Door Inner Panel With Integrated Impact Regions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional motor vehicle door designs face challenges in balancing intrusion resistance with the need to accommodate hardware components, as corrugated regions for impact resistance can be limited and require additional thickness, while also needing to seal the cabin from moisture and dirt.

Innovation Solution

An inner panel with integrated impact regions and hardware mounting surfaces that are displaced from the outer panel, allowing for increased intrusion resistance and easier hardware mounting, while minimizing door thickness and assembly complexity, using a combination of forming techniques like warm-forming and super-plastic forming to create a contoured shape with integral impact regions and mounting surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If corrugated regions are integrated into the inner panel to provide intrusion resistance, then the need for an additional impact beam is eliminated, but the size and geometry of these regions are limited to accommodate wet-side mounted equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintrusion resistanceVSAvoidaccommodation of wet-side mounted equipment

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent moves the impact beam from the wet side to the dry side of the inner panel, utilizing the previously underutilized dry side space. This dimensional relocation allows the corrugated impact beam to coexist with wet-side mounted equipment without geometric conflicts, resolving the spatial constraint between intrusion resistance features and equipment accommodation requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The inner panel is segmented into distinct functional zones: the dry side houses the corrugated impact beam and provides structural reinforcement, while the wet side remains available for mounting equipment. This segmentation allows each side to optimize its function independently, with the impact beam occupying dry side space that would otherwise be unused

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the inner panel includes a large hole for the window regulator drive assembly, then the regulator can be accessed, but the structural integrity of the inner door panel is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to window regulatorVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a sealed access mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the interior cavity and the window regulator drive assembly. This sealed access allows regulatory maintenance and operation while preventing moisture and dirt intrusion, thereby preserving the structural integrity and environmental sealing of the inner panel without compromising regulator accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the inner panel is sealed to prevent moisture and road dirt entry, then the cabin is protected, but hardware components are difficult to install on high speed manufacturing lines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidhardware installation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Hardware components are pre-mounted to the inner panel during the panel forming process before final sealing operations. This preliminary action allows hardware installation to occur during high-speed manufacturing when the panel is still accessible, while the subsequent sealing process maintains cabin protection without requiring post-assembly disassembly or complex sealing operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If equipment modules are mounted to the inner sheet metal panel within the cavity, then the door functionality is enabled, but the door thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment mounting capabilityVSAvoiddoor thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The inner panel is designed with multi-functionality: it serves as both the structural mounting surface for equipment modules and as the housing for the corrugated impact beam. By integrating the impact beam into the inner panel's dry side, the design eliminates the need for separate impact beams and reduces overall door assembly thickness while maintaining equipment mounting capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8136866B2Inner panel for a door assembly having an integrated intrusion beam

Publication Date: 2012.03.20 MAGNA CLOSURES INC

AI summary

A door assembly is provided that includes integral impact regions that obviate the need for a separate impact beam. The door assembly includes an outer panel and an inner panel, operably connected to the outer panel so that a compartment is formed therebetween. At least one hardware-mounting surface is integrally formed from the inner panel and extends towards the outer panel. Each of the hardware mounting surfaces is operable to mount a hardware component between the inner and outer panels. At least one integrally-formed impact region is provided on the inner panel that is operable to strengthen the door assembly and increase its intrusion resistance of the vehicle door during a collision. The inner panel has substantially no large access openings that would be deleterious to impact resistance and substantially seals the vehicle passenger compartment from the external environment. The at least one impact region is also displaced at least as far away from the outer panel as the at least one hardware mounting surface.