Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Foam Component for Crash and Acoustic Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fiber-reinforced plastic components used in motor vehicles face challenges in achieving improved crash characteristics and acoustics while maintaining low tool costs, as conventional methods result in brittle plastics and high capital expenditures.
Innovation Solution
A fiber-reinforced plastic component is created by embedding reinforcing fiber rods within a plastic component body formed partly from plastic foam, which surrounds the rods and provides enhanced stiffness and noise absorption, utilizing a foam structure that can deform without splintering and incorporating metallic or plastic reinforcing elements for improved force distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional fiber composite components are used, then structural strength is achieved, but crash characteristics are limited and plastics become brittle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines fiber-reinforced rods with plastic foam material to create a composite structure. The fiber rods provide tensile strength and crash performance, while the foam matrix provides structural integrity without brittleness. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the plastic material by using foam instead of solid plastic. The foam structure alters the mechanical properties, providing energy absorption during crash while maintaining structural integrity, thus improving crash characteristics without increasing brittleness.
2Ease of manufacture
If skeletal design with injection molding is used, then component manufacture is enabled, but capital costs for tools are comparatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into two stages: first creating a skeletal framework with fiber rods, then injecting foam material to complete the component. This segmentation allows for simpler, less expensive tooling compared to traditional injection molding, reducing capital costs while maintaining manufacturing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fiber-reinforced rod structure serves as an intermediary framework that guides the foam injection process. This intermediary structure enables manufacturing with lower-cost tools while ensuring proper material distribution and structural integrity, resolving the cost-complexity contradiction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fiber composite components are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but acoustics are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses plastic foam as the matrix material, which has an inherently porous structure. This porosity provides excellent noise absorption capabilities while the foam's cellular structure maintains structural integrity. The porous foam material simultaneously addresses both acoustic performance and structural requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of fiber rods and foam material creates a composite structure where the foam's porous nature provides noise absorption while the fiber reinforcement maintains structural integrity. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between acoustic performance and structural strength.
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 enhances crash performance and acoustics while reducing tool costs by utilizing plastic foam to absorb noise and distribute forces effectively, maintaining structural integrity and weight efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the plastic foam additionally absorbs noise and hence promotes improved acoustics
Implementation Method 2
the plastic foam itself is envisaged as forming a honeycomb structure, especially a folded honeycomb structure that assures favorable force absorption
Implementation Method 3
the plastic foam itself is envisaged as forming a honeycomb structure, especially a folded honeycomb structure that assures favorable force absorption
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber-reinforced plastics component includes a component plastics body, which defines at least parts of a plastics component, and at least one fiber-reinforced rod. The component plastics body is formed at least partially from plastics foam and at least partially surrounds the at least one fiber-reinforced rod in positively locking fashion.