Deformable Armrest With Patterned Channels for Anisotropic Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of built-in armrests in vehicles is costly and time-consuming due to the separate production and assembly of stiff cores and outer skins, necessitating an economical and efficient method for producing armrests that meet design and impact specifications.
Innovation Solution
An automotive armrest with a deformable core featuring a patterned array of channels, where the core and skin are 3-D printed from different materials, allowing for varying stiffness responses in different directions to meet structural requirements while compressing laterally during impacts, and the skin forms a substantial portion of the armrest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If separate production and assembly of stiff cores and outer skins is used, then structural strength and impact resistance are improved, but manufacturing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate production of stiff cores and outer skins into a single integrated 3-D printing process. The deformable core with patterned channels and the outer skin are printed together as one unified structure, eliminating assembly steps while maintaining the composite material benefits for structural strength and impact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining a deformable core material with channel structures and an outer skin material in a single 3-D printed component. This allows the armrest to exhibit both flexibility (from the deformable core) and structural integrity (from the integrated design), resolving the contradiction between strength and manufacturing efficiency.
2Strength
If separate production and assembly of stiff cores and outer skins is used, then structural strength and impact resistance are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple manufacturing operations into a single 3-D printing process, producing both the deformable core and outer skin simultaneously. This integration eliminates separate material procurement, production, and assembly costs, reducing overall manufacturing expense while maintaining structural strength through the integrated design.
3Device complexity
If uniform stiffness is provided in all directions, then structural simplicity is improved, but impact protection performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating anisotropic stiffness characteristics within the deformable core. The patterned array of channels provides different stiffness values in different directions (higher stiffness vertically, lower stiffness laterally), allowing the structure to be optimized for specific impact scenarios while maintaining overall design simplicity through the regular channel pattern.
4Strength
If high vertical stiffness is provided, then support functionality is improved, but lateral deformability during impact decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by orienting the patterned channels vertically within the deformable core. This channel orientation provides high resistance to vertical compression (supporting the armrest function) while allowing greater lateral deformability during side impacts, creating direction-dependent mechanical properties that satisfy both functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the channel cross-sections with different dimensions in vertical versus lateral directions. The channels have smaller lateral dimensions and larger vertical dimensions, creating asymmetric stiffness characteristics that provide vertical support while enabling lateral compliance for impact absorption.
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 method reduces manufacturing costs and time by integrating the core and skin through 3-D printing, enabling the armrest to provide effective support and protection by varying stiffness responses, thus enhancing safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The elastic core exhibits a predetermined target vertical stiffness and a predetermined target lateral stiffness different than the predetermined target vertical stiffness
Data Source
AI summary
An automotive armrest includes an elastic core defining a patterned array of channels extending therethrough such that the elastic core exhibits a predetermined target vertical stiffness and a predetermined target lateral stiffness different than the predetermined target vertical stiffness. The automotive armrest also includes a skin arranged with the elastic core.