Hat-Section Vehicle Member Geometry for Higher Bending Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle structural members with hat-shaped cross sections face limitations in bending strength due to restricted space and increasing thickness or material strength leads to weight and cost issues.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle structural member with a hat-shaped cross section featuring a bending angle of 87° to 94° between lateral walls and flanges, flange length greater than 11 mm, and varying cross-sectional dimensions to optimize space utilization and strength without increasing mass.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the thickness of the structural member is increased to improve bending strength, then the bending strength is improved, but the weight of the vehicle increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending strengthVSAvoidvehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the cross-section, specifically setting the bending angle between lateral walls and flanges to 87°-94° and increasing flange length to greater than 11mm. These parameter changes optimize the structural efficiency, allowing the member to achieve higher bending strength without increasing thickness or weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If the cross-sectional dimensions are increased to improve bending strength, then the bending strength is improved, but the available space is exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending strengthVSAvoidcross-sectional area

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the cross-sectional parameters by setting specific bending angles (87°-94°) and flange lengths (>11mm), which improve bending strength while maintaining the cross-sectional dimensions within the restricted space defined by the bounding box.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a curved bead in the top wall of the cross-section. This curvature feature enhances the bending strength by providing additional structural reinforcement without significantly increasing the overall cross-sectional area, thus maintaining compatibility with space constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional press forming is used with draft angles, then ease of manufacture is improved, but bending strength is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepress forming easeVSAvoidbending strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies bending angles of 87°-94° and flange lengths greater than 11mm, which are optimized to provide both manufacturability through press forming and enhanced bending strength. These parameter changes resolve the contradiction by achieving a balance between ease of manufacture and structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12583406B2Vehicle structural member

Publication Date: 2026.03.24 TOYODA IRON WORKS CO LTD

AI summary

A press-formed vehicle structural member includes: a top wall; a pair of lateral walls extending from opposite edges of the top wall in a broadening manner; and a pair of flanges bending outwardly from edges of the lateral walls, wherein the vehicle structural member has a hat-shaped cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle structural member. In some embodiments, a bending angle between the lateral walls and the flanges is 87° to 94°. In some embodiments, a length of the flanges from the lateral wall is greater than 11 mm.