption to reduce noise from object contact, while the closed-cell foam provides structural support and thermal insulation. This composite approach achieves sound absorption without requiring separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The liner incorporates porous open-cell foam material that absorbs sound waves through its cellular structure. The porosity allows sound energy to be dissipated as it passes through the material, effectively reducing noise from objects within the cup holder.
3Adaptability or versatility
If protrusions are added to the liner to accommodate various container sizes, then adaptability improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions are made from flexible foam material that can deform dynamically to accommodate containers of different sizes and shapes. Rather than creating rigid, precisely-formed protrusions, the flexible foam naturally adapts its shape through deformation, simplifying the molding process while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam material's physical parameters (flexibility, deformability) are optimized to allow the protrusions to change shape in response to different container dimensions. This parameter optimization enables a single molded structure to serve multiple container types without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms.
4Shape
If the skin show surface is visible, then aesthetics improve, but liquid leakage blocking becomes more critical
Solution Approach 1:
The skin layer is designed with differentiated properties - it provides an aesthetically pleasing visible surface while simultaneously serving as a liquid barrier. The outer surface is configured for appearance, while the inner configuration (such as a lip or flange) provides liquid leakage protection at the interface with the container.
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 effectively maintains the temperature of beverages, reduces noise from object contact, and securely holds containers of different diameters, enhancing the vehicle's interior comfort and aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
Typical liners may not provide effective thermal insulation for beverage containers within the cup holder. The temperature of warm and/or cool beverages may rapidly approach the temperature of the vehicle interior.
Implementation Method 2
Typical liners may not absorb a significant amount of sound (e.g., associated with contact between objects within the cup holder). Objects (e.g., coins) impacting one another during operation of the vehicle may generate undesirable noise.
Implementation Method 3
The liner includes at least one protrusion configured to deform. The protrusion is formed from foam having a skin and configured to deform.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle interior storage compartment is disclosed. The vehicle interior storage compartment is configured to store a beverage container. The vehicle interior storage compartment includes a substrate and a foam liner having a skin secured to the substrate during a forming process. The liner includes at least one protrusion configured to deform.