Utility Vehicle Door Hinge Reinforcement for Rust-Resistant Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial vehicle door hinge units experience premature rusting and reduced longevity due to high stress peaks, leading to damage in the galvanizing of the frame element and hinge bearing connection areas.
Innovation Solution
A reinforcement element is connected to the frame element in a form-fitting manner to distribute forces perpendicular to the frame and door, relieving the hinge bearing connection and preventing damage to the galvanizing, with the reinforcement element being secured via bolts or screws and connected directly to the frame element to enhance stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hinge bearing is connected to the frame element via welding, riveting or bolting, then the door can be pivotally suspended, but high stress peaks cause damage to the galvanizing and premature rusting
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into multiple components: the hinge bearing, the frame element, and a reinforcement element. The reinforcement element is inserted into the frame element to create a distributed connection system, where the hinge bearing connects to both the frame element and the reinforcement element. This segmentation distributes the stress across multiple connection points, reducing stress peaks that cause galvanizing damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution combines different materials and connection methods: the reinforcement element (made of metal) is inserted into the frame element (aluminum profile with galvanizing), creating a composite structure. This composite connection system leverages the strengths of each material - the reinforcement element provides structural support while the frame element maintains the galvanizing protection, preventing premature rusting.
2Device complexity
If the hinge bearing is directly connected to the frame element, then the assembly is simple, but the connection suffers under high stress peaks
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement element serves as an intermediary component between the hinge bearing and the frame element. It is inserted into the frame element and provides additional support for the hinge bearing connection. This intermediary structure distributes the high stresses from the hinge bearing across a larger area of the frame element, preventing connection failure while maintaining relative assembly simplicity.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If reinforcement is added to prevent galvanizing damage, then longevity increases, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement element is pre-inserted into the frame element during the manufacturing process, creating a prepared connection system before the hinge bearing is attached. This preliminary action ensures that the reinforcement is already in place to distribute stresses, protecting the galvanizing from the outset. The hinge bearing is then simply connected to both the frame element and the pre-positioned reinforcement element, maintaining ease of assembly while ensuring long-term durability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4A
AI summary
Described and illustrated is a structure (2) of a commercial vehicle (1) with at least one frame element (7), at least one door (8) and at least one hinge unit (9) holding the door (8) on the frame element (7), the hinge unit (9) has a hinge bearing (11) connected to the frame element (7). A reinforcement element (18) is provided in order to increase the longevity of corresponding superstructures or reduce their susceptibility to repairs, the reinforcement element (18) being connected to the hinge bearing (11) and also being positively connected to the frame element (7).