U-Shaped Floor Tray Sealing for Retractable Vehicle Steps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sealing methods for boarding aids in vehicles are laborious and prone to errors, allowing water and dirt to penetrate into the vehicle when the step surface is retracted.
Innovation Solution
A floor tray with a U-shaped design featuring a bottom plate and three side walls connected impermeably, which encloses the boarding aid on three sides and directs liquids and dirt away from the vehicle, potentially using a drainage system to channel off liquids externally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual sealing with sealing compound or adhesive is used, then the boarding aid is sealed to prevent water penetration, but the assembly process becomes laborious and time-consuming with susceptibility to faults
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is segmented into a modular floor tray assembly comprising a bottom plate and side walls that can be pre-assembled and pre-sealed separately from the main boarding aid structure. This segmentation allows the sealing operation to be performed on standardized components in a controlled environment, improving both reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor tray assembly is pre-sealed and pre-assembled before being installed in the vehicle. The bottom plate and side walls are connected together in advance to form a liquid-impermeable enclosure, eliminating the need for on-site sealing operations and reducing assembly time and fault susceptibility.
2Reliability
If manual sealing with sealing compound or adhesive is used, then the boarding aid is sealed to prevent water penetration, but the process is susceptible to faults and requires rework
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is segmented into a modular floor tray assembly comprising a bottom plate and side walls that can be pre-assembled and pre-sealed separately from the main boarding aid structure. This segmentation allows the sealing operation to be performed on standardized components in a controlled environment, improving both reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing approach transitions from applying sealing compounds to rigid structural connections. The bottom plate and side walls are connected together in a liquid-impermeable manner through welding or rigid fastening, changing the sealing mechanism from chemical/adhesive bonding to mechanical/structural bonding, which is more reliable and easier to manufacture.
3Ease of operation
If the step surface is extended and retracted frequently, then boarding functionality is provided, but water and dirt penetrate into the vehicle interior
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful factor of water and dirt penetration is extracted and isolated from the vehicle interior by introducing the floor tray assembly. The bottom plate and side walls form a containment structure that captures and directs water and dirt away from the vehicle, allowing the step surface to be extended and retracted without compromising the vehicle interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor tray assembly acts as an intermediary structure between the boarding aid and the vehicle interior. It provides a protective barrier that intercepts water and dirt before they can reach the vehicle, enabling frequent extension and retraction operations while preventing harmful penetration.
4Productivity
If conventional sealing methods are used, then the boarding aid can be assembled, but time-consuming sealing tests are required during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The floor tray assembly is pre-sealed and pre-assembled before being installed in the vehicle. The bottom plate and side walls are connected together in advance to form a liquid-impermeable enclosure, eliminating the need for on-site sealing operations and reducing assembly time and fault susceptibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The time-consuming sealing tests and on-site sealing operations are skipped by using a pre-assembled floor tray unit. The modular design allows the sealing integrity to be ensured during manufacturing, enabling rapid installation in the vehicle without requiring time-consuming field testing or sealing operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A floor tray for a boarding aid, in particular a sliding step, of a vehicle includes a bottom plate and at least three side walls arranged perpendicular to the bottom plate and connected to one another in a U-shape, wherein the bottom plate and the side walls are connected together impermeable to liquid, and the floor tray is designed to accommodate the boarding aid between two opposite side walls and on the bottom plate.