Fiber Composite Plate with Folds for Recreational Vehicle Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current recreational vehicle body components are not adequately lightweight, robust, and energy-absorbing, which limits weight reduction and efficiency in recreational vehicles while compromising stability and kinetic energy dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A plate-shaped component with a fiber composite sandwich construction, featuring folds that create a zigzag outer edge, made from materials like GRP or CFRP, and a core layer panel of foam or honeycomb structure, allowing for reduced weight, increased stability, and enhanced kinetic energy absorption without joints between components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional body components are used in recreational vehicles, then structural robustness and stability are maintained, but vehicle weight cannot be significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies fiber composite sandwich construction (GRP or CFRP) for the plate-shaped component, combining lightweight fiber reinforcement with a foam or honeycomb core material. This composite structure achieves both significant weight reduction (up to one-third of traditional body weight) and maintained structural robustness through the synergistic properties of the composite materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces folds in the plate-shaped component, transforming a two-dimensional flat plate into a three-dimensional folded structure. The folds create a zigzag outer edge and form rigid triangular or polygonal cells within the structure, adding dimensional complexity that significantly increases structural rigidity and stability while maintaining lightweight construction.
2Loss of energy
If traditional body components without folds are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but kinetic energy absorption capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The folds in the plate-shaped component create a three-dimensional folded structure with triangular or polygonal cells, transforming a simple flat plate into a complex rigid framework. This dimensional transformation enables the structure to absorb and dissipate kinetic energy through deformation of the folded geometry, improving energy absorption capability while the modular nature keeps manufacturing relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a foam or honeycomb core material within the sandwich construction, utilizing porous or cellular structures that are inherently capable of absorbing impact energy through compression and deformation of the porous cells. This porous core material significantly enhances kinetic energy dissipation while maintaining lightweight properties.
3Stability of the object's composition
If plate-shaped components with folds are used, then weight is reduced and stability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plate-shaped component is segmented into multiple folded sections creating triangular or polygonal cells through the folds. This segmentation into standardized geometric units simplifies the manufacturing process compared to forming a single complex curved surface, as each segment can be manufactured with standard precision tools and then assembled through the folding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the foam or honeycomb core material's compressible properties and the fiber composite's tensile strength properties, changing the mechanical parameters of the material to accommodate the folded geometry. The core material's compressibility allows for tolerance in fold dimensions while maintaining structural integrity, reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a plate-shaped component (100) which has at least one fold (110) such that the folded component (100) forms at least part of a body (300) of a recreational vehicle. The invention further relates to a body (300) for a recreational vehicle comprising at least one such plate-shaped component (100).