Automobile Front Pillar Lower Outer with Variable Plate Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current front pillar designs for automobiles face challenges in reducing weight while maintaining or improving collision-resistance properties, particularly in the front pillar lower outer component, which is critical for safety and fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The front pillar lower outer is designed with a hat-shaped cross-section and an L-shaped configuration, featuring a first region with a larger plate thickness for the side sill side and a thinner second region for the front pillar upper side, with an attachment line strategically placed between specific boundaries to enhance axial crushing performance and reduce weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the plate thickness of the front pillar lower outer is increased to improve collision-resistance, then the strength and collision-resistance property are improved, but the weight of the component increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different plate thicknesses to different regions of the front pillar lower outer. The first region (side sill side) has a larger plate thickness for high collision resistance, while the second region (front pillar upper side) has a smaller plate thickness to reduce weight. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing strength where needed while minimizing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The front pillar lower outer is divided into two distinct members (first member and second member) with different plate thicknesses that are attached together. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized independently - the first member provides collision resistance at the side sill while the second member reduces weight at the upper region, collectively resolving the strength-weight contradiction.
2Reliability
If a uniform thick plate is used throughout the front pillar lower outer to ensure collision resistance, then the collision-resistance property is improved, but the weight increases and fuel efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a uniform plate thickness, the patent implements local quality by making the plate thickness vary across different regions. The first region near the side sill uses thicker material for collision resistance, while the second region near the front pillar upper uses thinner material, optimizing both reliability and weight for fuel efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The component is segmented into two members with different thicknesses that are attached together. This segmentation strategy allows the thick first member to provide reliability for collision resistance while the thin second member minimizes weight, collectively achieving both goals without requiring uniform thickness throughout.
3Weight of moving object
If the plate thickness is reduced to achieve weight reduction, then the weight decreases and fuel efficiency improves, but the collision-resistance property deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using thinner plate material in the second region (front pillar upper side) where collision loads are lower, thereby reducing weight. Simultaneously, thicker plate material is used in the first region (side sill side) where collision resistance is critical, thus maintaining strength while achieving overall weight reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the front pillar lower outer into two members with different thicknesses, the patent enables the second member to be lightweight for fuel efficiency while the first member provides necessary collision resistance. This segmented approach allows weight reduction without compromising overall collision-resistance property.
4Ease of manufacture
If a single-piece front pillar lower outer is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but weight reduction and stock utilization are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the front pillar lower outer into two separate members (first member and second member) that are manufactured independently and then attached. This segmentation enables weight reduction by allowing different plate thicknesses in different regions and improves stock utilization by optimizing material usage for each region's specific requirements, while the attachment process remains relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges two separately manufactured members (first member with larger plate thickness and second member with smaller plate thickness) into a unified front pillar lower outer structure. This merging approach achieves weight reduction and improved stock utilization while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the attachment of two components.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A front pillar lower outer (10) includes a bent portion (13), and a first region (14) and a second region (15), and is a skeletal component for automobile that is assumed to receive a collision load along the extending direction of the first region (14). The outer (10) is constituted by attaching a first member (11) that is arranged on a first region (14) side, and a second member (12) that is arranged on a second region (15) side. An attachment line (L) of the both members is arranged in a predetermined zone between a first boundary (16) and a second boundary (17). The first boundary (16) is a straight line that connects an end (10f1), on the first region (14) side, of an arc-shaped portion on the inside of the bending, and an end (10g1), on the first region (14), of an arc-shaped portion on the outside of the bending. The second boundary (17) is a straight line that runs from an end (10f2), on second region (15) side, of the arc-shaped portion on the inside of the bending, along the extending direction of the first region (14). The plate thickness of the first member (11) is larger than the plate thickness of the second member (12).