Door Trim Upper Reinforcement Trigger Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door trim panels face challenges in balancing structural stiffness for everyday use with the need to reduce impact loads on vehicle occupants' thorax ribs during side impacts, as current designs fail to effectively combine these requirements.
Innovation Solution
An upper reinforcement for door trim panels featuring a reinforcement channel with a tab and trigger feature, including weakening features and ribs of varying thickness, allows for controlled structural strength and softening in side impacts, comprising a unitary body with a reinforcement channel, tabs, and a trigger feature that releases during excessive force, with the method of tuning performance characteristics through cutouts, notches, and rib thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the door trim panel uses a rigid reinforcement structure, then structural stiffness for everyday use is improved, but impact load on occupant's thorax ribs increases during side impact
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement channel is designed to transition from a rigid state during normal use to a deformable state during side impact. The trigger feature with weakening features allows the structure to dynamically change its mechanical properties based on the applied load, providing stiffness when needed and softness when safety is concerned.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the reinforcement channel by introducing weakening features (notches, cutouts) and varying wall thicknesses. These parameter changes allow the channel to maintain high stiffness under normal conditions while having predetermined failure points that enable controlled deformation and energy absorption during side impact.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the door trim panel uses a soft structure to reduce impact load, then safety during side impact is improved, but structural stiffness for everyday use deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement channel is segmented into multiple walls (first wall, second wall, third wall) with different thicknesses and structural characteristics. This segmentation allows each wall to perform different functions - some providing structural support while others are designed to deform or fail first during impact, achieving both stiffness and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the reinforcement channel have different structural qualities. The first end section and second end section have greater thickness for strength, while the intermediate section has reduced thickness for controlled deformation. This local variation in quality allows the structure to simultaneously provide stiffness where needed and softness where safety is prioritized.
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 balanced structural stiffness and softening mechanism that effectively reduces impact loads on vehicle occupants while maintaining structural integrity, ensuring safety and performance benchmarks are met during side impacts.
Implementation Method 1
a trigger feature between the reinforcement channel and the tab whereby the reinforcement channel is released from the tab during a side impact that exceeds a given predetermined force
Implementation Method 2
providing that at least one rib with a section of reduced thickness to promote bending of the rib in the event of a side impact that exceeds a given predetermined force and thus softening of the upper reinforcement
Data Source
AI summary
An upper reinforcement for a door trim panel includes a reinforcement channel, softening features within reinforcement channel, a tab depending from the reinforcement channel, and a trigger feature between the reinforcement channel and the tab whereby the reinforcement channel is released from the tab during a side impact. A method of tuning performance characteristics of the upper reinforcement is also described.