Vehicle Door Trim Board Impact Resistant Composite

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle door trim boards face challenges in achieving high impact resistance while maintaining lightweight and fuel efficiency, as traditional high-impact resistant members are difficult to integrate into modern fuel-efficient vehicles, and existing resin compositions lack clear forms for optimal performance.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle door trim board design featuring an upper and lower board part with a reinforcing part made of impact-resistant resin, which can be integrated as a multi-material molded or insert-molded product, using polyolefin and polyamide resins with a modified elastomer compatibilizer to absorb impact and reduce rigidity differences between components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a high-impact resistant core member made of polypropylene resin containing rubber-based component is used, then impact resistance is improved, but weight increases and fuel efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoidweight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite resin composition containing polyolefin resin, polyamide resin, and modified elastomer in specific proportions (polyolefin 70-90 wt%, polyamide 5-20 wt%, modified elastomer 1-10 wt%). This composite material provides high impact resistance while being lighter than traditional polypropylene-rubber core members, resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the compositional parameters and phase structure of the resin material. By controlling the ratio of polyolefin to polyamide resins and using modified elastomer as compatibilizer, the material achieves optimal impact resistance with reduced density compared to conventional high-impact resistant materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Weight of moving object

If lightweight fiber-reinforced boards or foamed resin boards are used, then weight is reduced and fuel efficiency is improved, but impact resistance and occupant protection performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveweightVSAvoidimpact resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a multi-phase composite material where polyolefin resin forms the continuous phase providing lightweight characteristics, while polyamide resin and modified elastomer form dispersed phases that provide impact resistance. This composite structure achieves both lightweight and high impact resistance simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a heterogeneous phase structure where different regions of the material have different properties. The continuous polyolefin phase provides lightweight characteristics while the dispersed polyamide and elastomer phases provide localized impact absorption, achieving both lightweight and high impact resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If upper board part and lower board part with different rigidity are used, then functional requirements are met, but breakage occurs due to rigidity difference under impact load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional requirementsVSAvoidbreakage resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a single resin composition with optimized parameters (polyolefin 70-90 wt%, polyamide 5-20 wt%, modified elastomer 1-10 wt%) that can be molded into different shapes with different rigidities. This allows creating upper and lower board parts with different functional rigidities while maintaining overall breakage resistance through the unified material's high impact strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a vehicle door trim board with enhanced impact resistance, reduced likelihood of breakage, and improved occupant protection by effectively absorbing impact loads and forming crumple zones, while maintaining lightweight and fuel-efficient characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

a reinforcing part interposed between them... the reinforcing part that is made of an impact resistant resin and interposed between the upper board part and the lower board part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 2

a resin composition containing a polyamide resin and a polyolefin resin can have a phase structure having a continuous phase, a dispersed phase, and a fine dispersed phase

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase separation: Dispersion (of waves)

Data Source

PatentEP3632727B1Trim board for vehicle door, and door trim
Publication Date: 2023.01.25 TOYOTA BOSHOKU KK
  • EP3632727B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3632727B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3632727B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Disclosed herein are a vehicle door trim board that is less likely to break due to partial use of an impact resistant resin and a door trim using such a vehicle door trim board. A vehicle door trim board 20 includes a reinforcing part 23 made of an impact resistant resin containing a polyolefin resin, a polyamide resin, and a compatibilizer, wherein the compatibilizer is a modified elastomer having a reactive group that reacts with the polyamide resin. The door trim includes: the vehicle door trim board 20; and a surface skin layer provided on a design surface side of the vehicle door trim board 20.