Flexible Environmental Enclosure for Vehicle Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current environmental test cells for motor vehicles are inflexible, expensive, and inefficient, requiring large spaces and long setup times, which limits testing efficiency and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A flexible environmental enclosure system with a movable pallet assembly and thermally insulated fabric cover that allows for off-line temperature soaking and testing, reducing space and time requirements, and lowering costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid climatic chamber is used for environmental testing, then the test environment can be controlled, but the facility becomes inflexible and difficult to adapt to new testing configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid climatic chamber is divided into modular components including removable sidewalls, detachable roofing panels, and separate flooring sections. This segmentation allows the enclosure to be reconfigured for different testing needs while maintaining environmental control capabilities through insulated panels and gasketed joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic reconfigurable system with movable walls, adjustable roofing, and relocatable flooring. This dynamic design enables the same structure to adapt to various testing configurations while preserving the controlled environment necessary for reliable testing.
2Reliability
If a rigid climatic chamber is used for environmental testing, then the test environment can be maintained, but the facility requires large space and long setup times
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure components are pre-assembled into modular sections with pre-installed insulation and gasketing. This preliminary preparation allows rapid deployment of the complete testing environment without requiring time-consuming on-site assembly, thus reducing setup time while maintaining environmental control integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the climatic chamber into pre-fabricated modular units, the system can be quickly assembled and disassembled. Each module maintains its environmental sealing properties, allowing rapid reconfiguration without compromising the controlled test environment, thereby reducing overall setup time.
3Reliability
If a rigid climatic chamber is used for environmental testing, then the test property can be protected from external environment, but the facility is expensive to build and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid climatic chamber is replaced with flexible insulated panels and fabric roofing that provide environmental protection through thermal insulation and weather-resistant coatings. These flexible materials are less expensive to manufacture and install while maintaining the necessary protection from external environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure uses cost-effective insulated panels and protective coverings that can be easily replaced or reconfigured. Rather than investing in expensive permanent rigid structures, the system employs affordable protective elements that maintain environmental separation while reducing overall build and maintenance costs.
4Temperature
If a rigid climatic chamber is used for environmental testing, then the test property can be soaked at extreme temperatures, but the working environment for operators becomes less than optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The operator workspace is extracted and separated from the extreme temperature zone. Operators work from outside the enclosed testing area, interacting with the test property through designated access points and interface mechanisms. This separation allows the enclosure to maintain extreme temperatures for soaking while protecting operators from harsh environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary interface system is introduced between the extreme temperature environment and the operator workspace. This includes insulated access panels, remote handling mechanisms, and controlled transfer points that enable operators to perform setup and monitoring tasks without being directly exposed to extreme temperatures, thus improving the working environment while maintaining soaking capability.
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 system enables efficient non-ambient temperature testing with reduced space and time needs, lower costs, and improved operator safety, while being adaptable to various test configurations and equipment.
Implementation Method 1
the cover and pallet assembly cooperate to define an enclosed and substantially thermally insulated space around the test property
Data Source
AI summary
An environmental test enclosure for modifying the temperature of a vehicle test property is presented. The enclosure includes a movable pallet assembly that is operable to deliver the test property to and from the property test site. The movable pallet assembly includes a base plate that is configured to attach to and support the test property thereon. A plurality of sidewalls project upward from the base plate to surround the test property. A flexible cover is mounted to the overhead structure of the test site, and configured to transition between an open position, in which the cover is in a raised and generally folded state, to a closed position, in which the cover is in a lowered state and attachable to the pallet assembly. The flexible cover cooperates with the movable pallet assembly when attached thereto to define an enclosed and substantially thermally insulated space around the test property.