Curved Vehicle Panel Projections for Rigidity and NVH
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle floor panels made of plate-like steel sheets have poor rigidity, leading to a trade-off between maintaining ground clearance and compartment space when subjected to bending processes, and often result in degraded rigidity due to linear bending lines that can cause folding, reducing their effectiveness in reducing noise and vibration.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle panel structure featuring a plate-like panel member with curved projections and a reinforcing projection that form a wavy shape, connected in a curved manner to enhance rigidity without creating folding lines, thereby improving resonance frequency and reducing noise transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a plate-like floor panel is subjected to bending process to improve rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the ground clearance is reduced when projecting to the outside or the passenger compartment space is narrowed when projecting to the inside
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming projections with curved surfaces instead of linear bends. The first and second projections have curved surfaces that extend in the longitudinal direction, creating a wavy pattern that improves rigidity through geometric curvature without the sharp angular changes of linear bending. This curved geometry distributes stress more effectively while maintaining smoother transitions that reduce projection height
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional linear bending to three-dimensional curved projections. The projections extend in the longitudinal direction with curvature, adding a dimensional aspect that distributes the rigidity-enhancing effect along the length of the panel rather than concentrating it at specific bend points. This dimensional change allows rigidity improvement without requiring large projection heights that would compromise ground clearance
2Strength
If linear bending is used to improve rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but folding lines are created that can cause degradation in rigidity and increase noise transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates linear folding lines by replacing them with continuous curved surfaces. The projections have curved geometries that distribute stress gradually rather than concentrating it at sharp fold lines. This curvature prevents the formation of weak folding lines while maintaining the rigidity-enhancing wavy pattern, thereby improving reliability and reducing noise transmission through smoother stress distribution
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle panel structure includes a plate-like panel member. The plate-like panel member includes a substantially plate-like attaching area, a pair of projections, and a reinforcing projection. The substantially plate-like attaching area is attached to a vehicle body member. The pair of projections projects so as to be curved toward one side of the attaching area. The reinforcing projection projects between each member of the pair of projections so as to be curved toward the other side of the attaching area. The projections and the reinforcing projection are connected to each other with a connecting area therebetween so as to extend continuously in a curved shape.