Golf Car Rear Body Panel Impact Absorption Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Golf car rear body panels are brittle, prone to fracture under impact, and often too small for larger golf bags or cargo, making them difficult to assemble and use.
Innovation Solution
A rear body panel design featuring a seat support portion, a bag well portion with impact absorption features like an elongated slot, wheel wells, and structural stiffening ribs, along with handle apertures and tabs for secure attachment, enhancing durability and usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the rear body panel is made large to accommodate larger golf bags and cargo, then the storage capacity is improved, but the panel becomes unwieldy during assembly and more prone to fracture under impact
Solution Approach 1:
The rear body panel is divided into multiple sections including a bag well portion, seat support portion, and intermediate body portion. This segmentation allows the panel to accommodate large storage volume while maintaining manageable assembly characteristics and improving impact resistance through distributed structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel incorporates polymeric material with integrated impact absorption features and stiffening ribs, creating a composite structure that provides both large storage capacity and enhanced durability. The combination of flexible polymeric material with structural reinforcement elements resolves the contradiction between size and impact resistance.
2Volume of stationary object
If the rear body panel is made large to accommodate larger golf bags and cargo, then the storage capacity is improved, but the panel becomes unwieldy during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The panel is segmented into manageable sections with integrated features like apertures for handling and tabs for attachment. This allows the large panel to be assembled in a controlled manner while maintaining the overall large storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel includes self-contained features such as integrated stiffening ribs, impact absorption features, and attachment tabs that simplify the assembly process. These self-service elements reduce the complexity of manufacturing and assembly while maintaining large storage volume.
3Strength
If the panel is made brittle to provide structural strength, then the structural integrity is improved, but the panel fractures easily under impact
Solution Approach 1:
The panel uses polymeric material that changes its mechanical properties through integrated impact absorption features. These features allow the panel to maintain structural strength under normal conditions while providing flexibility and impact resistance when subjected to excessive loads, resolving the brittleness problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of polymeric material with integrated stiffening ribs and impact absorption features creates a composite structure that provides both structural strength and impact resistance, eliminating the need for brittle materials.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the bag well is made small to maintain panel integrity, then the structural stability is improved, but it cannot accommodate larger golf bags with full pockets or other larger cargo
Solution Approach 1:
The bag well portion is segmented with integrated stiffening ribs and impact absorption features that provide structural stability while allowing the bag well capacity to expand. The segmentation allows the well to be larger without compromising structural integrity.
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
The design improves the panel's impact resistance, accommodates larger items, simplifies assembly and handling, and extends the panel's operational life by providing structural strength and practical storage solutions.
Implementation Method 1
The elongated slot provides impact absorption for the rear body panel
Implementation Method 2
The elongated slot provides resilient deflection for impact absorption for the rear body panel
Data Source
AI summary
A rear body panel for a golf car includes a seat support portion and a bag well portion disposed rearward from the seat support portion. The rear body panel also includes a pair of wheel wells disposed on opposite sides of the bag well portion. The seat support portion includes a discontinuous recessed flange, a lower end trim edge, and at least one tab for limiting movement of the rear body panel on the golf car. Stiffening ribs are also included adjacent the wheel wells, and hand hold apertures are further included. The bag well portion includes a front wall portion, a pair of outwardly sloped side walls, and a floor portion with an impact absorption feature.