Diagonal Gusset Reinforcement for Vehicle Body Corner Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle bodies with moon roofs face challenges in torsional stiffness due to reduced support structure, which affects ride and handling performance, and existing solutions fail to adequately reinforce corner joints to enhance structural rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body assembly that includes a gusset component with a diagonally extending edge between the header and roof rail, reinforcing the corner joint, and a gusset flange parallel to the roof rail's upper surface, integrated with either the header or roof rail components, to enhance structural rigidity and torsional stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a moon roof is installed in the vehicle body, then the vehicle body provides enhanced aesthetic appeal and ventilation, but the torsional stiffness of the vehicle body decreases due to reduced support structure
Solution Approach 1:
The gusset component is divided into multiple functional segments: a body portion integrated with the header, a roof rail interface portion, and a diagonally extending edge portion. This segmentation allows each segment to perform its specific function optimally while collectively reinforcing the corner joint to compensate for the moon roof's structural opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The gusset component applies local reinforcement at the critical corner joint area where the header meets the roof rail. The diagonally extending edge is specifically positioned at 30-60 degrees to resist shear forces and bending moments concentrated at this location, providing targeted structural support without affecting the overall moon roof functionality.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional joint assemblies are used to connect the header and roof rail, then the assembly process is simple, but the corner joint lacks sufficient structural reinforcement to maintain torsional stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The gusset component merges multiple reinforcement functions into a single integrated structure that connects both the header and roof rail. By combining the body portion, roof rail interface, and diagonal edge into one component, the design achieves comprehensive corner joint reinforcement without requiring multiple separate braces or support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The gusset component extends into the third dimension by projecting diagonally between the header and roof rail at a 30-60 degree angle. This diagonal extension creates a triangular bracing structure that adds structural rigidity in a direction perpendicular to the main load paths, effectively resisting shear forces and bending moments that flat connections cannot handle.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body assembly may include a header, a roof rail, and a gusset component. The header may define a lateral axis extending across a vehicle body. The roof rail may define a longitudinal axis extending fore/aft along the vehicle body. The gusset component is for securing the header and roof rail to one another and includes an edge extending diagonally between the header and the roof rail to reinforce a vehicle body corner joint. The edge may extend diagonally from the header to the roof rail at an angle between thirty and sixty degrees relative to the lateral axis and the longitudinal axis. The edge may define an edge axis oriented at substantially forty-five degrees relative to the lateral axis.