Elongated Vehicle Body Panel With Square Seats for Springback Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elongated vehicle body panels formed by press working experience significant springback due to tensile stress generated in the ridgelines, which complicates the design and prolongs the mold forming process.

Innovation Solution

The elongated vehicle body panel incorporates a flat general portion with ridgelines and square seat surface portions that alternate tensile and compressive stress, reducing springback by strategically positioning square protrusions to manage stress distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If press working is used to form elongated vehicle body panels with ridgelines, then the panel structure and strength are improved, but significant springback occurs due to tensile stress in the ridgelines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel strengthVSAvoidspringback control

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the ridgeline by adding square seat surface portions that protrude from the general portion. These square portions have outer edge portions that extend along the ridgelines, modifying the stress distribution pattern during press working and reducing springback while maintaining structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies local quality by creating square seat surface portions at specific locations along the ridgelines rather than uniformly modifying the entire structure. These localized square portions with specific outer edge configurations address springback issues at critical areas while preserving the overall panel design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional ridgeline structures are used in press working, then manufacturing is simpler, but design flexibility is limited due to springback issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiddesign flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention modifies the ridgeline geometry by incorporating square seat surface portions with specific outer edge portions that extend along the ridgelines. This parameter change enables new design configurations and shapes while maintaining compatibility with existing press working processes, thus preserving manufacturing simplicity while enhancing design flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If press working processes are prolonged to accommodate springback, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforming precisionVSAvoidmold forming speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention incorporates square seat surface portions with outer edge portions during the initial mold forming process itself, rather than requiring subsequent correction steps. This preliminary action embeds the springback compensation directly into the forming operation, achieving high precision without prolonging the overall manufacturing cycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This design effectively reduces springback by alternately generating tensile and compressive stress along the ridgelines, allowing for more design flexibility and shorter mold forming times.

Implementation Method 1

each of the square seat surface portions has a pair of outer edge portions in the width direction that extend along the ridgelines in a vicinity of the ridgelines and a pair of outer edge portions in the longitudinal direction that respectively connect corresponding two ends of the outer edge portions in the width direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStress distribution:

Implementation Method 2

When tensile stress is generated in a ridgeline in a longitudinal direction of an elongated vehicle body panel, a springback amount after press working may be large

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpringback reduction: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20250263125A1Elongated vehicle body panel and vehicle body structure

Publication Date: 2025.08.21 SUBARU CORP

AI summary

An elongated vehicle body panel formed by press working includes a flat general portion extending in a longitudinal direction, a pair of ridgeline forming portions formed by bending two ends of the general portion in a width direction and forming a pair of ridgelines together with the general portion, and square seat surface portions disposed at an interval in the longitudinal direction on the general portion, the square seat surface portions protruding in a thickness direction and having a square shape in a plan view. Each of the square seat surface portions has a pair of outer edge portions in the width direction that extend along the ridgelines in a vicinity of the ridgelines and a pair of outer edge portions in the longitudinal direction that respectively couple corresponding two ends of the outer edge portions in the width direction.