Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Underbody with Integrated Brackets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle underbody designs fail to efficiently reduce vehicle weight while maintaining or improving mechanical properties, particularly in absorbing operational and crash loads, which is crucial for electric vehicles to enhance range and acceleration.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a recess for the steering gear or steering cylinder, along with additional functional elements like chassis stabilizers and stiffening elements, into the underbody made of fiber-reinforced plastic, which also includes three-dimensionally structured areas and brackets for chassis control arms, enhances rigidity and absorbs shear forces, allowing for lighter weight components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the underbody is made with additional functional elements (steering gear recess, stabilizer mounts, stiffening areas), then rigidity and load absorption are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single underbody component: protection function, chassis load absorption, crash load absorption, and mounting functions for steering gear and stabilizers are all integrated into one fiber-reinforced plastic underbody structure, eliminating the need for separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The underbody is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides protection against stone chips and ground contact, absorbs chassis loads through integrated brackets, absorbs crash loads through energy-absorbing structures, and provides mounting points for various chassis components
2Weight of moving object
If the underbody integrates multiple functions (protection, load absorption, mounting), then vehicle weight is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The underbody is manufactured in segmented sections that can be produced separately and then joined together, allowing for optimized manufacturing processes for each section and reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The underbody uses fiber-reinforced plastic composite materials that provide high strength-to-weight ratio, enabling weight reduction while maintaining structural integrity and load-bearing capabilities
3Ease of operation
If the underbody is designed with integrated brackets for movable connection, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The underbody features movable connection brackets that allow for dynamic adjustment and installation of chassis components such as control arms, providing ease of operation while maintaining structural integrity through the fiber-reinforced plastic construction
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
This configuration reduces vehicle weight while maintaining or improving mechanical properties, including crash and operational load absorption, and provides increased installation space and flexibility, contributing to improved driving performance and reduced emissions.
Implementation Method 1
The underbody is used in particular to absorb and transmit shear forces
Implementation Method 2
the underbody has three-dimensionally structured areas to increase its rigidity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a protective device for arranging in the front-end or rear-end region of a motor vehicle, comprising an underbody (1) made of fiber-reinforced plastic for protecting units or components arranged above the underbody from damage due to stone impact or ground contact, the underbody having three-dimensionally structured regions (1.1, 1.2) for increasing the stiffness of the underbody, characterized in that the underbody (1) is designed to absorb chassis and/or crash loads and has integrated brackets (2) for the movable connection of chassis control arms.