Hot-Stamping Formed Article With Protrusion Portions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current structural members for vehicles, such as side sills, require enhanced collision safety performance and higher strength characteristics in three-point bending tests to improve impact absorption and compression resistance.

Innovation Solution

A hot-stamping formed article with a specific structure featuring two standing wall portions, a top sheet portion, and protrusion portions where the angle between the top sheet and protrusion is greater than 90°, and a manufacturing method involving hot-stamping of high-strength steel sheets to create a double structure with overlapping steel sheets, enhancing tensile strength and Vickers hardness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional structural members with simple hat-shaped cross sections are used, then manufacturing is simple, but collision safety performance and three-point bending characteristics are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision safety performanceVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The structural member is divided into multiple wall portions (first standing wall portion, second standing wall portion, top wall portion, bottom wall portion) with distinct functions. Each portion is optimized independently to contribute to overall collision safety performance while maintaining manufacturability through modular design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cross-sectional geometry is enhanced by adding protrusion portions that extend in the width direction, creating a more complex three-dimensional structure from a basic hat-shape. This dimensional enhancement improves three-point bending characteristics and collision safety without requiring multiple separate components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Use of energy by moving object

If steel sheets are folded in three layers to improve impact absorption, then energy absorption increases, but manufacturing complexity and process difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy absorptionVSAvoidmanufacturing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protrusion portions are strategically positioned at specific locations where energy absorption is most critical during impact. The local geometric modification concentrates energy dissipation capabilities at key stress points rather than requiring uniform complexity throughout the entire structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cross-sectional area and geometric parameters of the protrusion portions are optimized to achieve desired energy absorption characteristics. By adjusting dimensions such as protrusion height, width, and position, the energy absorption capacity is tuned without fundamentally changing the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If recessed parts are formed by pressing with power supply rollers, then local reinforcement is achieved, but protrusion portions cannot be formed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocal reinforcementVSAvoidshape formation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of forming recessed parts by pressing inward, the invention forms protrusion portions that extend outward from the wall portions. This inverted approach achieves local reinforcement by adding material volume rather than removing it, enabling the creation of external geometric features that enhance structural performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Device complexity

If connection regions are extended outward to increase ridges, then structural complexity increases, but folding is avoided

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of ridgesVSAvoidfolding process
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protrusion portions are formed as integral features of the pressed steel sheet before assembly, rather than being created through subsequent folding operations. This preliminary formation of geometric features simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating complex folding steps while achieving the desired multi-ridge structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 solution achieves a hot-stamping formed article with improved strength and three-point bending characteristics, allowing for effective collision safety performance and easy manufacturing, while maintaining high tensile strength and energy absorption.

Implementation Method 1

a hot-stamping formed article, a structural member using the same, and a manufacturing method of hot-stamping formed article

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHot-stamping: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 2

hot-stamping formed article having high strength and high characteristics in a three-point bending test

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentEP3485996B1Hot-stamping formed article, structural member using the same, and manufacturing method of hot-stamping formed article
Publication Date: 2022.06.01 NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
  • EP3485996B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3485996B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B
  • EP3485996B1 patent drawingFigure 4A

AI summary

The present invention provides a hot-stamping formed article which is long and formed of a single steel sheet, the hot-stamping formed article including: two standing wall portions; a top sheet portion adjacent to the two standing wall portions; and a protrusion portion including an overlapping portion in which a portion of the steel sheet extending from at least one standing wall portion of the two standing wall portions and a portion of the steel sheet extending from the top sheet portion overlap, in which an angle between the top sheet portion and the protrusion portion in a case where a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the hot-stamping formed article is viewed in a cross section is larger than 90°.