Flexible Fabric Door Panel Quick Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for utility vehicle door panels are not efficient for quick deployment and storage, particularly when factory doors are removed, as they require time-consuming disengagement of hinge elements and lack a compact, frameless, and flexible design with multiple anchor points.
Innovation Solution
A flexible fabric door panel system stored in a floor-mounted container that can be quickly extended and anchored to an overhead frame using a combination of hooks, loops, and adjustable straps, allowing for easy installation and removal, with a transparent window section for visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If factory hard panel doors are used, then structural strength and durability are improved, but installation time and complexity increase due to hinge disengagement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid factory doors with a flexible fabric door panel that can be quickly deployed and removed. The fabric panel is stretched across the door opening and anchored at several points along the door frame by independent anchors, providing a time-efficient alternative while maintaining adequate protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The door panel is pre-assembled with attachment elements (grommets, hooks, or fasteners) integrated at multiple anchor points along its perimeter. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid installation by simply stretching and securing the panel without time-consuming hinge disengagement or complex assembly steps during deployment.
2Reliability
If traditional door storage methods are used, then door panels are preserved, but storage space efficiency and accessibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The door panel is rolled into a compact cylindrical configuration and stored within a container mounted to the floor at the bottom of the door opening. This nested storage method preserves the door panel while maximizing space efficiency and providing easy accessibility through a simple retrieval process.
Solution Approach 2:
The door panel is transformed from a flat two-dimensional structure into a three-dimensional rolled configuration for storage. This dimensional change allows the large surface area of the door panel to be compacted into a small volume within the floor-mounted container, improving both storage efficiency and accessibility.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid frame structure is used for the door panel, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility and quick deployment capability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible fabric door panel that can be quickly stretched and adapted to the door opening. The flexibility of the fabric material allows for rapid deployment and easy removal, while the stability is achieved through multiple independent anchors securing the panel at strategic points along the door frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The door panel system transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible system. The fabric panel can be quickly deployed, adjusted, and removed as needed, providing adaptability for different usage scenarios while maintaining adequate stability when installed through the anchor points.
4Reliability
If multiple anchor points are used, then door panel security and weather protection are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door panel system uses multiple independent anchor points distributed along the door frame perimeter. Each anchor point operates independently, providing segmented security that collectively ensures robust weather protection and panel stability without requiring a complex integrated mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor system is designed to be simple and self-contained, with each anchor point featuring basic attachment elements (grommets, hooks, or fasteners) that can be independently secured. This self-service design allows for easy installation and removal without complex mechanisms, maintaining low device complexity while achieving high reliability through multiple attachment points.
Data Source
AI summary
An accessory door panel for a utility vehicle provides a fabric door panel which can be quickly deployed and installed within a utility vehicle for emergency weather use where the utility vehicle has had the factory doors removed at the discretion of the driver. The fabric door panel is fitted to the contours of the door opening and may be stored from an overhead horizontal support member over the door or alternatively stored within a container mounted to the floor at the bottom of the door opening, the door being made of a flexible material that can be stretched across the door opening and anchored at several points along the door frame by independent anchors.