Diagonal Bracing in Vehicle Structural Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a motorized vehicle structural frame that reduces weight while maintaining sufficient stiffness, particularly for electric or hybrid vehicles, to minimize fuel consumption and accommodate the weight of battery packs, which is not effectively addressed by traditional diesel bus frames.
Innovation Solution
The structural frame design includes a roof structure, floor structure, and sidewalls with diagonally-extending structural frame members that transfer the weight of the battery pack from the roof to the floor, using lightweight materials like aluminum and polymeric foam cores, and a configuration that supports front and rear axles, allowing for efficient weight distribution and increased deformation resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional metal tubings and beams are used for the structural frame, then strength and stiffness are maintained, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials including aluminum alloy extrusions, polymeric foam cores, and sandwich structures combining lightweight materials with structural integrity. These composites reduce vehicle weight while maintaining the structural frame's strength and stiffness requirements, directly resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and strength maintenance.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the structural frame is redesigned to reduce weight, then fuel consumption decreases, but the ability to support battery pack weight and maintain stiffness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The structural frame is segmented into multiple functional components including roof structure, floor structure, sidewalls, and diagonal bracing members. This segmentation allows optimization of each component for its specific function while collectively supporting battery pack loads and maintaining overall frame stiffness, enabling weight reduction without compromising reliability under electric vehicle operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces diagonal bracing members that extend between the upper edge region and lower edge region of sidewalls, adding a diagonal dimension to the traditional vertical and horizontal frame structure. This dimensional change creates triangular load paths that efficiently transfer battery pack weight and dynamic loads to the floor structure, maintaining structural reliability while using lighter materials.
3Strength
If diagonally-extending structural frame members are added to sidewalls, then deformation resistance increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diagonal bracing members are integrated with the existing sidewall structure, combining the functions of load bearing, deformation resistance, and structural connectivity in a single structural element. This merging approach increases deformation resistance while minimizing the addition of separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure concerns a vehicle. The vehicle comprises a structural frame having a longitudinal axis and comprising a roof structure, a floor structure vertically spaced apart from the roof structure, first and second sidewalls extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, between the roof structure and the floor structure and being transversally spaced apart from one another. Each of the first and second sidewalls has an upper edge region mechanically connected to the roof structure and a lower edge region supported by the floor structure. At least the first sidewall comprises at least one structural frame member extending substantially diagonally between the upper edge region and the lower edge region of the first sidewall. The vehicle further comprises an energy supply support mounted to and supported by the roof structure.