Embossment Pattern for Heat Shield Mounting Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat shields in automotive applications face fatigue failure due to vibrations, particularly around structural holes in the mounting area, leading to crack nucleation and propagation, which reduces durability and increases the risk of detachment, despite the use of cost-effective fasteners and thinner metal sheets for weight reduction.
Innovation Solution
A metal sheet with embossment patterns featuring radiating elongated elements around structural holes, increasing bending and torsional rigidity, and reducing crack propagation by compressing the area under fastening means, thereby enhancing the stability and longevity of the mounting area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard fastening methods (bolt and nuts, clipping) are used to rigidly fasten the heat shield, then the heat shield is securely mounted, but repeated vibrations induce mechanical loads and bending moments that lead to crack development and fatigue failure in the connection areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different structural qualities to different areas of the heat shield. The mounting area features embossed strengthening elements (protrusions, ridges, or recesses) that locally increase stiffness and fatigue resistance, while the rest of the shield maintains its original flexible structure. This local reinforcement allows standard fastening methods to be used without causing fatigue failure at the connection points.
2Weight of moving object
If the metal sheet thickness is reduced for weight reduction, then the heat shield becomes lighter, but the mounting area becomes more susceptible to vibration-induced stresses and fatigue cracks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the mounting area by adding embossed strengthening elements that increase the local moment of inertia and section modulus. This allows the overall sheet thickness to be reduced for weight savings while the reinforced mounting area maintains sufficient bending strength and fatigue resistance to withstand vibration loads.
3Stability of the object's composition
If embossment patterns are applied to the main area of the heat shield to increase apparent stiffness, then the structural stability is improved, but the mounting area requires flat surfaces for proper fastening contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heat shield surface into two distinct zones: the main area with embossed patterns for structural stability and stiffness, and the mounting area with flattened surfaces for proper fastening contact. This segmentation allows both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously by treating different regions differently.
4Reliability
If the heat shield is contoured to closely resemble the shape of the exhaust manifold to reduce space required, then the thermal protection effectiveness is increased, but the mounting areas become more complex and harder to fasten
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local flattening to the mounting areas of the contoured heat shield, creating flat contact surfaces for fastening while maintaining the complex contoured shape in the main body for thermal protection effectiveness. This localized modification simplifies the mounting areas without compromising the overall thermal shielding performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Heatshield with at least one hole, characterised in that an embossment pattern is arranged around the hole, whereby the embossment pattern comprises of a plurality of protruding elongated elements extending or radiating essentially perpendicular to the perimeter of the hole.