Motor Vehicle Housing Surface Structure Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle control device housings face challenges in achieving high rigidity and resistance to breakage while minimizing material usage and volume, as conventional methods either increase weight significantly or compromise on heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
The housing features a surface structure with multiple levels of the same dimensions, where the inside and outside surfaces are inverted relative to each other, and the structure extends over most of the housing except for connection areas, utilizing triangular, square, or hexagonal contours for enhanced rigidity and incorporating electronic components within the varying levels to optimize space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a honeycomb structure is used to reinforce the housing, then rigidity and resistance to breakage are improved, but material usage and housing volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional honeycomb structure by placing the smooth surface on the inside and the structured surface on the outside. This inversion maintains the rigidity benefits of the multi-level structure while reducing material usage, as the structural reinforcement is achieved through the external geometry rather than internal material addition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a flat single-level surface to a multi-level three-dimensional surface structure. By creating multiple levels with vertical spacing, the housing gains enhanced rigidity and resistance to breakage without proportionally increasing material usage, as the reinforcement comes from geometric dimensionality rather than material quantity.
2Quantity of substance
If the wall thickness is reduced to save material, then material usage decreases, but rigidity and resistance to breakage worsen
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing multiple levels with vertical spacing, the patent compensates for reduced wall thickness through three-dimensional geometric reinforcement. The multi-level structure creates structural rigidity in the vertical dimension, allowing thinner walls to maintain adequate strength and resistance to breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The inversion of surface placement allows the structured geometry to provide reinforcement from the outside, enabling reduced wall thickness while maintaining rigidity. The external multi-level structure acts as a reinforcement shell that compensates for the reduced internal material thickness.
3Strength
If a multi-level surface structure is created, then rigidity and resistance to breakage are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the structural reinforcement function and the heat dissipation function into a single multi-level surface structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate cooling features or internal reinforcement elements, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the multi-level geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-level surface structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides rigidity enhancement, resistance to breakage, and heat dissipation through increased surface area. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components or features, simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
4Temperature
If the surface area is increased for heat dissipation, then heat dissipation capability is improved, but material usage and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves increased heat dissipation surface area by creating multiple levels with vertical spacing, rather than expanding the horizontal footprint. This vertical dimensionality allows the housing to maintain a compact volume while providing sufficient surface area for heat dissipation without proportionally increasing material usage.
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
This design achieves high rigidity and resistance to breakage with reduced material usage, allowing for efficient heat dissipation and minimized volume, while also serving as a heat sink for components that generate heat, such as power transistors.
Implementation Method 1
This enables heat dissipation, particularly in humid ambient conditions
Implementation Method 2
sturdy, heat-dissipating and heat-radiating plastic housing
Implementation Method 3
the surface structure consists of several levels, the area dimensions of which are essentially the same... very high rigidity and resistance to breakage
Implementation Method 4
If the housing or the housing part is made of metal, it can also be used as a heat sink in connection with electrical components that develop a lot of heat
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a housing (10) or housing part (11) for a control device of a motor vehicle, having a surface structure (22) deviating at least partly from a flat plane, wherein the surface structure (22) comprises a plurality of planes (24, 26; 30, 32, 34) whose superficial dimensions are substantially equally large.