Folding Top Compartment Lid Composite Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing convertible top compartment flaps face challenges in achieving sufficient stiffness and lightness while simplifying the hinge connection, as well as reducing the size of the body shell without compromising overall stiffness.
Innovation Solution
A top compartment flap comprising a shell component and a self-supporting assembly part, where the assembly part is made of composite material with a sandwich design, providing additional rigidity and weight reduction, and is mounted after the painting process, allowing the shell component to be smaller and lighter, with a U-shaped design and a decorative layer forming a parcel shelf.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a double-shell metallic construction is used for the convertible top compartment flap, then sufficient stiffness is achieved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a metallic double-shell structure with a plastic trim piece that has load-bearing functionality. The plastic component is integrated into the assembly to provide structural support, allowing the metallic shells to be thinner and lighter while maintaining overall stiffness. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by using materials with complementary properties - the metal provides rigidity and the plastic provides lightweight structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the decorative trim piece with the load-bearing structure by designing the plastic component to serve dual functions: aesthetic coverage and structural support. The trim piece is integrated with the hinge connection and mounting structures, combining what were previously separate functional elements into a unified assembly that reduces overall weight while maintaining stiffness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a plastic trim piece is added to the outer shell for interior functionality, then aesthetic and functional requirements are met, but the complexity of assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the decorative trim piece with load-bearing structural elements, including the hinge connection and mounting structures, into a single integrated plastic component. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly steps for attaching trim and structural elements, reducing overall assembly complexity while providing both aesthetic and functional benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic trim piece is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides aesthetic coverage for the interior, structural load-bearing capacity to support the flap, and integration points for hinge connections. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby simplifying the overall assembly process.
3Weight of moving object
If the body-in-white portion is reduced in size, then weight is reduced, but the stiffness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for the reduced size and potential stiffness loss of the metallic body-in-white by introducing a plastic component with integrated load-bearing structures. The plastic material, while lighter, is designed with reinforcement elements and structural geometries that provide sufficient stiffness to maintain overall flap rigidity despite the smaller metallic portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the metallic double-shell structure with the plastic trim piece to create a hybrid assembly where each material contributes its strengths. The reduced metallic body-in-white is compensated by the plastic component's structural design, which includes reinforced areas and integrated mounting structures that collectively maintain the required stiffness while reducing overall weight.
4Weight of moving object
If a multi-layered composite component is used, then weight is reduced, but the hinge connection becomes difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the hinge connection structures directly into the plastic trim piece during its molding process. The hinge mounting elements, reinforcement structures, and attachment points are built into the plastic component as a single integrated piece, eliminating the need for complex post-assembly operations to attach hinges to a multi-layered composite structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge connection structures are pre-formed as integral parts of the plastic trim piece during the molding process. This preliminary action of incorporating hinge mounting features into the base plastic component simplifies subsequent assembly steps, as the hinge can be directly attached to the pre-prepared integration points without requiring complex modification or additional fastening operations.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A folding top compartment lid (1) according to the invention for closing an opening in a folding top compartment of a cabriolet consists at least of a bodyshell component (3) and a self-supporting mounted part (5). The self-supporting mounted part (3) adjoins the bodyshell component (4) in such a way that the bodyshell component (3) on its own closes a section of the opening in the folding top compartment and the mounted part (5) on its own closes a section of the opening in the folding top compartment.