Hexagonal Concave-Convex Sheet Stiffness Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet materials with concave-convex sections do not achieve optimal stiffness enhancement without increasing thickness, and there is a need for higher stiffness ratios in various applications, including automotive and machinery components, to reduce weight and material costs while maintaining or improving mechanical properties.
Innovation Solution
A sheet material with a concave-convex section pattern featuring regular hexagons, where first and second protruding portions with hexagonal pyramidal or truncated hexagonal pyramidal shapes protrude in opposite directions, arranged at regular intervals, providing exceptional stiffness and manufacturability, and can be used in laminated structures and vehicle panels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of the sheet material is increased to improve stiffness, then the stiffness is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from increasing stiffness through thickness (one dimension) to increasing stiffness through geometric patterning (two-dimensional surface structure). The concave-convex pattern creates three-dimensional relief features that provide structural rigidity without adding material thickness, thereby achieving the desired stiffness improvement while maintaining low weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs curved and angled surfaces in the concave-convex pattern, including inclined planes and rounded transitions between protruding and recessed portions. These curved geometries distribute stress more effectively and provide structural rigidity comparable to thicker flat sheets, achieving high stiffness without increasing weight.
2Strength
If a concave-convex pattern is formed on the sheet material to increase stiffness, then the stiffness is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The concave-convex pattern is segmented into repeating modular units consisting of protruding portions and recessed portions arranged in regular intervals. This segmentation allows the complex three-dimensional pattern to be formed efficiently through periodic embossing or molding operations, reducing manufacturing complexity compared to forming arbitrary non-repeating patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes specific geometric parameters of the concave-convex pattern, including the inclination angles of the protruding portions (5-45 degrees), the depth ratios of recessed portions (0.3-0.7 times the height of protruding portions), and the spacing between features. These parameter optimizations ensure high stiffness while maintaining manufacturability through standard forming processes.
3Strength
If the concave-convex pattern density is increased to further increase stiffness, then the stiffness increasing effect is improved, but the material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention achieves optimal stiffness with moderate pattern density by optimizing the geometric parameters of individual pattern elements. The inclined planes with angles of 5-45 degrees and recessed portions with depths of 0.3-0.7 times the protruding height provide maximum structural efficiency per unit of material, reducing the need for increased pattern density and associated material consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave-convex pattern concentrates material removal and structural reinforcement at specific locations where they provide maximum stiffness benefit. The protruding portions are strategically positioned and dimensioned to provide local structural support where needed, rather than uniformly increasing material throughout the entire sheet, thereby reducing overall material cost.
Data Source
AI summary
Within an area of substantially regular hexagons arranged at regular intervals on an imaginary reference plane, a sheet material includes a concave-convex section (20) having a basic pattern in which one first region (A1) is surrounded by six second regions (A2). This basic pattern repeats in regular intervals in lateral and longitudinal directions of the sheet material. The concave-convex section includes first protruding portions (21) and second protruding portion (22), which protrude in opposite directions from each other in the thickness direction in the first regions and the second regions, respectively. The first and second protruding portions may have a hexagonal pyramidal shape or a truncated hexagonal pyramidal shape.