Detachable Center Pillar Structure for Repairable Vehicle Bodies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body structures with carbon fiber reinforced resin center pillars face difficulties in repair and reuse due to the material's properties, making replacement and recycling challenging.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body structure design where the center pillar is a separate metal component detachably attached to a rocker, allowing for easy detachment and reuse, with connection points consolidated through bolts and penetrating sections, reducing assembly time and enhancing repairability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the center pillar is made of carbon fiber reinforced resin, then the vehicle body achieves high strength and lightweight properties, but the center pillar becomes difficult to repair and reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The center pillar is divided into an upper section and a lower section that can be separately replaced. The lower section is detachably connected to the rocker, allowing only the damaged lower portion to be replaced while retaining the upper section, thus improving repairability while maintaining strength
Solution Approach 2:
The material of the center pillar is changed from carbon fiber reinforced resin to metal (aluminum or steel), which maintains high strength while enabling welding and other metal fabrication techniques for easy repair and reuse
2Strength
If the center pillar is made of carbon fiber reinforced resin, then the vehicle body achieves high strength properties, but the material becomes difficult to reuse after detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The center pillar material is changed from carbon fiber reinforced resin to metal (aluminum or steel), which maintains high strength while enabling welding and other metal fabrication techniques for easy repair and reuse
Solution Approach 2:
The detachable connection design allows the lower section to be easily removed and the metal material to be recovered and reused for manufacturing new parts, unlike carbon fiber which is difficult to recycle
3Ease of repair
If the center pillar is detachably attached to the rocker, then the center pillar can be easily replaced, but the assembly structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment member serves multiple functions: it detachably connects the center pillar to the rocker, provides a reference position for accurate positioning, and enables easy replacement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining replaceability
4Reliability
If multiple attachment members are used to connect the center pillar and rocker, then the connection reliability is improved, but the assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment members are designed with built-in positioning functions that guide alignment during assembly. This preliminary positioning action eliminates the need for complex alignment procedures and reduces assembly time while maintaining connection reliability through proper positioning
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body structure includes a rocker configuring a portion at an outer side, in a vehicle width direction, of a vehicle body lower section. The rocker extends in a vehicle front-rear direction. The vehicle body structure also includes a metal center pillar, which is a separate component from the rocker. A lower section in a vehicle up-down direction of the center pillar is detachably attached to the rocker by an attachment member.