Doorless Vehicle Side Structure With Elevating Glass Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Purpose Built Vehicles (PBVs), there is a need for an elevating glass solution on auxiliary seats without doors to enhance occupant convenience while maintaining structural integrity and economic vehicle configuration.
Innovation Solution
A side structure for a vehicle body incorporating a surround panel with a glass opening, channel assembly, regulator, and extension reinforcement member, which supports and reinforces the elevating glass on a doorless side, connecting key structural elements like front and center pillars and side sill to ensure strength and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a door is not applied to the auxiliary seat to reduce vehicle cost and simplify configuration, then manufacturing cost and structural complexity are reduced, but occupant convenience and accessibility are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the door component from the auxiliary seat side, removing it entirely to reduce manufacturing cost and structural complexity. Instead of installing a door, the design provides direct access to the auxiliary seat through the side opening, allowing occupants to enter and exit easily while maintaining the economic benefit of doorless configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The side structure serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the vehicle body, enables occupant access to the auxiliary seat, and maintains safety standards without requiring a traditional door. The surround panel, channel assembly, and reinforcement members work together to fulfill both structural and functional requirements in a doorless design.
2Ease of operation
If elevating glass is installed on the auxiliary seat side to improve occupant convenience, then ease of operation is improved, but structural complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The side structure is divided into distinct functional segments: the surround panel that frames the opening, the channel assembly that guides the elevating glass, the regulator that controls glass movement, and the reinforcement members that provide structural support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to provide elevating glass functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel assembly acts as an intermediary component between the surround panel and the elevating glass. It provides a guided pathway for the glass to move vertically while maintaining proper alignment and sealing. The regulator serves as another intermediary that controls the glass movement mechanism, enabling convenient operation without requiring complex door mechanisms.
3Strength
If reinforcement members are added to connect front and center pillars to maintain structural integrity, then lateral strength and crash performance are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The extension reinforcement member merges the front pillar and center pillar into a unified structural system. By connecting these two vertical support elements, the design creates a continuous load path that enhances lateral strength and torsional rigidity. The surround panel also merges multiple structural functions by providing both the framing for the side opening and additional structural support through its connection to the pillars and channel assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement members are pre-installed as integral parts of the side structure during vehicle manufacturing. The extension reinforcement member is positioned and secured between the front and center pillars before final assembly, ensuring that the structural reinforcement is already in place to withstand crash forces and maintain lateral strength before the vehicle enters service.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment side structure of a vehicle body includes a surround panel connected to an edge of a front side opening part disposed on a front side body, wherein a glass opening part is provided on an upper portion of the surround panel, a channel assembly connected to edges of the glass opening part, and a side outer panel connected to the front side body and the channel assembly.