Damper Base Ridge Line Star Shape for Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle front body structures face challenges in increasing the strength of the damper base without increasing the number of components, which can lead to weight gain, reduced flexibility in design, and difficulties in welding, particularly with the use of spot welding techniques.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle front body structure featuring a damper base with a ridge line portion extending along its outer circumference, formed in a wave or star shape, which minimizes the area of the damper base upper wall, allowing for increased strength while maintaining rigidity and enabling three-layer spot welding, and includes separate housing connecting portions and a longitudinal recessed bead to reduce weight and prevent wrinkles during press forming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a reinforcement member is provided to make the damper housing have a dual structure, then the strength of the damper base is increased, but the number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of damper baseVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the reinforcement function into the damper base itself by forming a bulging portion (reinforcement protrusion) directly on the upper surface of the damper base. This integrates the strengthening feature with the base structure, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement members while maintaining enhanced strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The damper base is segmented into functional zones including a bulging portion (reinforcement protrusion) and a recessed portion. This segmentation allows the base to have varying thickness and structural properties in different areas, providing strength where needed without requiring additional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If a bulging portion or a rib is formed in the upper surface of the damper base, then the strength of the damper base is increased, but it is difficult to weld another component on the upper surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of damper baseVSAvoidease of welding

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement is applied locally as a bulging portion only in the specific area where strength is needed, rather than forming a rib that would continuously interfere with welding. This localized approach maintains weldability in other regions while providing targeted strengthening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the sheet thickness of the damper base is increased to increase the strength of the damper base, then the strength is improved, but the weight of the damper base increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of damper baseVSAvoidweight of damper base

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing sheet thickness uniformly, the patent uses a bulging portion (reinforcement protrusion) that creates a curved, three-dimensional structure. This curvature provides structural strength and stiffness without requiring proportional increases in material thickness, thereby avoiding excessive weight gain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Strength

If the sheet thickness of the damper base is increased, then the strength is improved, but bolt fastening needs to be employed and the number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of damper baseVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement is integrated directly into the damper base structure as a bulging portion, combining the strengthening function with the base itself. This eliminates the need for separate bolt fastening components or additional reinforcement members, maintaining component simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

5Strength

If a reinforcement member is provided to make the damper housing have a dual structure, then the strength is increased, but the weight of the damper base increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of damper baseVSAvoidweight of damper base

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement function is merged with the damper base structure itself through the bulging portion, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement members. This integration provides enhanced strength while avoiding the weight penalty of additional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8746784B2Vehicle front body structure

Publication Date: 2014.06.10 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle front body structure includes a pair of damper housings, a pair of damper bases, and a dashboard upper. Each of the damper bases includes a damper base upper wall, three damper fixing portions, three dash upper fixing portion, and a ridge line portion extending along the outer circumference of the damper base upper wall. The three damper fixing portions and the three dash upper fixing portions are alternately disposed on an imaginary circle. Sections of the ridge line portion outside each of the dash upper fixing portions and each of the dash upper fixing portion are located outside the imaginary circle, and each of sections of the ridge line portion between the damper fixing portion and the dash upper fixing portion intersects the imaginary circle so that the ridge line portion is formed in a substantially star shape in plan view.